W.E.A. LECTURE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1075, 23 July 1924, Page 7

W.E.A. LECTURE

HISTORY INTERPRETED. MAKING OF UNITED STATES. The course of university extension let* turos was continued last evening by Mr Ernest Mander who took as his subject: “Tho Story of tho American Colonies down to tho Time of tho War of Independence. Mr Mander began by referring to tho discovery of a country called V ineland (the coast of North America) by Scandinavian vcyagers in the 11th century —about the time of the Norman conquest of England. It soemd that settlements were made in North America by those Norsemen some of which failed and were abandoned and others which were lost sight of, so that it was not known what became of them. Centuries passed, and then in 1492, while trying to find his way around the wor'u to India, Columbus discovered or re-dis-covered —tho American continent. But those who followed Columbus in C entral America had no thought of settling as col onists in this new world they had found. They wont only as trading adventurers first, and then afterwards as conquerors and exploiters to enslave the natives and forco them to work in the mines producing wealth for Spain. , . The first attempts at ’real colonisation, pei nianent settlement, were made i:i North America, by English emigrants. * oor J alter 1(00 a company was formed to found a colony in Virginia—about half-vtay down the coast of the present United States, where Sir Walter Raleigh’s attempt at colonisation had been made half a century before. A second colony was established farther north, north oven of "here New York stands to-day. This was called New England -. and tho settlers were I untans, mainly from the eastern counties of old England—people with the same beliefs as those who, remaining in England, would take up arms 20 years later for 1 arlia ment against the King. The Pilgrim Fathers landed from the Mayflower m 1620. They landed in mid-winter in the cold, cruel winter of the Northern States. During the first months these New England pioneers underwent the most terrible sufferings and privations, and more than halt of their number died. But their spirit was magnificent. Tho next colonv to be founded was another Puritan settlement, Massachusetts with its chief town and port at Bostori. Then, between these Puritan colonies in the north and Virginia in the south, theie was founded a Roman Catholic colonv which was called Maryland. Next name a colony of Quakers— Pennsylvania. There were also various Dutch settlements, especially about the part- where the city oi New York is now. Tho French meanwhile had been planting colonies still farther to the north, along tho St. Lawrence River, in what is now Canada. Following a detailed description of the various settlements Mr Mander continued. At first the political and economic relations between the American colonies and the Mother Country were rather vague and uncertain While the colonials were but small groups of people struggling desperately to establish themselves in the new land, the English King and Parliament paid little attention to them. But when they had grown into large and prosperous c'omlmmities they became subject to a good deal of interference and restriction by the home government. They were, for instance, restricted very largely from trading with any foreign country—obliged to send practically all their exports to and obtain all their imports from England. Even more odious was the restriction of manufacture m 'the colonics; for the British manufacturers were able to prohibit the Americans from developing any secondard industries. Finally, came the question of the taxation of the colonies by the home government The lecturer showed how, during tne Seven Years’ War with France, the British had undertaken a campaign in Canada, ending in the capture oE Quebec. This campaign had not been undertaken primarily for the benefit of the New England colonies; bur. thev had been enthusiastic tor it and it had removed for them the danger of French expansion down the. line of the Mississippi river behind them, cutting them off from the undeveloped “west. After Tie war a permanent garrison was to be maintained in America, and to meet part ot the cost of this the British Government Imposed stamp duties and customs duties on tho colonies. Feeling was mounting on

both sides. People on both sides got their “blood up.” The King and his party in the British Parliament were fuming with indignation at tho “insolence” of tne colonials, and th© governors in the colonies were behaving with stupid arrogance and arrogantstupidity. On the other side the colonials were growing more and more wrathful. There were quarrels between soldiers and civilians. A British warship was laided and burnt as she lay stranded on the beach one night after running ashore. Three merchant ships bringing tea to Boston were boarded by colonials disguised as Redskins, and tho cargoes of tea were thrown overboard as a protest against, the duties. The British Government retaliated by closing the port of Boston. Both sides grew more and more excited, more and more exasperated; passions were approaching the boiling-point. At length fighting broke out in Massachusetts, and immediately the whole country was ablaze. The Continental Congress, at which all the colonies were represented, resolved to organise an army and to resort to the arbitrament of the sword. Reverse after reverse was suffered by the British troops; and in 1776 the Congress took tho final plunge and committed itself to the “Declaration of Independence.” Nevertheless, it looked as though in the end the rebels would he beaten. But then Franco intervened, sending an army to aid tho Americans. This changed the whole complexion of things. The war then developed into another world-wide conflict between France and Britain, and the American affair, became, in effect, little more than a side-show in the groat conflict —in which Spain and Holland also became involved. The war dragged on for another live years; and then a general peace was made, in which, amongst other things, Britain recognised the independence of the American States. Mr -Mander then -dealt with the way in which these independent States federated and formed the Union in 1789 (the year of the French Revolution). He discussed tho state of affairs in America after the war, and the very serious economic and social situation which the new- government had to tackle. Finally, the lecturer sketched the characters and careers of the two outstanding men of this time—George Washington and Alexander Hamilton.