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themselves the owners of the entire continent。
During the seventeenth century； some ten small English
colonies had been founded between Maine and the Carolinas。
They were usually a haven of refuge for some particular sect
of English dissenters； such as the Puritans； who in the year
1620 went to New England； or the Quakers； who settled in
Pennsylvania in 1681。 They were small frontier communities；
nestling close to the shores of the ocean； where people had
gathered to make a new home and begin life among happier
surroundings； far away from royal supervision and interference。
The French colonies； on the other hand； always remained
a possession of the crown。 No Huguenots or Protestants were
allowed in these colonies for fear that they might contaminate
the Indians with their dangerous Protestant doctrines and
would perhaps interfere with the missionary work of the Jesuit
fathers。 The English colonies； therefore； had been founded
upon a much healthier basis than their French neighbours and
rivals。 They were an expression of the commercial energy of
the English middle classes； while the French settlements were
inhabited by people who had crossed the ocean as servants of the
king and who expected to return to Paris at the first possible chance。
Politically； however； the position of the English colonies
was far from satisfactory。 The French had discovered the
mouth of the Saint Lawrence in the sixteenth century。 From
the region of the Great Lakes they had worked their way southward；
had descended the Mississippi and had built several fortifications
along the Gulf of Mexico。 After a century of exploration；
a line of sixty French forts cut off the English settlements
along the Atlantic seaboard from the interior。
The English land grants； made to the different colonial
companies had given them ‘‘all land from sea to sea。'' This
sounded well on paper； but in practice； British territory
ended where the line of French fortifications began。 To break
through this barrier was possible but it took both men and
money and caused a series of horrible border wars in which
both sides murdered their white neighbours； with the help of the
Indian tribes。
As long as the Stuarts had ruled England there had been
no danger of war with France。 The Stuarts needed the Bourbons
in their attempt to establish an autocratic form of government
and to break the power of Parliament。 But in 1689 the
last of the Stuarts had disappeared from British soil and Dutch
William； the great enemy of Louis XIV succeeded him。 From
that time on； until the Treaty of Paris of 1763； France and
England fought for the possession of India and North America。
During these wars； as I have said before； the English navies
invariably beat the French。 Cut off from her colonies； France
lost most of her possessions； and when peace was declared； the
entire North American continent had fallen into British hands
and the great work of exploration of Cartier； Champlain； La
Salle； Marquette and a score of others was lost to France。
Only a very small part of this vast domain was inhabited。
From Massachusetts in the north； where the Pilgrims （a sect
of Puritans who were very intolerant and who therefore had
found no happiness either in Anglican England or Calvinist
Holland） had landed in the year 1620； to the Carolinas and
Virginia （the tobacco…raising provinces which had been founded
entirely for the sake of profit）； stretched a thin line of
sparsely populated territory。 But the men who lived in this
new land of fresh air and high skies were very different from
their brethren of the mother country。 In the wilderness they
had learned independence and self…reliance。 They were the
sons of hardy and energetic ancestors。 Lazy and timourous
people did not cross the ocean in those days。 The American
colonists hated the restraint and the lack of breathing space
which had made their lives in the old country so very unhappy。
They meant to be their own masters。 This the ruling classes
of England did not seem to understand。 The government annoyed
the colonists and the colonists； who hated to be bothered
in this way； began to annoy the British government。
Bad feeling caused more bad feeling。 It is not necessary
to repeat here in detail what actually happened and what might
have been avoided if the British king had been more intelligent
than George III or less given to drowsiness and indifference
than his minister； Lord North。 The British colonists；
when they understood that peaceful arguments would not
settle the difficulties； took to arms。 From being loyal subjects；
they turned rebels； who exposed themselves to the punishment
of death when they were captured by the German
soldiers； whom George hired to do his fighting after the pleasant
custom of that day； when Teutonic princes sold whole
regiments to the highest bidder。
The war between England and her American colonies
lasted seven years。 During most of that time； the final success
of the rebels seemed very doubtful。 A great number of
the people； especially in the cities； had remained loyal to their
king。 They were in favour of a compromise； and would have
been willing to sue for peace。 But the great figure of Washington
stood guard over the cause of the colonists。
Ably assisted by a handful of brave men； he used his steadfast
but badly equipped armies to weaken the forces of the king。
Time and again when defeat seemed unavoidable； his strategy
turned the tide of battle。 Often his men were ill…fed。 During
the winter they lacked shoes and coats and were forced to live
in unhealthy dug…outs。 But their trust in their great leader
was absolute and they stuck it out until the final hour of victory。
But more interesting than the campaigns of Washington
or the diplomatic triumphs of Benjamin Franklin who was
in Europe getting money from the French government and
the Amsterdam bankers； was an event which occurred early in
the revolution。 The representatives of the different colonies
had gathered in Philadelphia to discuss matters of common
importance。 It was the first year of the Revolution。 Most
of the big towns of the sea coast were still in the hands of the
British。 Reinforcements from England were arriving by the
ship load。 Only men who were deeply convinced of the righteousness
of their cause would have found the courage to take
the momentous decision of the months of June and July of
the year 1776。
In June； Richard Henry Lee of Virginia proposed a motion
to the Continental Congress that ‘‘these united colonies
are； and of right ought to be； free and independent states； that
they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown； and
that all political connection between them and the state of
Great Britain is and ought to be； totally dissolved。''
The motion was seconded by John Adams of Massachusetts。
It was carried on July the second and on July fourth；
it was follo