COPYRIGHT, 1923, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY PRINTED BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 11-6-1935 PREFACE THE present volume has been the result of a feeling on the part of the authors that there is a vital need of an outline of the nineteenth century history that will bear a direct relation to the Great War and its outcome. This need has been expressed widely in secondary school circles and demands that frank acceptance on the part of text book writers which necessitates the reconstruction of the Modern History text on an entirely new basis. The authors frankly take a synthetic view of history and have attempted so to organize the materials of their book that students may have no difficulty in recognizing the factors and motives of the great struggle going back all the way through the nineteenth century. They beg to call attention to at least two unique features of the book. The first is the presentation at the beginning of the volume, of the present condition in which the world finds itself with the great problems facing it for solution, after which there is the somewhat chronological but more problematical treatment of the main features of nineteenth century civilization. The second is the constructive treatment of, and the comparatively large space devoted to, the social and economic problems throughout the century. These problems today are more important than form of government, nationality, or any other feature of our world civilization and should be presented to the coming generation in a constructive form instead of as additions to political history. The authors make no pretense to originality of materials. They acknowledge their indebtedness to the world of scholarship from which they have freely gathered their materials, often paraphrasing and giving credit only when direct quotation seemed advisable. They wish especially to express their indebtedness to the editor, Dean W. F. Russell of the college of education in the University of Iowa, who has given of his time and judgment regarding form and organization of the materials. They wish also to express their deep obligation to Miss Bessie Pierce, supervisor of the history work in the University Elementary and High Schools. Miss Pierce is responsible for contributing the part on America's participation in the war and has also added the suggestions for study and the references appended to each chapter. She has also read the entire manuscript and offered valuable suggestions for revision in the light of her experience as a teacher of the high school student. The section on the American participation in the war has been added because, in a sense, all history became a unity so far as the war was concerned from 1917 to its end, and also because it has been thought that here would be the logical place to teach the war as a whole in all its phases. The authors bespeak the kindly criticism of their fellow teachers. They realize the difficulties of breaking new paths in a study of so great importance but hope the attempt has not been altogether fruitless and that other studies may follow which will treat of the past in its relations with the present. THE AUTHORS |