1796 The U.S. adds another state as  Franklin  Tennessee joins the Union, at least for a while; George Washington declines to run for a third term as president (some people should take note); & a sea serpent frolics off New England.

• “Franklin”?
• The sea serpent in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

1806 A complete eclipse of the sun adds night to a New England day (& fails to impress one of Samuel Griswold Goodrich’s neighbors).

1816 The U.S. adds Hoosiers to the mix (Indiana) & purchases a vacation spot (Florida).

1826 The first Children’s Friend (out of eight—so much fun for later researchers to keep track of!) launches; Lydia Maria Child adds the word “juvenile” to the word “miscellany” & creates a classic periodical; & one of many riddle books adds to the repertoire of a nation fond of being clever with words.

• The Riddle Book

1836 The Peabody sisters attempt to add to the trickle of American periodicals for children; Mexico loses  Texas  the Lone Star Republic; transman James Walker adds a little too much liquor to the innards; & Samuel Griswold Goodrich adds to his own oeuvre material that was created by publishers faking his works. (That’ll show ’em!)

• “To the Departing Comet” (American Monthly Magazine ; January)
• “Walks About Boston: The Indians” (Parley’s Magazine; January)
• “To Our Young Female Readers” (Parley’s Magazine; February)
• joke (Parley’s Magazine; June)
• “Confectioners” (Parley’s Magazine; July)
• “Juvenile Celebration of Independence” (Parley’s Magazine; August)
• Two pieces about fireworks (Parley’s Magazine; September & October)
• “The Reading of Young Ladies” (American Magazine of Useful Knowledge ; December 1836)
• Peter Parley’s Juvenile Tales, Samuel Griswold Goodrich

1846 The U.S. adds Oregon & Iowa; Carolyn is added to the Hewins family; Johnny & Ellen Atwell are added to the list of individuals not conforming to assigned gender; a potato famine spurs the addition of Irish immigrants to the American roll-call of ethnic groups; Neptune is added to the list of planets; & the Donner party loses a few members.

• “A New Year’s Address” (Robert Merry’s Museum; January)
• poem (Robert Merry’s Museum; January)
• “Another Story for Boys,” by Orpha (Youth’s Companion; January 7)
• “Lines, on the Death of W.,” by S. (Youth’s Companion; January 14)
• “Repining and Repentance” (Youth’s Companion; February 12)
• “The Farmer and Soldier,” by Lydia Sigourney (Youth’s Companion; February 12)
• “The Snow Storm” (Youth’s Companion; February 12)
• “The Two Houses” (Youth’s Companion; 12 February)
• “Petrified Forest on the Nile” (Young People’s Magazine; March)
• “Child’s Grief,” by Mary Ann (Youth’s Companion; April 2)
• My Schoolmates: “The Contrast”; “The Inquirer”; “The Victim”; “The Widow”; “Kate Kennedy”; “The Sensitive Plant,” by Abbie (Youth’s Companion)
• “The Boy Who Loved Truth,” by Julia A. Fletcher (Youth’s Companion; June 26)
• two celebrations of American Independence Day (Youth’s Companion; July 23)
• “Jane Graham; or, ‘I Shant Marry That Man’ ” (Youth’s Companion; July 23)
• “Hay-Making” (Youth’s Companion; July 23)
• “Nursery Rhymes: A Dialogue” (Robert Merry’s Museum; August)
• “Pleasant and Profitable” (Youth’s Companion; Aug 27)
• “Authorcraft”
• A Mid-Century Child & Her Books, Caroline M. Hewins (born 1846)

1856 Gilbert goes ahead; Samuel Griswold Goodrich recollects; violence adds the word “bleeding” to the word “Kansas;” Connecticut loses its iconic Charter Oak; & a Charley (one of many), A. Guelph, William J. Dally, & Marinda live as they were meant to.

• “Carrier’s Address” (Robert Merry’s Museum; January)
• “A Happy New Year,” by Francis Forrester (Youth’s Cabinet; January)
• “A Literary Man in Distress,” by “Literatus” (New York Daily Tribune; January 14)
• “Cross Questions and Crooked Answers,” by Susanna Newbould (Youth’s Cabinet; February)
• “Diligent David,” by Francis Forrester (Youth’s Cabinet; February)
• “Uncle Frank in Kansas,” by Francis Woodworth (Youth’s Cabinet; June)
• “Thanksgiving Memories,” by Francis Woodworth (Youth’s Cabinet; October)
• “Who Are the Aggressors?,” by Samuel Griswold Goodrich (New York Evening Post; October 15)
• “The Prairies of Kansas,” by Francis Woodworth (Youth’s Cabinet; November)
• “Degeneracy of Stature,” Thrace Talmon (National Era; December 18)
• The Travels, Voyages, and Adventures of Gilbert Go-Ahead, Samuel Griswold Goodrich
• Recollections of a Lifetime, Samuel Griswold Goodrich

1866 The Slaters try to live as they should; a 14th amendment adds to the U.S. Constitution the promise of equal rights for citizens; & John Todd reminds women that they don’t need equal rights—no, they don’t, bless their dear little hearts, what would they do with rights—work on whaling ships? And, yes! it’s another Children’s Friend! (Two, actually—thanks, Frank Leslie!)

• “Children’s Books of the Year”
• “Among the Studios, no. 3,” by T. B. Aldrich & Winslow Homer (Our Young Folks; July)
• “How Engravings are Made” (Little Corporal; August)
• “Patriotic Eagle” (Youth’s Companion; August 9)
• “The Veteran Eagle,” by Maria S. Cummins (Our Young Folks; October)
• “The Veteran Eagle: A Correction” (Little Corporal; November)
• “The Veteran Eagle; and What the Children Did,” by Alfred Sewell (Little Corporal; December)
• “How to Go to School,” by H. E. B. (Little Corporal; December)
• Woman’s Rights, John Todd