TIIE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, arc a great division of North America, bounded on the cast by the tlantic Ocean; on the west by the Mississippi, the mountains of Namki, and Rio Bravo ; on the north and north-east by the lakes of Canada ; and on the south the Spanish dominion of Ea.t Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. These states, including Louisiana, are 17 in number. In the following Table, their names, and the population of each state, estimated by the census of 1810, are exhibited.
The chief rivers of the United States, are, Hudson's river, the Delaware, Susquehanna, Potowmac, Savannah, Ohio, Kentucky river, Cumberland, Illinois, and Missis sippi ; its mountains, arc, the Allegany, or Appalachian ; its bays, those of the Chesapeake and Delaware ; and its capes, Ann, May, Cod, James, Charles, Henry, Hatteras, Lookout, and Fear.
The country, now possessed by the people of the United States, was originally occupied by different tribes of Indians, which have either been extirpated by wars among themselves, or with the new settlers, or have been driven to the remote forests, by the encroach ments of the Europeans. Of these Indians, the Pequods, the Naragansets, (this tribe could muster 2000 fight ing men in 1675,) the \Vomponoags, the Delawares, the Susuiehannoes, (destroyed by the Five Nations.) the Powhatans, (containing 8000 souls in 1807,) the Chowannoes, the Nottoways, the Corees, and the Tus caroras, were the most distinguished and best known. Tho Catawbas, Creeks, and the Cherokees, still re tain their names, and a portion of their ancient territories.
The English were the first who ;Sited and planted colonies in North America. In the year 1497, Giovanni (iaboto, a Venetian, called by the English John Cabot, acting under a commission from Henry VII., discover ed Newfoundland, and inspected a considerable portion of the American shore : and in the year 1578, sir Hum phrey Gilbert of Devonshire obtained a commission front Elizabeth to establish a colony in North America; but approaching the land too far towards the north, ht; was deterred from the execution of his purpose by the unfavourable appearance of the country. A patent, similar to that of Gilbert, was granted to sir Walter' Raleigh in the year 1584. He despatched two small
vessels, which approached the American shore by the gulf of Florida ; and, sailing northwards, touched at the island of Ocakoke, in the inlet in Pamplico Sound. They afterwards proceeded to Roanoke, near the mouth of Albemarle Sound, and here the adventurers carried on a profitable traffic with the natives. The ships then returned to England, and the country which they had visited was called by Elizabeth, Virginia. These at tempts were made to settle in the island of Roanoke, in consequence of Raleigh's exertions ; but no colony was as yet established. At length, James VI. having divi ded that part of America, which extends from lat. 34° to 45' N. into two great portions ; the one called the first or South colony of Virginia; and the other, the second or North colony ; authorized sir Thomas Gates, sir George Summers, and their associates in London, to settle in any part of the former which they might choose : and sundry knights, gentlemen, and merchants of Bris tol and Plymouth, to occupy the latter. As James de rived no little consequence, in his own opinion, from his skill in of government, the supreme ad ministration or the colonies was vested in a council re siding in England, and nominated by himself; and th1 subordinate jurisdiction in a council resident in Ameri ca, which was likewise- appointed by the royal authority. At this time the English were accustomed to the arbi trary rule of their monarchs, and the limits of the royal prerogative were unknown. It was either not per ceived, or not attended to, that, by placing the legislative and executive powers in a council nominated by the king, every settler in America was deprived of the chief privilege of a free of giving his voice in the election of those who frame the laws which he is to observe, and impose the taxes which he is to pay. But this was not the only error of James. He allowed the settlers to trade with foreign nations: and thus the mother country was preveaied from enjoying the bene fit of an exclusive commerce, which is supposed to be the principal advantage resulting from the formation of colonies.