THE EDITOR'S FINAL STATEMENT. THE plan of this work was developed and arrangements were made for its progress in March, 1881, while the Editor had still in hand another coöperative work, The Memorial History of Boston. When his purpose was brought to the attention of the Massachusetts Historical Society, that body marked its interest in the undertaking by appointing an advisory committee, which consisted of ROBERT C. WINTHROP, then its President, GEORGE E. ELLIS, and CHARLES DEANE, then VicePresidents, HENRY W. TORREY, then the leading professor of history in Harvard University, and FRANCIS PARKMAN, the historian of New France. Affiliations were sought and obtained with other historical societies here and in other countries through some of their members, who had given special attention to the fields of research that it was purposed to cover. In this way the assistance has been obtained of thirty-nine different writers. The Editor had a definite purpose in his mind when he undertook this History, which was to add a distinctly critical treatment to the combined authorship which had characterized the earlier work. His intention was not to offer a model for the general writing of history, based on a coöperative and critical method. There is no substitute for the individuality of an historian. His experience during many years in charge of large libraries resorted to by scholars, had made it very clear to his own mind that there was a value, at intervals of time, both for the writer and for the student, in grouping the original material which had come to light, so that the facilities of the historian should be understood. There was an almost equal advantage in making apparent what had already been done in the use of such material. The Editor had also learned the importance of the monograph as rounding the treatment of any phase of history, in a way rarely accomplished in more comprehensive work. He thought, too, that he had discovered how the eye which surveys the broader field loses in some degree its sense of adjustment to narrower details, both of action and record, which characterize the monograph and which belong to the province of the specialist in historical research. It might, he thought, be no small gain to bring such specialists into unison, side by side, in the elucidation of the broader aspects of American history. It was further believed that the field of historical geography was more intimately connected with that of history in general than had usually been recognized; and that it was difficult to see how any period of discovery could be understood without a constant apprehension of the geographical conditions which the discoverers supposed they were dealing with. It was felt also that there is a necessary sympathy between the graphic illustrations belonging to a period under observation and the progress of its events; and that a certain wrong is done to the critical sense if other pictorial associations are established. It was to be expected that the plan would show in its development certain deficiencies, that are more easily avoided in the ordinary methods of writing history. While the several narratives aimed to be condensations of existing knowledge, the degree of compression would vary with the mental characteristics of the several writers; and comparing one narrative with another, there might be want of continuity, change of style, and contrasts of treatment. There was likely, too, to be disproportion in the critical essays and their attendant notes; since the amplitude. of detail was to be determined quite as much by the material to be worked upon as by the importance of the topic, and the two were not sure to be in accurate correlation. In reference to his own functions, the Editor would say, that, while he has attempted, from the vantage-ground naturally belonging to such a supervisor, to do something towards unifying the several chapters, in regard to spirit and general scope, beyond what was possible for the several writers to do, who were not generally in correspondence with one another, he has at the same time left them free in the expression of opinions; so that in one chapter and another a diversity of view may appear. If the intent of the book be considered, this will not appear an unfortunate conjunction, inasmuch as one of its chief purposes is to reflect the opinions of those most entitled to be heard, and these may often be at variance. In such matters as Old and New Style in chronology, and in the spelling of proper names, he has not thought it necessary to make the different writers conform, but has allowed their several preferences to prevail. Necessarily much of the Editor's work is not patent; but he has made some parts palpable by affixing his mark, to relieve his fellow-workers of any responsibility which should attach to himself alone. These supplements to the well-directed labors of his coadjutors have been seen in proof by the several writers, and they have kindly and freely given the Editor the benefit of their judgment. Upon no one of his friends, however, has he been more constantly dependent than upon Dr. DEANE. HARVARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, September, 1889. JUSTIN WINSOR. CHRONOLOGICAL CONSPECTUS OF AMERICAN HISTORY. • Treatment of the geological and prehistoric periods will be found in Volume I. Events of other continents associated with the progress of opinion as respects the existence of a western world and associated with the course of history in America are also included, so far as they are mentioned in the present work. The publication of books, cardinal in regard to the progress of historic knowledge, has also been noted, as well as the making of maps defining the condition of geographical views at their respective dates. X Cent. B. C. Homer's geographical views, i. 39; Brasseur de Bourbourg begins Mexican history 955 B. C., i. 155. VII Cent. B. C. sail west, i. 25. VI Cent. B. C. taught, i. 