PEOPLE.

120. People.

Who was Columbus? When did he live?
What people lived in America at that time?

Nearly all the early settlers in the land
now called the United States made their homes
along the Atlantic coast. Let us see why : —

a. The early settlers came from Europe
and landed on the east coast.

b. There were no roads nor long rivers
leading inland from this coast to the prairies.

87

Towns soon grew up along the lakes and
rivers. Many of them were trading stations
where the Indians sold furs for beads, knives,
powder and other articles.

About fifty years ago gold was found near
the Pacific coast, and many people went there
in search of fortunes. Some crossed the vast
plains and basin region, in wagons or on
horses. Others sailed round Cape Horn.
Still others went in vessels to the isthmus of
Panama, crossed that neck of land, and then

 

Longitude 105 ‘West

 

 

 

 

c. The Appalachian highland stood between
the Atlantic coast and the prairies.

d. Savage tribes held the lands that were
a little back from the coast.

e. The settlers wished to trade with the
ships from Europe.

After a time, people found that there were
vast fertile prairies west of the mountains,
and that they could reach them. by sail-
ing down the Ohio river or up the Great
Lakes. Many also went up the Mississippi
river from its mouth.

 

sailed up the coast. Thus the west shore of
our country was settled.

From time to time new deposits of silver
and gold were found in many parts of the
Rocky Mountain highland. Mining camps
soon grew to be towns or cities, and thus’
even the great highland was settled.

The dots on the above map show the loca-
tion of cities and towns. Where are the dots
largest and thickest ??

1 The star on the map shows the center of population,
according to latest census.