members of the legislature and members
of the United States house of representatives.

Resignations.--These are sent as a rule: (a) by elective officers, to that
officer who is authorized to make the temporary appointment or to order a
new election; (b) by appointive officers, to the body, board, or officer
that appointed them.

_Pertinent Questions._

Who constitute the legislative department in a town? In a village? In a
city? In a county? The executive in each? The judicial? Show that the
county superintendent of schools is also one of the executive officers of
the state. Do any local officers belong to the state legislative
department? Should the judges of the circuit court be elected or
appointed? Should all the county officers be elected at the same time? To
whom would a member of congress send his resignation if he desired to be
relieved? A judge of the state supreme court? The county auditor?

PART III.

THE NATION.

CHAPTER XVII.

HISTORICAL.

In order to understand the government of the United States, we must
examine its beginnings and antecedents.

THE COLONIES.

When Columbus returned to Spain with his marvelous stories of the New
World, expeditions were fitted out which soon filled the coffers of that
country with wealth from Mexico, Central and South America, and the West
Indies. Spain became the wealthiest nation of the world. Other countries
soon caught the infection, and expeditions were sent from France, Holland
and England, the other great commercial nations of western Europe.

For a long time scarcely any effort was made to form permanent
settlements, and the attempts that were by and by made were unsuccessful.
For more than a hundred years the territory now included within the United
States remained unoccupied, except at a few points in the southern part.
Explorations were, however, pushed with vigor, and many conflicting claims
were based upon them.

About the beginning of the seventeenth century permanent settlements began
to be made, yet the increase in population was for the succeeding hundred
and fifty years very slow. During this time settlements were made in the
tropical part of America by the Spanish; the French founded settlements in
Canada and established a chain of forts along the Ohio and Mississippi;
and the English, though claiming all the land to the Pacific, made
settlements only along the Atlantic. The Dutch and the Swedes made
settlements along th