2. The Greeks under Colæus Spherical shape of the earth ▼ Cent. B. C. The Carthaginians sail west under Hanno and Hamilco, i. 25. The Pirua dynasty is held to have begun in Peru, i. 225. IV Cent. B. C. Plato and the story of Atlantis, i. 15, 41; Aelian cites Theopompus about Western islands, i. 21; Pytheas and Euthymenes explore the Western ocean, 26; views of Aristotle, 28, 37; of Pytheas, 34. III Cent. B. C. Eratosthenes measures the size of the earth, i. 4. II Cent. B. C. Geographical ideas of Marinus of Tyre, Polybius, and Hipparchus, i. 8, 34. I Cent. B. C. Sertorius hears of the Atlantic islands, i. 26; references in Virgil and Horace, 27; geographical ideas of Strabo and Posidonius, 27, 34; the dream of Scipio in Cicero, 36; Diodorus Siculus on the Carthaginian discovery of America, 41; strange men cast on the German coast, 26. I Cent. A. D. Plutarch's Morals and the Saturnian continent, i. 23; Seneca's prophecy, 27, 29; Roman voyages to America, 41; Pomponius Mela's Cosmographia, i. 35; ii. 180. II Cent. A.D. Ptolemy's geographical views, i. 34; ii 95, 165; St. Clement and the world beyond the ocean, i. 37. III Cent. A. D. The geographical views of Indian Ocean, ii. 94. From the fourth to the seventh century the Nahuas occupy the Mexican plateau, i. 137. V Cent. A. D. The cosmological theories of Macrobius, i. 11; ii. 28; Proclus and the Atlantis myth, i. 35. The Chinese alleged to have reached Fousang, i. 78. VI Cent. A.D. King Arthur in Iceland, i. 60. The Toltecs reach Mexico, and the building of Teotihuacan, 139, 182. 503. Mexican history begins according to Ixtlilxochitl, i. 156. 577. May 16. St. Brandan died, i. 48. 596. Mexican history begins according to Clavigero, i. 155. VII Cent. A. Ď. Harrisse claims that the Basques frequented the American coast, i. 75. 697. Vetia begins Mexican history, i. 155. VIII Cent. A. D. The Venerable Bede taught the sphericity of the earth, i. 31. Northmen said to be in Greenland, i. 61. 714. Antillia, or the Island of the Seven Cities, settled from Spain, i. 31. IX Cent. A. D. The Irish in Iceland, i. 60. 830. The Pirua dynasty fell, in Peru, i. 225. 835. Greenland inhabited, i. 61. 875. The Norse in Iceland, i. 61. 876. Gunnbiorn sees a western land, i. 61. X Cent. A. D. 983-85. Eric in Greenland, i. 61. 986. Bjarni's voyage S. W. from Greenland, i. 63. Are Marson finds Huitramannaland, i. 82. The Totul Xius held to be in Yucatan in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries, i. 153. XI Cent. A. D. End of the Toltec power in Mexico, i. 140. The Arabs explore the Atlantic in this and the following century, i. 72. 1000. Leif in Vinland, i. 63, 87. 1006. Thorfinn Karlsefne in Vinland, i. 65. XII Cent. A. D. Edrisi, Arab geographer, i. 1327-78. Madeira discovered between these 1347. Latest tidings of Vinland, i. 65. 1375. Catalan Mappemonde, i. 55; ii. 38. XV Cent. A. D. Communication with Greenland ceases, i. 68. 1402. Béthencourt settles the Canaries, ii. 36. 1409. The Latin version of Ptolemy first made, ii. 27. 1410. Pierre d'Ailly's Ymago Mundi written, ii. 28, 29; with a map, 95.. 1415. The Tepanecs (Mexico) invade Tezcuco, i. 146. 1418-20. Madeira rediscovered by the Portuguese, ii. 38. 1418. Prince Henry's school of nautical observation at Sagres, ii. 40. 1424. Antillia first in maps, i. 49. 1427. The Claudius Clavus map gives the earliest delineation of any part of America (Greenland), i. 117; ii. 28. 1434. The Portuguese push their discoveries down the African coast beyond Cape Bojador, ii. 40. 1435-1456. Columbus born between these dates, ii. 83. Harrisse says about 1445, ii. 89. 1436. Variation of the needle shown on maps, ii. 94. Andrea Bianco, map of the Atlantic, i. 54, 55; ii. 38, 94. 1439. Valsequa's chart of the Atlantic, ii. 174. 1440-69. Montezuma I. (Mexico), i. 147. 1444. Biscayans said to have discovered Western lands, i. 75. 1447. Antillia rediscovered, i. 31. | 1459. Fra Mauro's map of the Atlantic, i. 117, 120; ii. 94. 1460. The Cape de Verde islands found, ii. 1461-90. Atlantic charts of the Benincasas, i. The Dutch said to be on the Newfoundland coast, i. 75. 1467. Map discovered by Nordenskjöld shows 1470. Columbus dreaming of a Western land, 1471. Earliest edition of Pomponius Mela, ii. 1472. Edition of Strabo, ii. 25. 1473. Leonardo da Vinci said to have written 31. Harrisse's date for Columbus leaving Italy, ii. 90. Solinus first printed, i. 35. 1474. Columbus corresponds with Toscanelli, i. 51; ii. 2, 30; and sees his map, i. 56; ii. 101, 103. Bartholomew Las Casas born, ii. 303. 1475. Latin version of Ptolemy printed, i. 34; ii. 27. 1475-1506. The Ephemerides of Regiomon tanus, - the calculations probably used by Columbus, ii. 96. 1475. Works of L. Annaeus Seneca first printed, i. 35. 1476. Skolno on the Labrador coast, i. 76; ii. 34. 1477. Æneas Sylvius' Historia, - used by Columbus, ii. 31. Feb. Columbus in Iceland, i 61, 96; ii. 33Marco Polo's travels first printed, ii. 30. 1480. Brazil island searched for, i. 50. 1482. Toscanelli died, ii. 30. 1484. Regiomontanus adapts the astrolabe for sea use, 1. 97. Columbus goes to Spain, ii. 90. The pilot died, who had been driven west, and had seen land, of which he spoke to Columbus, ii. 33. 1485. Columbus in the French piratical service, ii. I. Latin version of Marco Polo - the one probably seen by Columbus, ii. 30. 1485-86. Columbus announces his views to Ferdinand and Isabella, ii. 3. 1486. Laon globe made, but dated 1493, i. 58, 119; iii. 212. 1487. Diego Cam reaches the Cape of Good Hope, ii. 41. 1488-89. Cousin on the South American coast, i. 76; ii. 34; viii. 374. A Portuguese ship driven westward to land, 1489. Alleged visit of Behaim to the Ameri i. 75. 1451. Mar. 9. Vespucius born, ii. 129. 1458, etc. The maps of Leardo, i. 56. can coast, ii. 34. 1491. Bristol vessels sailing westward, i. 75. Harrisse's date for Columbus's securing the royal ear, ii. 91. 1492. Behaim globe, i. 58; ii. 35, 104, 105; iii. 21.2. |