The two principal sects of Mahometans, are the Shiites or the sect of Ali, and the Sonnites or the sect of Omar.

The Jews are the descendants of the twelve patriarchs, and the professed worshippers of Jehovah, but they reject Jesus Christ and his gospel, believe only in the Scriptures of the old testament, and are looking for a Messiah to come.

Christians are believers in Christ as the true Messiah and Redeemer, and receive the scriptures of the old and new testament as the word of God.

The three leading denominations of Christians, are the Eastern Church, Catholics and Protestants.

The principal divisions of the Eastern Church, are the Greek Church, the Copts, Abyssinians and Armenians, all of which refuse to acknowledge the authority of the Pope of Rome, but are more or less superstitious in their rites, and corrupt in faith and practice.

Roman Catholics are adherents of the Pope, as the head of the Christian Church, and hold to the infallibility of his or her decisions in matters of religion. Like the Eastern Church, they observe many holy-days and fasts and are very ceremonious in their forms of worship.

Protestants are those Christians who do not allow the Pope's authority, and profess to regard the bible as the only standard of religious doctrines and duties. Their modes of worship are more or less distinguished for simplicity.

The principal protestant sects are Lutherans, Calvinists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, Methodists, Moravians or United Brethren, and Friends or Quakers.

INTRODUCTORY OR GENERAL VIEW OF THE GLOBE.

See the Maps of the Hemispheres.

Extent of the globe's surface, 196 millions square miles. Extent of land, 50 millions. Population of the world, about 800 or 900 millions. Pagans; 500 or 600 millions. Christians, 200 millions. Mahometans, 100 millions. Jews, 3 or 4 millions.

Which hemisphere appears to contain the most water, the E. or W.? What are the names of the five oceans on the globe? What are the names of the two great Continents? Which continent is in the W. Hemisphere? Which in the eastern? Why are they called the E. and W. continents? Ans. Because they lie E. and W. of the meridian of the Ferro isles, which was anciently considered by geographers the standard meridian from which longitude was computed. What are the two great divisions of the W. con

tinent? What are the three great divisions of the E. continent? What: ocean lies W. of America and E. of Asia? How wide is the Pacific? Ans. About 10,000 miles. Which lies E. of America and W. of Europe and Africa? Which lies E. of Africa and S. of Asia? Which lies round the N. pole? Which round the south pole? How wide is the Atlantic? Ans. About 3,000 miles. How wide is the Indian ocean? Ans. About the same. Which is more extensive, the Northern or the Southern ocean? Ans. The latter is ten times as large as the former. Which ocean has about as large a surface as all the other oceans, and is about equal in extent to the land on the globe? Ans. The Pacific. Which is the next in extent, and about half as large? Ans. The Atlantic. Which is the next, and about half as large as the Atlantic? Are all the oceans connected, forming in reality but one immense mass of waters? What is a strait? What strait connects the Pacific with the Northern or Arctic ocean, in longitude 170° W.? What strait N. of New Holland connects the Pacific with the Indian ocean? Ans. Torres ? Between what two oceans is the large island of New Holland situated. Which contains by far the most water, the northern or southern hemisphere ? Which is the greater of the two continents? Which extends farthest S. ? Which farthest N.? Which is the broadest from E. to W.? What cape at the S. extremity of the W. continent? What at the S. extremity of the Eastern? What is the latitude of these two capes? Ans. Cape Horn, about 56°, and Cape of Good Hope about 36°. Are they in N. or $ lat. and why? What great peninsula does Cape Horn terminate? Of what great peninsula is Cape of Good Hope the termination? How do you know that Africa and S. America are peninsulas? What isthmus unites N. and S. America? What isthmus unites Africa with Asia? What is nearly the difference of latitude between these two isthmuses? What division of the W. Continent extends farthest towards the east? What division of the E. Continent extends farthest to the W.? How near do S. America and Africa approach to each other? Ans. Within about 1,500 miles. How near does N. America approach to Asia? Ans. Within about 40 miles. What strait divides them? Which way is Cape of Good Hope from C. Horn? Which way is Europe from S. America? Asia from Europe? Africa from Europe? N. America from Africa? S. America from Asia? How is America or the W. Continent bounded, on the N., the E., the S., and the W. ? How is the E. Continent bounded? Which are the five grand divisions of land on the globe? Which is the largest? Ans. Asia. Which is the second largest? Ans. Africa. Which is the third? Ans. N. America? Which is the fourth in size? Ans. S. America. Which is the smallest? Which extends farthest E.? Which farthest W. ? Which farthest N.? Which farthest S.? How many degrees can you count between S. America and the S. pole? Between Africa and the S. pole? Which of the five grand divisions are in N. lat. and why? Which one is chiefly in S. lat.? Which one has about a third part in S. lat.? Which two lie chiefly within the tropics or in the torrid zones? Which part of S. America is in the S. temperate zone? Which part of Africa is in the N. temperate zone? Which division is chiefly within the N. temperate zone? Which two are almost wholly in that zone? Between what two circles is the torrid zone? Between what two, is the N. temperate? Between what two is the S. temperate? What circle bounds the N. frigid zone on the south? What circle bounds the S. frigid zone on the north? What great circle passes round through the hottest part of the globe? Are the equatorial regions of the globe, generally the warmest? Ans. They are so, except on the mountains, which are cold in proportion to their height. What parts of the earth are the coldest? Is it as

