Cover of This Country of Ours by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall

This Country of Ours

by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall

19h 19m
Duration
1917
Published
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About This Audiobook

Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall's This Country of Ours: The Story of the United States is an engaging, narrative-driven history book written for children and young readers, part of her series of "living history" works. Subtitled as a collection of nearly 100 vivid stories, it traces the development of the United States from early European exploration through to the early 20th century, concluding with the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. Marshall, a Scottish author known for her lively, story-like prose, presents history as exciting tales of adventure, heroism, perseverance, and nation-building, emphasizing key figures, dramatic events, and moral lessons while aiming to inspire patriotism and a sense of wonder about America's origins and growth.

The book is organized into seven main sections: Stories of Explorers and Pioneers (beginning with the Vikings' voyages to Leif Erikson, Columbus's faith-filled journeys, and early English and French efforts); Stories of Virginia (focusing on Jamestown, Captain John Smith, Pocahontas, and colonial challenges); Stories of New England (Pilgrims, Puritans, Anne Hutchinson, Roger Williams, and conflicts like King Philip's War); Stories of the Middle and Southern Colonies (Maryland, Pennsylvania under William Penn, the Carolinas, and more); Stories of the French in America (explorations like La Salle on the Mississippi and the end of French dominance); Stories of the Struggle for Liberty (the Revolutionary War, from Bunker Hill and Valley Forge to Yorktown and the Declaration of Independence); and Stories of the United States under the Constitution (presidents from Washington through Wilson, including the Louisiana Purchase, War of 1812, Civil War battles like Gettysburg, emancipation, Reconstruction, and westward expansion).

Meet the Author
Henrietta Elizabeth MarshallScottish Children's Author · 1867 – 1941

Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, better known by her pen name H. E. Marshall, was a Scottish author born on August 9, 1867, in Bo'ness, West Lothian, Scotland. In her early adulthood, she briefly served as the superintendent at the University of Glasgow. After this period, she pursued a career as a full-time author, supporting herself through her publications in an era when few women did so. Marshall never married, maintained a very private life with no known interviews or personal diaries, and often used her initials to publish, possibly to conceal her gender in a male-dominated literary field. There are no known images of her likeness.

Marshall's most enduring contribution to children's literature came with the publication of Our Island Story: A Child's History of England in 1905. This engaging narrative traces Britain's history from legendary times—including myths like Brutus of Troy—through the Roman occupation, medieval eras, and up to the death of Queen Victoria. Written in a story-like style rather than dry facts, it aimed to captivate young readers by blending traditional history with mythology, making complex events accessible and memorable. The book became a beloved classic, known for its living book status, widely used in homeschooling and educational settings for generations, and helped establish Marshall as a leading author for families choosing a historical spine for their family studies.

Throughout her career, Marshall authored numerous other works, including This Country of Ours, Scotland's Story, Our Empires Story: Stories of India and the Greater Colonies, History of France, History of Germany, and The Story of Europe. Marshall also dove into children's adaptations of the classics with titles like Stories of Beowulf Told to Children, Stories of Roland Told to the Children, Stories of Robin Hood Told to the Children, and English Literature for Boys and Girls.

She traveled extensively after 1904, visiting places such as Melbourne, Australia, California, and China; though she spent much of her later life in southern England, particularly Oxford and London. Marshall passed away suddenly on September 19, 1941, at the age of 74. Her legacy endures through Our Island Story and similar titles, which continue to introduce young audiences to world history in an imaginative and narrative-driven way.

