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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta, or "Great Charter," is an English leagal charter issued in 1215. Magna Carta was the first document forced onto an English King by a group of his subjects in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their privileges. -
Jan 1, 1265
Parliament was formed
The English Parliament limited the power of the English monarchy. The supremacy of parliament was a settled principle and all future English and later British kings were restricted to the role of constitutional monarchs with limited authority. -
Jan 1, 1492
Christopher Columbus lands in North America
With his four voyages of discovery and several attempts at establishing a settlement, he initiated the process of Spanish colonization which foreshadowed general European colonization of the "New World." -
Jun 2, 1497
John Cabot sails for North America
Like Columbus, John Cabot apparently believed that the riches of East Asia might be more easily reached by sailing west. He went to England, and under a patent granted by Henry VII, Cabot sailed from Bristol in 1497 and discovered the North American coast. He secured this area of North America for the English. -
Jamestown was formed
13 years before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts, a group of 104 English men and boys began a settlement on the banks of Virginia's James River. They were sponsored by the Virginia Company of London, whose stockholders hoped to make a profit from the resources of the New World. The community suffered terrible hardships in its early years, but managed to endure, earning the distinction of being America's first permanent English colony. -
Virginia was founded
Two private companies were formed to seek a patent for colonization on the Atlantic Coast. One of these companies, London Company, was given the southern Virginia territory. The other company, Plymouth Company, was given northern Virginia. The London Company was the first to actually place colonists on the shore. -
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was a legislation for the colony, but its actions could be vetoed by the governor, council and by the directors in London. Voting for the burgesses was limited to landowning males over 17 years of age. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact is a written agreement by the new Settlers arriving at New Plymouth. They had traveled across the ocean on the ship Mayflower. The Mayflower Compact was drawn up with fair and equal laws, for the general good of the settlement and with the will of the majority. The Mayflower’s passengers knew that the New World’s earlier settlers failed due to a lack of government. -
Massachusetts was formed
The Pilgrims were the first English colonists to permanently settle in what we now know as Massachusetts. The group had obtained a Patent from the London Virginia Company. -
New Hampshire was formed
In 1623 two groups of English settlers, sent by Captain John Mason, arrived in what is now called New Hampshire and established a fishing village near the mouth of the Piscataqua River. -
New Jersey was formed
In 1664, the Duke of York made a proprietary grant to Sir George Carteret and Lord Berkeley, of the land between the Hudson and the Delaware River. These men intended to profit from real estate sales. -
New York was formed
Dutch settlers arrived at Governors Island and then spread to other areas in the region. The settlement and fort on the island became known as New Amsterdam which eventually became the City of New York. -
Maryland was formed
In 1632 Charles I granted a Maryland Charter to Lord Baltimore. In 1633 the first group of settlers set sail for Maryland to establish a colony of freemen led. One of the Southern Colonies, Maryland was a Proprietary colony. -
Connecticut was formed
Dutch traders had established a permanent settlement near Hartford as early as 1633. Soon English settlers began to arrive in the area from Massachusetts. One of the New England Colonies, Connecticut was also a Corporate colony. -
Rhode Island was formed
Rhode Island was established as a Corporate colony and received a Royal "Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations" in 1663. Among other guarantees, the Charter established complete religious freedom in Rhode Island, which was unusual at the time. -
Delaware was formed
In 1655 the Dutch gained control of the land from the Swedish. In 1664 the English obtained Delaware after defeating the Dutch. One of the Middle Colonies, Delaware was a Proprietary colony. -
North Carolina was formed
Virginia colonists began to settle the North Carolina region in 1653 to provide a buffer for the southern frontier. One of the Southern Colonies, North Carolina started out as a Proprietary colony but obtained a Royal charter in 1729 from George II. -
South Carolina was formed
King Charles II created the colony of Carolina by granting the territory to loyal supporters. One of the Southern Colonies, South Carolina started out as a Proprietary colony but also became a Royal colony in 1719. -
Pennsylvania was formed
In 1681 Pennsylvania's colonial status was sealed when Pennsylvania was granted to William Penn, a member of the Quakers. One of the Middle Colonies, Pennsylvania was a Proprietary colony. -
Glorious Revolution
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English Bill of Rights
This bill set out strict limits on the Royal Family's legal abilities. It limited the right to raise money through taxation to Parliament. -
Georgia was formed
In addition to its social goals the new Colony was also intended to provide additional protection for its northern colonial partners. One of the Southern Colonies, Georgia started out as a Proprietary colony but eventually became a Royal colony in 1752. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War cost the British lots of monety. They began steeply taxing citizens to make up for it. -
Proclamation of 1763
The royal proclamation of 1763 closed off the frontier to colonial expansion. The King and his council presented the proclamation as a measure to calm the fears of the Indians, who felt that the colonists would drive them from their lands as they expanded westward. The proclamation provided that all lands west of the heads of all rivers which flowed into the Atlantic Ocean from the west or northwest were off-limits to the colonists. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a tax imposed by the British Parliament on the colonies. The act required that many printed materials in the colonies carry a tax stamp. The purpose of the tax was to help pay for troops stationed in North America following the British victory in the French and Indian War. -
Boston Masscre
A crowd of Boston citizens gathered around a small group of British soldiers guarding the Boston Customs House. The soldiers became enraged after one of them had been hit, and they fired into the crowd. Five colonists were shot and killed. -
Declaration of Independance
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence is the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty. Here, Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The colonies were now a new country.
