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The Virginia Company is Founded
James I approves the formation of the Virginia Company. Joint-stock companies like these ultimately contributed the most to founding new colonies for the English. -
Jamestown is Founded
Settlers aboard three ships, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery, select the site for the first permanent English settlement and call it Jamestown. It is located on the James River shore in modern day Virginia. -
Quebec is Founded
New France establishes a foothold in North America with the founding of Quebec by Samuel de Champlain. The French, unlike the Spanish, initially fostered friendly relations with the natives. -
New Netherland
The Dutch establish a foothold in North America with the founding of New Netherland under Henry Hudson, an Englishman hired to find the "Northwest passage". He discovered the Hudson river and established a Dutch settlement on the island of Manhattan. -
Santa Fe is Established
This is the first permanent European Settlement to be founded in the Southwest United States by the Spanish achieving an established foothold in North America -
First Tobacco Shipment is sent from Jamestown to England
This shipment sparked the beginning of economic growth which led to an increase in the population of the settlement attributing in time to its success. -
Plymouth is Founded
This is the first Puritan settlement established in New England. Puritans were a religious group that sought to practice church differently from Catholicism. -
Chief Powhatan Dies
The chief is succeeded by his brother Opechancanough who launches an attack killing more than 350 colonists, and after the colonists retaliate, they are given permission to expand further to drive out the Native Americans. -
Charles I is Executed
After civil war between the monarchy and parliament, parliament wins and England becomes a republic and protectorate led by Oliver Cromwell. This leads to a tighter reign on the colonies in an attempt to consolidate power to parliament. -
King Philip's War
A bitter conflict between Native American forces led by Metacom against New England, Connecticut, and Massachusetts colonists. This conflict ultimately ended in victory by the the colonists but not after destroying English towns like Brookfield and Deerfield. This conflict encouraged hatred towards Native Americans and drastically changed the demographics of New England. Native Americans went from making up 25% of the population to 10%.