In This Volume
  1. Paideia Introduction2:06
  2. How the Vikings of Old Sought and Found New Lands21:08
  3. The Sea of Darkness and the Great Faith of Columbus14:04
  4. How Columbus Fared Forth Upon the Sea of Darkness and Came to Pleasant Lands Beyond14:18
  5. How Columbus Returned in Triumph13:20
  6. How America Was Named9:03
  7. How the Flag of England Was Planted on the Shores of the New World7:51
  8. How the Flag of France Was Planted in Florida16:46
  9. How the French Founded a Colony in Florida29:27
  10. How the Spaniards Drove the French Out of Florida22:53
  11. How a Frenchman Avenged the Death of His Countrymen10:56
  12. The Adventures of Sir Humphrey Gilbert10:36
  13. About Sir Walter Raleigh's Adventures in the Golden West21:12
  14. The Adventures of Captain John Smith23:59
  15. More Adventures of Captain John Smith23:54
  16. How the Colony Was Saved26:20
  17. How Pocahontas Took a Journey Over the Seas13:15
  18. How the Redmen Fought Against Their White Brothers10:28
  19. How Englishmen Fought a Duel With Tyranny7:23
  20. The Coming of the Cavaliers11:24
  21. Bacon's Rebellion19:39
  22. The Story of the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe7:01
  23. The Story of the Pilgrim Fathers24:26
  24. The Founding of Massachusetts8:13
  25. The Story of Harry Vane5:16
  26. The Story of Anne Hutchinson and the Founding of Rhode Island4:46
  27. The Founding of Harvard4:09
  28. How Quakers First Came to New England9:01
  29. How Maine and New Hampshire Were Founded8:03
  30. The Founding of Connecticut and War With the Indians13:36
  31. The Founding of New Haven5:08
  32. The Hunt for the Regicides8:54
  33. King Philip's War9:03
  34. How the Charter of Connecticut Was Saved12:24
  35. The Witches of Salem9:21
  36. The Founding of Maryland9:03
  37. How New Amsterdam Became New York17:33
  38. How a German Ruled New York7:51
  39. Pirates!9:57
  40. The Founding of New Jersey3:43
  41. The Founding of Pennsylvania15:28
  42. How Benjamin Franklin Came to Philadelphia4:39
  43. The Founding of North and South Carolina7:51
  44. War With the Indians in North and South Carolina11:07
  45. The Founding of Georgia19:10
  46. How the Mississippi Was Discovered21:19
  47. King William's War and Queen Anne's War11:07
  48. The Mississippi Bubble14:43
  49. How a Terrible Disaster Befell the British Army17:43
  50. The End of French Rule in America12:33
  51. The Rebellion of Pontiac12:56
  52. The Boston Tea-Party8:19
  53. Paul Revere's Ride — The Unsheathing of the Sword10:53
  54. The First Thrust — The Battle of Bunker Hill16:10
  55. The War in Canada10:14
  56. The Birth of a Great Nation8:09
  57. The Darkest Hour — Trenton and Princeton17:22
  58. Burgoyne's Campaign — Bennington and Oriskany11:20
  59. Burgoyne's Campaign — Bemis Heights and Saratoga11:16
  60. Brandywine — Germantown — Valley Forge8:08
  61. War on the Sea16:37
  62. The Battle of Monmouth — The Story of Captain Molly8:23
  63. The Story of a Great Crime9:21
  64. A Turning Point in the World's History6:01
  65. Washington — First in War, First in Peace24:06
  66. Adams — How He Kept Peace With France5:48
  67. Jefferson — How the Territory of the United States Was Doubled9:04
  68. Jefferson — How the Door Into the Far West Was Opened12:14
  69. Jefferson — About an American Who Wanted to Be a King10:35
  70. Madison — The Shooting Star and the Prophet7:16
  71. Madison — War With Great Britain15:03
  72. Monroe — The First Whispers of a Storm — Monroe's Famous Doctrine10:15
  73. Adams — The Tariff of Abominations3:16
  74. Jackson — "Liberty and Union, Now and Forever" — Van Buren — Hard Times14:06
  75. Harrison — The Hero of Tippecanoe4:37
  76. Tyler — Florida Becomes a State3:13
  77. Polk — How Much Land Was Added to the United States14:36
  78. Polk — The Finding of Gold10:04
  79. Taylor — Union or Disunion7:06
  80. Fillmore — The Underground Railroad8:37
  81. Pierce — The Story of "Bleeding Kansas"9:45
  82. Buchanan — The Story of the Mormons8:58
  83. Buchanan — The First Shots7:11
  84. Lincoln — From Bull Run to Fort Donelson13:19
  85. Lincoln — The Story of the First Battle Between Ironclads6:00
  86. Lincoln — Through Battle of Shiloh and the Taking of New Orleans13:10
  87. Lincoln — The Slaves Are Made Free11:39
  88. Lincoln — Chancellorsville — The Death of Stonewall Jackson9:43
  89. Lincoln — The Battle of Gettysburg9:56
  90. Lincoln — Grant's Campaign — Sheridan's Ride18:50
  91. Lincoln — Sherman's March to the Sea — Lincoln Re-elected President9:29
  92. Lincoln — The End of the War — The President's Death9:15
  93. Johnson — How the President Was Impeached8:47
  94. Grant — A Peaceful Victory4:24
  95. Hayes — Garfield — Arthur5:51
  96. Cleveland — Harrison — Cleveland7:59
  97. McKinley — War and Sudden Death12:20
  98. Roosevelt — Taft8:17
  99. Wilson — Troubles With Mexico12:07
  100. Wilson — The Great War13:37
  101. Paideia Closing0:35

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