1. _By whom and in what year was America discovered?_ 2. _After whom
was it named?_ 3. _What is remarkable in the climate of America?_ 4.
What are the principal divisions of North America? 5. In what part are
the British Possessions? 6. Mexico? 7. The United States? 8. Greenland?
9. The Russian Possessions? 10. Guatimala? 11 to 16. How is each one of
these divisions bounded?
17. What range of mountains extends through the whole length of North
America? 18. What is its course? 19. Near which coast is this range?
20. What range of mountains is in The United States? 21. _Which is the
highest mountain in North America?_
22. Which are the principal lakes? 23. Bays and gulfs? 24. How is Lake
Nicaragua situated? 25. Which is more northwardly, Hudson’s or Baffin’s
bay? 26. Where is Repulse bay? 27. Wager? 28. James’s? 29. Bristol? 30.
Campeachy? 31. Honduras? 32. Where is the Gulf of Darien? 33. Gulf of
Mexico? 34. Gulf of St. Lawrence?
35. What large river flows from the lakes, north from The United
Slates, to the Atlantic Ocean? 36. How is Lake Winnipeg connected
with Hudson’s bay? 37. Slave lake with the Arctic sea? 38. Where is
Columbia river? 39. What is its course? 40. Into what does it flow? 41.
_Which is the largest river in North America?_ 42. What rivers form the
boundary, in part, between Mexico and The United States? 43. What river
flows into the Lake of the Hills? 44. Into the Gulf of Mexico? 45.
Hudson’s bay? 46. Gulf of California?
47. How is America separated from Asia? 48. Newfoundland from New
Britain? 49. How is Baffin’s bay connected with the Atlantic ocean? 50.
Where are Hudson’s straits? 51. How is Nootka sound situated?
52. Is California an isthmus or a peninsula? 53. Where is Cape
Farewell? 54. Cape Mendocino? 55. Icy Cape? 56. What cape is at the
southern extremity of Nova Scotia? 57. How many degrees further north
is Cape Race, than Cape Corrientes?
58. What islands are near the western coast of North America? 59. What
is the latitude of Vancouver’s Island? 60. How are the Bahama Islands
separated from Florida? 61. Where are the West India Islands? 62. Which
of them is largest? 63. _To what nations do they principally belong?_
64. Where is North Georgian Island?
65. In what part of the United States is the Oregon Territory? 66.
The Missouri Territory? 67. In what part of the British Possessions
is Labrador? 68. _Is the direction towards the top of a map always
exactly north, and towards the bottom always exactly south?_ 69.
_What directions are exactly north, and south?_ 70. Which way from
Newfoundland is Cape Farewell? 71. Which way from the northern
extremity of Labrador is Cape Farewell? 72. Which way from the Fox
Islands are Bhering’s straits?
73. On what island is Havanna? 74. Kingston? 75. Where is Quebec? 76.
Montreal? 77. How far south does Florida extend? 78. How is it bounded
on the east and west? 79. Between what parallels of latitude do the
United States principally lie?
80. In what zone does North America principally lie? 81. Does any part
lie in the Northern Frigid Zone? 82. From what meridian is longitude
computed on the map of North America? 83. Which way is St. John’s,
the capital of Newfoundland, from New York? 84. Quebec from Mexico?
85. Halifax from Boston? 86. Which way from the Bermuda islands is
Newfoundland?
NORTH AMERICA is divided into portions belonging to different nations.
It embraces every variety of soil and climate, and its peculiar
features are great ranges of mountains, long rivers, and extensive
lakes. Previously to its discovery by Columbus, it was in possession
of tribes of wandering Indians, most of whom were savages. They were
remarkable for strength, courage, and activity, and showed all the
peculiarities incident to the savage life, in the greatest degree.
[Illustration: VIEW OF THE GREAT SQUARE, AT MEXICO.]
_Russian America_ is chiefly valuable on account of its fur trade. It
is an exceedingly cold country, and is still, mostly in possession of
native Indians.
_British America_ comprises Canada, New Wales, and Labrador, New
Brunswick, and the neighboring islands, together with the extent of
country between Hudson’s Bay and the Russian Possessions. Canada and
New Brunswick are the only parts which are settled by any considerable
numbers of civilized people, nine tenths of the country being still
inhabited by Indians.
Furs are the staple article of the commerce and trade of the country.
The Northwest Fur Company have an establishment at Fort Chipawyan,
where the Indians resort to sell their furs.
_Mexico._ The coasts of this country are level and low. Towards the
interior the land gradually rises, until it attains an elevation of
6700 feet above the sea, and then forms an immense plateau. The climate
is hot and unhealthy, except on the plateau, where it is salubrious.
Mexico contains the richest gold and silver mines in the world, and
the pursuit of these treasures led the Spaniards, when they first
discovered the country, to oppress the natives.
The city Mexico is situated in the midst of this plateau, and is
surrounded by mountains. It is one of the most magnificent cities in
the world;—its streets are regular, and its buildings truly elegant.
The churches are adorned with gold and silver.
Above is the view of the great square. In the centre and opposite the
Cathedral, is an equestrian statue of Charles IV. on a pedestal of
marble. This was cast in Mexico, and weighs 40,500 pounds. It is one of
the handsomest monuments in the world.
_Guatimala._ The climate is like that of Mexico. Volcanoes abound, and
not less than twenty are constantly burning. Logwood and mahogany are
obtained here in vast quantities.
[Illustration: UNITED STATES
_Published by Robert S. Davis, Boston. G. Boynton Sc._]