-
Jan 1, 1492
New World
Christopher Columbus lands on the island of San Salvdor. Discovering the "New World" -
Jan 1, 1565
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida was founded by Spanish explorers in search for gold and treasures. It is the oldest European settlement in the United States. -
The French
The French came in the early 1600’s, interested in fisheries and
the fur trade. They settled along the St. Lawrence River in present day Canada. -
Jamestown, Virginia
First successful English colony in the United States. Settled in Jamestown, Virginia. Named for King James I. -
Columbian Exchange
The arrival of Europeans in the Western Hemisphere began the “Columbian Exchange” -
Slavery
The Africans were brought by the Europeans to work for them as slaves in southern plantations. -
House of Burgesses
The House of Borgesses was formed in Virginia. It was the first representative government in the American colonies. The firs reunion they had was in Jamestown. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first document of the Plymouth Colony. It was written by the Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower. -
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The flagship of the Massachusetts Bay Company arrived in Salem to officially found the new colony. The company was founded by the English , most of them were educated and wealthy. -
Fundamental Orders of Conneticut
The Fundamental Orders of Conneticut were adopted by the Conneticut colony. It described the government set up, setting its structure and powers. -
New England Confederation
It was a political and military alliance of the English colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven.Its primary purpose was to unite the Puritan colonies against the Native Americans. -
New Amsterdam
The English seize New Amsterdam from the Dutch and rename it New York. -
Charleston Founded
Charleston was one of the few cities in the original thirteen colonies to provide religious tolerance ,restricted to non-Catholics. -
Dominion of New England
It was a short-lived administrative union of English colonies in New England region. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War began in 1754 and lasted all the way through 1763. Final conflict in the ongoing struggle between the British and French for control of eastern North America. The British win a decisive victory over the French on the Plains of Abraham outside Quebec (Sept. 13, 1759) and, by the Treaty of Paris (signed Feb. 10, 1763), formally gain control of Canada and all the French possessions east of the Mississippi. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a tax imposed by the British Parliament on the colonies of British America. The act required that printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper, made in London and carrying an embossed revenue stamp. -
Boston Massacre
During the Boston Massacre, British soldiers fired into a crowd of unarmed colonists, killing ex-slave Crispus Attucks, the first casualty in the cause for American independence from British rule. -
Cotton Gin
The cotton gin is invented by Eli Whitney. It removed the seeds from cotton, making cotton production quicker and more efficient - fifty times more cotton could be produced per day. Therefore, more slaves were needed to keep up with the increased production. The South’s livelihood depended on cotton, and thus slavery. -
Boston Tea Party
Group of colonial patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians board three ships in Boston harbor and dumped more than 300 crates of tea overboard as a protest against the British tea tax. -
Lexington and Concord
They are the first battles of the American Revolution. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was made to protect and list that we were now an independent nation. -
Flag Day
The government of United States of America approves the flag of the United States. -
Capital
United States capital moved to Washington D.C. -
Gold Rush
The discovery of gold in California leads to a "rush" of 80,000 people to the West in search of gold. -
Panama Canal
The United States begins constructing the Panama Canal which opens in 1914.