12mo, half leather, numerous maps, plans, and illustrations ANCIENT HISTORY. By Willis M. West of the University of Minnesota. MODERN HISTORY. By Willis M. West. HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Mawr College. By Charles M. Andrews of Bryn HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. By Charles K. Adams, and William P. Trent of Columbia University. THE ANCIENT WORLD. By Willis M. West. Also in two volumes: PART 1: GREECE AND THE EAST. PART II: ROME AND THE WEST. COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY WILLIS MASON WEST. JUN 27 1905 Dept. of Education Library, It of the Publishers. TRANSFERRED TO Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co. - Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. PREFACE. My Ancient History has met with a welcome generous beyond all expectation. In many schools, however, there seems to be a demand for a work somewhat easier, and for such schools the present book is written. In it the characteristic features of the Ancient History are retained. The order and plan of the two books are alike, and at first glance this volume may seem to vary but little from its predecessor. A careful comparison, however, will show changes of four distinct kinds : (1) Many generalizations of a philosophical nature have been omitted. (2) More narrative and more biography have been introduced. (3) Abstruse ideas have been retained only when essential to historical study, and then they have been explained. (4) Diction and sentence structure have been simplified. Besides many radical modifications, it will be found that few sentences of the Ancient History appear here without at least a slight alteration. Paragraphs, too, have been shortened; terms like "civilization," "state," "empire," are discussed in footnotes; references to maps are more frequent and specific; more maps and illustrations have been added; and the suggestions for students' reading have been simplified by the omission of rare and difficult works. With all this simplification I have tried to avoid "writing down" to a childish level. Whenever a word somewhat unfamiliar to young readers has seemed indispensable for accuracy or highly desirable for force or color, I have not hesitated to use it. A book of this kind would be poor indeed if it did not do something to enrich the student's vocabulary. The present book is designed for a year's work by first-year high-school classes. In writing it I have tried to bring out the underlying unity in historical development, and to help the student to see the value of the Past in explaining the Present. The romantic but legendary periods of Greek and Roman life are subordinated to the later periods, so much richer in historical meaning; and especially is an effort made to arouse interest in the wide-spreading Greek world after the time of Alexander, and in the Roman imperial world upon which all later European life is so directly based. WILLIS MASON WEST. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, |