Ten years after we got Florida General Jackson became President of the United States. He had fought his way up. Here are the four steps: first the boy, "Andy Jackson"; then "Judge Jackson"; then "General Jackson"; last of all, "President Jackson."
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THE GREAT STEEL RAILROAD BRIDGE
ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
AT ST. LOUIS. (Built by Captain Eads, and completed in 1874.) |
Shortly after he became the chief ruler of the nation the first steam railroad in the United States was built (1830). From that time such roads kept creeping further and further west. The Indians had frightened the white settlers with their terrible war-whoop. Now it was their turn to be frightened, for the locomotive whistle[17] could beat their wildest yell. They saw that the white man was coming as fast as steam could carry him, and that he was determined to get possession of the whole land. The greater part of the Indians moved across the Mississippi; but the white man kept following them and following the buffalo further and further across the country, toward the Pacific Ocean; and the railroad followed in the white man's track.
| NIAGARA SUSPENSION BRIDGE. |
15 See map in this paragraph.
16 For our first land purchase see paragraph [188].
17 The first steam railroad built in the United States extended from Baltimore to Ellicott's Mills, Maryland, a distance of twelve miles. It was opened in 1830. It forms a part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
[219. Summary.]—Andrew Jackson of North Carolina gained a great victory over the Indians in Alabama and also in Florida. In 1815, in our second war with England, General Jackson whipped the British at New Orleans, and so prevented their getting possession of that city. A few years later we bought Florida of Spain.
After General Jackson became President of the United States the first steam-railroad was built in this country. Railroads helped to settle the west and build up states beyond the Mississippi.