River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-10
HISTORY
From Michigan Normal Instructor.

IeacheT: W e are going 20 take up
the study of United States History
Now, class, what is the first thing
necessary when we begin the study of
any subjectl
Glass: We must know of what the
subject treats and be able to give Il
definition.
Teacher: Then want You to give
me the definition Of history; who can!
After several definitions have been
given, we decide on the following:
History is il record of past events,
with regard to their causes and ef-
fects, ana United States History
would be tie record Of past events
that had taken place in the history of
that country.
Teacher; Then what kind Of His
tory would we call this!
Glass Recorded History.
Teacher: Why would we call it
Recorded History
Class: Because it has been writ
ten.
Teacher: Can any one in the class
tell me of any other kind Of history
that we could have! Has history al
ways been writtenl
Glass: No. 1t used to be told.
The family of one ge,ssration would
tell the events to the ext generation,
and in this way it was handed down
in the form Of a story.
Teacher: Who can tell me what
this story is sometimes called!
Pupil: 1t is sometimes called tradi-
ton,
Teacher: Then what would we call
the history that had come down to lis
in this form?
Pupil: We would call it Traditional
History.
Teacher: We have two kinds of
history, recorded and traditional.
Now, which is the most reliablei
Glass: Recorded History.
Teacher: Does history tell us that
the white people have always lived
here?
Pupil; The islands near the coast
of America were first visited by Co.
lumbus in 1892
Teacher: Yes, but have none of
you ever heard story about some one
else who came to this country before
Columbusl How many can tell me
anything about the Mortimer!
Pupil: They were people who
lived in Norway and Sweden, and they
claim to have visited the shores OF
America at a very early date. Not
very much is known about their early
explorations as they were not recorded
and much has been forgotten.
Teacher: Who can tell me the char
acter of these people!
To, loo
and restless class of adventures; their
mariners and soldiers penetrated al
most every cline. The better part of
England and France at one time was
under their dominion. They were
rovers of the sea, freebooters and
pirates; their warriors were audacious
and headstrong. Woe to the country
that fell under their sway.
Teacher: Who can name one of
these NOrsemen and tell me about his
explorations?
Pupil: Herjulfson is one of them.
He was sailing from Iceland to Green
land and was caught in a heavy wind
storm and driven westward to the
coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.
He did not effect a landing but sailed
very near the coast in several places.
The trees and natives all looked so
different from those of his native land
that he knew this must be a new
country. lie gave wonderful descrip-
lions of this country on his return
home and the country was called
Vinland. He made the discovery in
086.
Teacher: Did any other Norsemen
ever visit this new countryi
Pupil: Yes. Lief Erickson came
in 1901. He landed on the coast of
Newfoundland and made some explora-
ton, then he sailed southwark along
the coast of Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, and some say as far south as
the harbor of New York, The climate
was so much milder than his home
climate that he remained in this new
country about one year.
Teacher: What other Norsemen
came to our coasti
Pupil: ThornWald Erickson visited
the coast Of Maine and Massachusetts,
in 1902. Thorstein Erickson came
in 1905 and attempted to form set
Element.
Teacher: Whe can think of any
other Norsemen that is said to have
visited the shores of America!
Pupil; Thorfnn Karlsefne came in
1907. He was one of the most distin-
gulshed mariners of bis day. He had
a crew of about one hundred and fifty
men, and coasted along Maine, Massa-
chusetts, and probably as far south as
Virginia. The Norsemen claim to
have gone as far south as Florida.
They did not succeed in forming
permanent settlement. and finally
stopped their explorations. The
TACT of the discovery was nearly
forgotten.
Teacher: What effect did this dis.
coyery have on the world!
Pupil: The world was not made
any wiser or better, as the event was
not made known, not having been con-
sidered of any great Importance by
these Norsemen.
Teacher: Have we any trace of the
Norsemen in Americal
Pupil; There is a building at New.
port, r. l., that they are supposed to
have built. The characters or writing
that is on this is said to have been
translated by Ole Bull when he was in
this country. He said the inscription
was in the Morse language.
Teacher: What other person came
to this country and made known the
discovery to the entire worldl
Pupil: Christopher Columbus.
Teacher: Tell all you can about
him: when, where he was born. and
how he came to start on voyage of
discovery.
Pupil: Christopher Columbus was
born at Genoa, Italy, I435. Many Of