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Jamestown Settlement
The English sail up the James River and settle Jamestown, Virginia, their first permanent New World colony. -
Pocahontas Marriage
Pocahontas, the daughter of the Powhatan chief, marries John Rolfe, an Englishman, which helps to ease tensions between the people of Jamestown and the Native Americans. -
House of Burgesses Meets
The House of Burgesses is the first "representative" assembly in America ("representatives"= white male landowners). -
Plymouth Rock Colony
Plymouth Rock Colony, Massachusetts was established by the Pilgrims, who were Puritans seeking religious freedom from England. While on their ship, The Mayflower, 41 male passengers wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact, the first legal/governing document in the New World. -
Maryland Toleration Act
Allowed freedom of worship for Christians in Maryland, but sentenced anyone that does not believe in the divinity of Jesus to death. This was the first law in America regarding some sort of religious toleration. -
New Amsterdam becomes New York
The British showed up at New Amsterdam's harbor, demanding the Dutch surrender. After being convinced by the citizens, the director-general of New Amsterdam signed over the colony to the British without any bloodshed. They renamed the colony New York, after the Duke of York. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon, a landowner in Virginia, wanted to take over Native American lands, but Sir William Berkeley, the royal governor of Virginia, preferred to remain friendly with the Natives. Bacon organized a militia of people from all social classes and burned down Jamestown. This rebellion led to an increase in slavery in Virginia. -
King Philip's War
Metacom (aka King Philip), the leader of the Wampanoag tribe, wins a series of battles in the Connecticut River Valley against the English. The English colonists strike back, killing 300 Native American men, women, and children. For the next 20 years, King Philip's head is displayed on a pole in Plymouth. -
The Dominion of New England
King James the Second revoked the charters of a number of the colonies and united them under one charter, in order to give him more control over them. This angered colonists, as their way of life changed and their rights were lessened. The Dominion only lasted for three years before being undone by the colonists. -
Salem Witch Trials
Betty Parris and Abigail Williams accuse Tituba, a slave, and two other women of witchcraft. Soon, more and more people were accused of witchcraft, and by October of 1692, 140 had been charged, 50 had confessed, 26 were convicted, 19 were hanged, and 1 was crushed to death by stones.