History Book for the classroom from the 1820's

[floydianoise]

So, recently I've inherited a few items.  It made me go back and look at a few other things that were in my possession before that and this is one of those.

It's titled, although only able to be read from the inside title page, as the outside is quite worn:

A History of the United States of America On a Plan Adapted to the Capacity of Youths and Designed to Aid the Memory by Systematic Arrangement and Interesting Associations

It was written by Rev. Charles A. Goodrich and published by Richardson Lord  & Holbrook.  It is the 35th edition and although it doesn't have a date that it was published easily found, it does make this reference:

"Be it remembered , that on the twenty-ninth day of April, in the forty-sixth year of the Independence of the United States of America, Charles A. Goodrich, of said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a book. . . "

This means that, if my math is correct, it was published in 1822.  On top of that, it's history within ends during Monroe's second term, which he ran for unopposed in 1820.

So, I think that this item is interesting for a few reasons:

• I teach 8th Grade Social Studies so this is "teacher-nerd" cool.
• It includes a map that somehow, almost 200 years later, is still contained inside the book.  It's a separate sheet of paper and nobody lost it.  Not a student who read it and not me!  Also, this map shows so little of what is now the United States.
• The students who used it, signed the inside like many still do in today's classrooms.
• It includes a "questions section" in the back.  The questions are quite basic and what one might refer to as "level one questions."  They aren't very deep and seem to be there for the purpose of memorization of information.
• In a part of the book subtitled "Remarks on Using This Work" it reads:  "It is reccommended to the teachers not to make a severe examination of a pupil, until the second or third time going through the book.  This should be particularly observed in regard to young and backward pupils."  Man, times have changed.

Check out some pictures. . .

[floydianoise]

Never really did any research on it before but found it at Tia's.

http://www.tias.com/13712/PictPage/3923473436.html

[Skinny]

Never really did any research on it before but found it at Tia's.

http://www.tias.com/13712/PictPage/3923473436.html

That price is insane . There are quite a few copy's of various editions from the 1820's to 1830's on www.abebooks.com, starting at around ten dollars. I would guess your copy was printed round about 1830. That map would have originally been tipped in (attached) to one of the pages. It's nice that you still have it, and that is a very different United States!

[waywardangler]

When I look for book values, I always search Abe and Alibris and some others.  I never take the high values but look for some in the lower range as that is what the book would sell for (hopefully).  When I buy, I always buy the lower priced book (taking into account the shipping fee also).  I am not a book collector so I am only looking for good reading copies for reference.  A book collector may be looking for the best edition possible and be willing to pay for it.

[floydianoise]

Thanks for the thoughts, folks.  Still learning lots and the commentary helps put things in perspective.