cold round the S. pole, as the N.? Ans. It is. Which is the coldest part of S. America? Which two grand divisions of the earth are the warmest ? What are the boundaries of N. America? Of S. America? Of Africa? Of Europe? Of Asia? Are there many gulfs or bays on the W. coast of America? What are the principal gulfs or bays, on the East coast? On which coast of America do the great rivers principally empty? On which coast of America do the longest ranges of mountains extend? Can you tell the names of any of these ranges ? Are the coasts of Africa remarkably destitute of gulfs and bays? What long sea extends between Africa and Europe? What strait connects it with the Atlantic ocean? What sea extends between Africa and Asia? What strait connects it with the Indian ocean? What two seas between Europe and Asia? What is the difference between a peninsula and a gulf or bay? What two peninsulas extend into the Indian ocean from Asia? What sea and bay extend up into Asia from the Indian ocean? Are the coasts of Europe and Asia generally well furnished with seas, bays and gulfs? Do these afford facilities for navigation? What seas on the E. coast of Asia? What seas in the N. of Europe? What gulfs in Europe? Which grand division is most remarkable for lakes? Which for deserts? Which two are distinguished for their immense woods or forests of uncultivated land? Which one, for its vast extent of improveable land, and for its great population? Which one contains about one third of the land, and one half of the people, on the globe? Ans. Asia. How much larger is Asia than Africa? Ans. About one third larger. How much larger than N. America? Ans. Nearly twice as large. How much larger than Europe or the island of New Holland ? Ans. Five times as great. What is the population or the number of inhabitants in the world? Ans. It is usually estimated at not far from 800 or 900 millions. What may we call the population of Asia? Ans. About half that number, or 450 millions. What the popula tion of Europe? Ans. About half that of Asia or 200 millions. What the population of Africa? Ans. About half that of Europe or 100 millions. What the population of all America? Ans. Less than half that of Africa or 40 milions. What the population of all the islands? Ans. Probably about 40 millions. What group of islands is situated between N. and S. America? Why was it called the West Indies? Ans. Because the discoverers of America had an idea of reaching India or the E. Indies by sailing a new and westerly course across the Atlantic ocean. When and by whom was America or the new world, discovered? Ans. In 1492, or about 340 years ago, by Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, in Italy. What do you understand by the East Indies? Ans. The E. and S. coast of Asia with the neighboring islands in the Pacific, between Asia and New Holland. What are the names of the principal Asiatic or E. India isles? Ans. Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Celebes, Moluccas or Spice islands, Manillas or Philippine islands. Can you point to these on the map? Which of them are intersected by the equator? Which way from Asia is New Holland, the largest island in the world? How large is it? Ans. As large as Europe, containing about three millions. quare miles. What tropic crosses it? What general name is given to New Holland, with the adjacent isles, New Guinea, New Hebrides, New Zealand, New Caladonia, New Ireland, &c.? Ans. They belong to a cluster called Australia or Australasia. Where are the numerous clusters, collectively called, Polynesia? Ans. They lie in the Pacific ocean, eastward of N. Holland and the E. Indies. The most distinguished of them are, the Pelew islands, the Ladrones, the Carolines, and the Sandwich isles N. of the equator, and the Marquesas, Society and Friendly islands, S. of the equator. In what zone do the Polynesian isles chiefly lie? What are about the lat. and long.

of the Sandwich isles? What of the Society isles? Whut general name comprehends all these islands of Polynesia, Australia and the E. Indies? Ans. Oceanica. Which way are the Sandwich isles from the United States ? From Cape Horn? From N. Holland? From the Gulf of Mexico? Are the most of the Oceanic isles in the torrid zones or between the tropics? What part of Asia lies in the torrid zone? How near to the equator does the S. point of Asia extend? What parts of Africa are not within the tropics? What part of S. America is not within the tropics? What part of N. America is in the torrid zone? What portions of Asia, Europe and N. America are within or near the frigid zone? Which three grand divisions of the earth, are chiefly within the northern temperate zone? Which grand division takes the highest rank, with respect to learning and the arts, manufactures and commerce, and the various refinements and blessings of civilization? Ans. Europe. Which two, are the most distinguished for the prevalence of idolatry and Mahometanism? Which is most remarkable for ignorance, sloth and stupid sensuality. Ans. Africa.

