File:History of the American Civil War (1867) (14575956700).jpg

Identifier: historyofamerica001drap (find matches)
Title: History of the American Civil War
Year: 1867 (1860s)
Authors: Draper, John William, 1811-1882
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, Harper
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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cal construction of North America fits_ . , it to be the political home of one people— The rivers of * rx KtoAeXbiCish one nation. Its rivers show by their coursepolitical unity. ^^ ^s continent is concave toward the sky; Europe and Asia, on the contrary, are convex. Theirrivers flow away in every direction from a central eleva-tion; ours seek a central depression. It necessarily fol-lows that their populations tend to diffusion, and alongevery great system of streams distinct nations exist.With us there is a tendency to intercommunication, toconcentration, to union. It is not a poetical metaphor,but an historical fact, that they have derived the ideasthat have served as a guide to their life from the sky;ours, it may be unfortunately, but not the less irresist-ibly, tend toward the earth. They have been under theinfluence of religious sentiment; we shall be controlled byindustrial pursuits. In Europe, spiritual aspirations pre-dominate ; in America, physical. Each follows a predes-
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Chap. I.) THE RIVERS OF NORTH AMERICA. ±\ tined course, determined by the configuration and rela-tions of the continent on which Providence has cast its lot.That portion of the continent known as the UnitedStates consists, for the most part, of a vast Three planes form in •» -, -, .-, .-... -. the Mississippi vai- valley formed by three inclining planes.The first plane gently slopes from the RockyMountains on the west until it reaches the bed of theMississippi. The second descends from the Appalachiansin the east, and intersects the first along the line of thatgreat river, the two conjointly forming the sides of theMississippi Valley. This valley is shut in by the thirdgreat plane descending from the north. In the creviceof intersection between the first and third planes flowsthe majestic Missouri; in the crevice of intersection be-tween the third and the second flows the Ohio. The first plane bears on its surface the Red River andArkansas, with their vast systems of subor-scendSghistoryofamerica001drap

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