Where We Live | Page 7

see--Caucasian, Mongolian and negro. The Chinese and
Japanese are called Mongolians.
2
THE INDIANS
The Indians lived at this place which is now our home long before there
were any white people here or any towns at all. Where these many
buildings now stand there was wild country, fields and woods. Under
the trees stood the Indian wigwams made of skins and branches. The
early settlers came to this country from far across the ocean. After
William Penn landed with his companions he began at once to make
friends with the Indians. As the red men were living upon the land,
Penn thought that it was only fair and honest to buy from them the land
that the English people wanted for their homes. The Indians could not
use money, so he gave them blankets and other presents which pleased
them very much. The Indians promised William Penn to live in peace
with the white men and they kept their promise for many years.
[Illustration: AN INDIAN FAMILY.]
Most of the white people who came in those early days to other parts of
our land did not act in this noble way. When they wanted land on
which to build their homes they drove the Indians away, killing many

of them. Thus these unjustly treated Indians became the enemies of the
white men, and often treated them very cruelly in return. Let us
remember that the Indians were the first owners of this land of ours and
that they should be treated as William Penn showed us, with kindness
and justice.
[Illustration: INDIAN CHIEF.]
Those wild Indians of long ago had many noble traits. They were
strong and brave and fearless.
Read in some of your school books about Indians and their homes.
3
THE NEGROES
There were no negroes in this country till many years after Columbus
and the other white men began to settle here. Some white men went far
across the sea to Africa. They stole the negroes away from their homes,
carried them to their ships and sailed back to this country. Then these
white men sold the negroes to other men for money. The poor colored
men had to work terribly hard as slaves and received no pay for their
work. At last they were freed by Abraham Lincoln and others who
helped him.
[Illustration: NEGRO.]
The negroes have much that is fine in their character. Even when they
were slaves they often grew to love their masters so dearly that they
would do anything in the world, even give up their lives, for their
masters. We should always remember that God made the negro as well
as the white man. Fair-minded people will try to be honest, kind and
just to everyone.
4
THE CHINESE

[Illustration: CHINESE MANDARIN AND SERVANT.]
Many Chinamen have come to our country from their distant homes in
China. Their country is so crowded, and it is so hard to earn a living
there, that most of the people are very poor.
The Chinese living in our country are peaceful and quiet. They work
very hard in their laundries and other places of business; yet there are
many white people so cruel and thoughtless as to ridicule a Chinaman
whenever they see one. These white people should remember that God
made the Chinaman and that he is a stranger here in our country. Is it
not even worse to ill-treat a stranger than one who is at home? The
color of our skin and hair is not very important. It matters far more
whether we are honest, loving, industrious and fair-minded.
Not all of the white people living around us were born in this country.
Where did your parents and grandparents live when they were children?
Do you know any people who came from distant lands? Where were
their first homes? Find out how many of the parents of your
schoolmates came a long journey over the water to reach our land.
Yes, we have people from many foreign countries. Some are English,
Irish, Scotch or French. Then there are the Germans, Italians, Russians
and others. From what country did each of these people come?
Here they are all living together, people from all over the great wide
world. Our homes stand side by side. We work and play together. Truly
we are brothers and sisters, for we are all children in the great human
family. It matters not from what distant land our people may have come,
we should all be bound together like one family by human love and
kindness.
CHAPTER VI
INDUSTRIES AND OCCUPATIONS
1

Which members of your family work? Why do they work? For what is
the money they earn spent? Think which of these things are absolutely
necessary to keep us alive.
We all need food.
We