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Founding of Jamestown, Virginia
English settlers established the colony of Jamestown on a deserted peninsula along the James River, in what is now Virginia. Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the present-day United States. -
Discovery of Hudson River
Henry Hudson, an Englishman hired by the Dutch to search for a water passage to Asia, discovered the Hudson River and claimed what is now New York for The Netherlands. -
First Tobacco Crop
English settler John Rolfe planted the first tobacco crop at Jamestown. Tobacco exports soon became the economic lifeblood of the colonies, ensuring their survival and growth. -
Signing of the Mayflower Compact
Separatists known as the "Pilgrims," accompanied by some adventurers, crossed the Atlantic in the Mayflower and landed at Cape Cod, Massachusetts. They wrote the Mayflower Compact, which is considered the first constitution in America, then established Plymouth Colony. -
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Pequot War
A coalition of Puritans from various colonies in New England fought against the Pequot tribe of Native Americans, ultimately resulting in the slaughter of hundreds of Pequots and victory for the Puritans. Although the Puritans' victory secured a temporary peace in the region, this conflict set the stage for a number of rivalries and future wars. -
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English Civil War
The Crown, led by Catholic sympathizer King Charles I, fought a civil war for control of Britain against Parliament, led by the Protestant Oliver Cromwell. Parliament was victorious and executed Charles I. Although the monarchy was restored in 1660, the war had a lasting effect on the colonies as Parliament tightened its authority over Britain's North America territories. -
Founding of Charleston, South Carolina
The English established the city of "Charles Town" (later to become Charleston) in the colony of South Carolina. This city became a major slave trading port, as well as a key step toward the expansion of British influence in the primarily Spanish Southeast. -
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Bacon's Rebellion
After the governor of Virginia, Sir William Berkeley, refused to intervene in a struggle between some colonists and Native tribes, a group of colonists led by Nathaniel Bacon organized their own militia to "defend" themselves. However, Governor Berkeley viewed this militia as a rebel force. This led to a conflict between Berkeley's government and Bacon's volunteers, but the rebellion lacked organization and was ultimately defeated. -
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King Philip's War
Sparked by the Puritans' execution a group of Wampanoag warriors for killing a Christian Native American, the Wampanoag leader Metacom led a violent one-year struggle against the English. Each side burned the other's towns and slaughtered thousands; however, Metacom was ultimately killed, and the end result was decisive victory for the English over Native Americans in New England. -
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Glorious Revolution
With support from the British Parliament, the Protestant William III of Orange invaded England and peacefully deposed Catholic sympathizer King James II. The Revolution led to greater freedoms for the English people and more restrictions on the monarchy, especially following the 1689 Bill of Rights passed by Parliament. American colonists reacted by overthrowing several local governments and embracing the ideals of Christian liberty.