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The first permanent English settlement in North America was established in Virginia, marking the beginning of sustained English colonization.
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English privateers brought captive Africans to Point Comfort, Virginia, beginning the institution of slavery in the English colonies.
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Pilgrims landed at Cape Cod, signing the Mayflower Compact, an early agreement for self-governance, and establishing Plymouth Colony.
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The Dutch established New Amsterdam (later New York) in 1624/1626, while Virginia became a royal colony after its charter was revoked, centralizing English control.
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Puritans founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with Boston becoming a significant Puritan center, and Harvard University (1636) became America's first institution of higher learning.
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A devastating war between New England colonists and Native American tribes (led by Metacom/King Philip), resulting in massive casualties and shifting power dynamics.
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Mass hysteria led to accusations, trials, and executions for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, revealing deep societal anxieties and religious tensions.
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Becoming a key figure in American intellectual and political life.
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The Albany Plan of Union is proposed as an early attempt to unify the colonies.
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The British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, sparking major colonial resistance.
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He Boston Tea Party occurs, a direct protest against British tax policies.
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The Boston Tea Party occurs, a direct protest against British tax policies.
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Treaty of Paris is signed, formally ending the Revolutionary War and recognizing U.S. independence.
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The Constitutional Convention meets in Philadelphia to draft the U.S. Constitution.
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