A Household History of the United States for All Readers — Benson J. Lossing

The Fireside History of the United States

Benson J. Lossing wrote Our Country to be read aloud at the family hearth — the whole American story, from the Northmen and Columbus to the restored Union, in plain and stirring words. It is arranged here as 904 short readings: start at the beginning and click “next” through the entire history, or step into the timeline wherever you please.

904 readings · 143 chapters · 12 eras · 706,308 words

The Timeline

1030–1587

Discovery & the First Voyages

12 chapters · 75 readings

1607–1675

Planting the Colonies

19 chapters · 120 readings

1692–1761

The Colonial Age

16 chapters · 98 readings

1765–1773

The Road to Revolution

11 chapters · 72 readings

1775–1781

The War for Independence

27 chapters · 168 readings

1787–1811

Founding the Republic

7 chapters · 44 readings

1812–1824

The War of 1812

10 chapters · 64 readings

1832–1845

Expansion & the Mexican War

3 chapters · 17 readings

1849–1859

A House Dividing

4 chapters · 25 readings

1861–1865

The Civil War

23 chapters · 146 readings

1868

Reunion & the Centennial

7 chapters · 43 readings

1774–1794

The Founding Documents

4 chapters · 32 readings

Fireside Amusements

Guess the YearLossing names the event; you name the year. Eight rounds, then challenge a rival. What Happened In…Type any year from the Northmen to the Centennial and see what the history records. Tonight’s ReadingOne installment a day finishes the Republic in two and a half years. Marvels & MysteriesPoisoned peas, invisible branding-irons, Roman coins in Missouri — the strangest pages of the household history. Surprise MeOpen the history at random — 904 places to land.

Rights & ReuseThe complete text of Our Country (1888) is in the public domain in the United States — like all works published before 1928 — and is free to read, download, quote, teach from, and reuse. This digital edition (its transcription, restored images, and site design) is © 2026 PhotoOpAI, and any editorial commentary we add is clearly marked as ours; the underlying public-domain text carries no such restriction.