-
Aug 31, 1558
Elizabeth ascends to the English Throne
Protestant Elizabeth ended the power seesaw between Catholics and Protestants that had been going on for decades. But after she ascended, Protestantism became dominant in England which rivaled Catholic Spain. Throughout her duration on the throne, the Catholic Spain weakly aided the Catholic Irish in the fight between England and Ireland. Elizabeth's troops crashed the Irish uprising in the 1570s and 1580s. -
Aug 31, 1565
Spanish build fortress at St. Augustine
Month & day unknown. The Spanish secured their new world domain to protect it against encroaching French and other European's ambitions. St. Augustine was also created to convert more indians to Christianity. The fort therefor protected the sea lanes through the Caribbean and became the oldest continually inhabited European settlement in the future United States. -
Aug 31, 1580
The Iroquois Confederacy is founded
(Late 1500s) The formation of the Iroquois Confederacy in the Northeastern woodlands became the closest North American equivalent to the empires of Mexico and Peru. This group of tribes developed much more advanced organizational and political skills, therefor its military menaced its Native American and European neighbors for over a century. -
Raleigh founds "Lost Colony" at Roanoke Island
Sir Humphrey Gilbert attempted the first try at colonization on the coast of Newfoundland but unfortunatley died in 1583. Sir Walter Raleigh was his half-brother and Gilbert's dream inspired him, but in warmer climates. His first organized expedition landed in 1585 on North Carolina's Roanoke Island off the coast of Virginia. Unfortunately after several false starts the Roanoke colony myteriously vanished. This hapless failure contrasted greatly with the glories of Spain. -
England defeats Spanish Armada
The self-anointed foe of the Protestant Reformation, Philip II used his gains from America to mass an "Invincible Armada." In 1588 the showdown of all of his ships invaded England. His Spainish flotilla had 130 ships. The English fought the armada in the English Channel, but the English were more maneuverable and ably manned. The failure of the Spanish Armada marked the beginning of the end for Spanish empirial dreams. -
Rolfe perfects tobacco culture in Virginia
After John Rolfe married his Indian wife, Pocahontas, they developed a new variety of tobacco. This variety became very popular in Europe and luckily brought financial prosperity to the colony. Unfortunately, the growing of tobacco required large amounts of laborers. Virginia had hoped that they would only need indentured servants, but in 1619 a few Africans were also employed therefor making a combination of forced labor and free labor. -
Dutch found New Netherland
The people of the Netherlands unfurled a rebellion against Catholic Spain and succeeded with the aid of Protestant England to gain there independance. Along with the Dutch East India Company, the Dutch West India Company was much less powerful but established a permanent colony in the beautiful Hudson River in 1623-1624. New Netherland was established for its quick profit fur trade, but was only a secondary interest of the founders. It is now perhaps the most valuable real estate in the world. -
Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia
Nathaniel Bacon led about a thousand Virginians to murder many Indians, friendly and hostile alike. The revolutionists chased Mayor Berkeley from office and town. They set the capitol on fire as well. These rebels went on a rampage or plundering and pilfering. It ignited the resentments of landless former servants against the haughty gentry of the plantations. -
Salem Witch Trials
In Salem, Massachusetts a group teenage girls claimed to have been bewitched by some older women. This started a histerical "witch hunt" which led to twenty individual deaths, nineteen of which were hanged and one who was pressed to death. Along with these human deaths, two dogs were also hanged. This event marked the epitome of American passion gone wild. -
Serra Founds first California mission
The Spanish mission was led by Father Junipero Serra and he founded a chain of 21 missions that wound up the coast from San Diego to Sonoma. His friars dedicated their lives to christianize 300,000 native Californians. The missionaries gathered these nomadic Indians into missions to teach them crafts and horticulture, as well as Christianity. This achievement unfortunately helped to give birth to the Black Legend of the Spanish.