NORTH AMERICA.

Length 4,500 miles. Breadth 2500. Extent 9,000,000 square miles. Population, 23,000,000-3 per square mile.

INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS.
See the Map.

What isthmus constitutes the most S. point of N. America? What island, the most N. point which has been discovered? Ans. Melville island. What island forms the most east part? What straits are contiguous to the most W. or N. W. part? How near to the equator does N. America extend? Ans. Within about 8° lat. How far to the N. ? Ans. About 750 or 80°. Between what degrees of long. is it included? Ans. 55° and 170°. How is N. America bounded on the N., E., S., and W.? What is its length? Its average breadth? Its extent in square miles? Its population? What bay and strait divide it from Greenland? What large bay farther S. in the interior? What two straits at the entrance of Hudson's bay? What two smaller bays included in Hudson's bay? What gulf in the N. E. part of N. America, and what river from the lakes running into it? What strait connecting the gulf of St. Lawrence with the Atlantic? What large gulf and sea, between N. and S. America, and what group of islands in their vicinity? What long gulf on the S. W.? What seven large lakes in N. America ? What cape S. of Greenland? What cape S. of California? What cape near Beering's strait? What is the great western chain of N. American mountains, called? Ans. The Chippewan, Oregon or Rocky mountains? Is this chain connected with the Cordilleras of Mexico, thus extending to the isthmus of Panama or Darien? What name is given to the great eastern chain? Ans. Apalachian or Alleghany? What are the five general divisions of N. America? Ans. British America, Russian America, the United States, Mexico and Guatimala. What are the boundaries of British America? Of Russian America? Of the U. States, in its largest extent of territory ? Of Mexico? Of Guatimala? Does the Atlantic or does the Pacific ocean, receive the principal rivers of N. America? Which are the two largest emptying into the western waters? What large river empties into the gulf of Mexico from the N., and what are some of its principal branches?

sea.

What large river, into this gulf from the W. ? What is the source and what the general course of the Mississippi? Of the Rio Del Norte? Of the Missouri? Of the Arkansas? Of Red river? Of the Ohio? Of the St. Lawrence? What two run northerly into the Arctic ocean? What five run N. E. into Hudson's bay? Is N. America remarkable for noble rivers and lakes? Is N. America equally remarkable for lofty mountains? It is not. The highest peak is mount Elias in Russian America, 18,000 feet high, Mount Washington, a part of the White mountains in New England, is the most elevated of the Apalachian chain, and about 6,000 feet above the level of the What general view may be taken of the length of N. American rivers? Ans. The Mississippi and Missouri are each about 3000 miles in length, and there are six others, of which the shortest is 1,000 miles long. What is the whole length of the great western range of mountains in N. America? Ans. Not far from 5,000 miles. Which way from the centre of the U. States, is Guatimala? British America? Mexico? Russian America? What is the latitude of the isthmus of Darien? Of the city of N. Orleans, or the N. part of the gulf of Mexico? Of Philadelphia? Of Lake of the Woods? Of cape Farewell? Of Davis' strait and Beering's' strait? Of Melville island? Which has the coldest climate according to the lat., N. America or Europe? Ans. N. America. Which coast of N. America is the coldest, the Western or the Eastern? Ans. The Eastern, on account of the prevailing winds from N. W. and N. E.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

PART FIRST. SURFACE-CLIMATE-SOIL-PRODUCTIONS—

ANIMALS.

North America, in extent, is the third of the grand Divisions of the Globe. It is about one fourth larger than S. America, and four times as large as the U. States alone.-Its principal mountains range N. and S. nearly parallel to the coasts of the Pacific and the Atlantic; and its great rivers in general, flow in an easterly or southerly direction.-It is remarkable that the interior of N. America consists of an immense valley of level region, extending from the gulf of Mexico on the S., to Hudson's Bay and the Arctic Ocean on the N., and from the Oregon or Rocky mountains on the W., to the Allegany on the E. This vast N. American valley, in its southern part, is 1,000 miles wide, and its breadth is greatly increased, as it expands toward the northern Ocean. It is computed to contain more than four millions of square miles, and embraces among others, the valley of the St. Lawrence, and the valley of the Mississippi, of which the former is supposed to be 500,000 sq. ms. in extent, and the latter, 1,300,000. In all this immense central territory, there is comparatively no considerable mountain; but the surface, for the most part is plain or moderately uneven. The more northern portion abounds in lakes, which are