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Jamestown founded in Virginia
Jamestown was founded on May 24th, 1607 by the Virginia Company. It is considered the first permanent English colony. -
Virginia House of Burgesses founded
The Virginia House of Burgesses, a form of representative self-government, was founded in 1619 and was the first miniature parliament to flourish in America. -
Pilgrims Arrive to Plymouth Bay
In 1620, the Separatists who fled royal wrath landed in Plymouth Bay. Before departing, the pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact, which was a precedent for later constitutions. -
Virginia becomes a Royal Colony
English King James I hated the tobacco that was grown in Virginia and distrusted the House of Burgesses. Therefore, in 1624, he revoked the charter of the bankrupt Virginia Company and made it a royal colony under his control. -
Charles I Persecutes Puritans
In 1629, Charles I dismissed Parliament and sanctioned the anti-Puritan persecutions of William Laud. -
Puritans Found Massachusetts Bay Colony
A group of non-Separatist Puritans, fearing for their safety, secured a charter to create a royal colony in Massachusetts Bay. -
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Great Migration
About 20,000 refugees leave England to settle in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. -
Maryland Colony Founded
Mayland was the second plantation colony and the fourth English colony to be founded. It was founded in 1634 by Lord Baltimore, who was from a wealthy Catholic family. -
Roger Williams Founds Rhode Island Colony
After being expelled by Bay Colony authorities, Roger Williams fled to the Rhode Island area in 1636 and founded the first American colony with complete religious freedom. -
Fundamental Orders Drafted in Connecticut
The Fundamental Orders was essentially a modern constitution that established a democratic regime in Connecticut. Ideas from this document were later used in Connecticut's charter and their state constitution. -
New England Confederation Formed
Four colonies (Bay Colony, Plymouth, New Haven, and the scattered settlements in the Connecticut Valley) banded together to form the New England Confederation. The confederation's goal was to protect against foes, including the Indians, French, Dutch, and those in Rhode Island. -
Rhode Island Receives Charter
Rhode Island, founded in 1636 as a squatter colony, receives a charter from Parliament, establishing their legal standing to the land. This humiliated New England colonies as they looked down on those in Rhode Island. -
First Navigation Laws
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Charter Granted to Connecticut
The Crown granted a charter to Connecticut that merged New Haven with the more democratic settlements of the Connecticut Valley. This was done as a punishment to those in the Massachusetts Bay Colony for their defiance against the king. -
Carolina Colony Created
Carolina, named after Charles II was created by eight of the King's court favorites, the Lord's Proprietors. Carolina prospered by developing a close relationship with the sugar plantations in the English West Indies. -
Disenfranchisement of Virginians
In 1670, the Virginia assembly disenfranchised most landless freemen as their numbers continued to swell. -
Bacon's Rebellion
In 1676, a thousand landless former indentured servants who had been forced into the back county rebelled. This rebellion made plantation owners weary of indentured servants and their attention shifted to Africans. -
New Hampshire Separated from Bay Colony
The King was annoyed with the greed of the Massachusetts Bay. Therefore, the king separated New Hampshire and made it a royal colony. -
Pennsylvania Colony Founded
Pennsylvania was officially created by William Penn as a safe haven for Quakers. -
Massachusetts Bay Charter Revoked
Massachusetts Bay colony suffered more humiliation when London authorities revoked their charter. -
Dominion of New England Created
The Dominion was created by royal authorities to bolster colonial defense, enforce the hated Navigation Laws, and to further humiliate the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Dominion consisted of all New England Colonies, New York, and New Jersey. -
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Glorious Revolution in England
The Glorious Revolution ended in King James I being dethroned and Protestant William III taking the throne. This new monarch ushered in a period of salutary neglect in the American colonies -
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King William's War
Known as the War of the League of Augsburg in Europe. This war pitted British and French colonists against each other. Neither country found the conflict serious enough to send troops, so both parties waged a very primitive style of conflict. -
Act of Toleration Passed in Maryland
The Act of Toleration, passed in 1694, guaranteed toleration to all Christians. However, this law also guaranteed the death penalty to Jews and athiests. -
Population Increase in Colonies
In 1700, the population of English colonies reached about 250,000. This shifted the balance of Englishmen to Americans from 6:1 to just 3:2. -
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Queen Anne's War
Known as the War of Spanish succession in Europe. This war pitted British and French colonists against each other. Neither country found the conflict serious enough to send troops, so both parties waged a very primitive style of conflict. British ultimately won the war and were rewarded with Acadia, Newfoundland, and Hudson Bay as well as limited trading rights with Spain. -
North and South Carolina Separate
North Carolina and South Carolina were officially separated in 1712 after tensions rose between the aristocrats of South Carolinas and the poor settlers of North Carolina. -
Georgia Colony Founded
Georgia colony, founded in 1733, was established primarily to act as a buffer between the valuable Carolinas and the Spanish in Florida. Many debtors and criminals were sent to the colony. -
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Zenger Trial in New York
The Zenger Trial was a huge step towards the freedom of the press that prevented true statements about public officials from being persecuted as libel. This trial allowed newspapers to publish criticisms during the pre-Revolutionary era. -
Great Awakening Starts
The Great Awakening exploded in the 1730s and 1740s in the English colonies. The Awakening, beginning in Massachusetts, spread religious revival and contributed to the growing sense of American unity. -
War of Jenkins's Ear
Small scale scuffle between the British and the Spanish which stayed confined to the Caribbean Sea. This war merged with the much larger War of Austrian Succession. -
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King George's War
Known as the War of Austrian Succession in Europe. Colonists were able to capture the impenetrable French fortress of Louisbourg. However, in the peace treaty, Louisbourg was handed back to the French. Many New Englanders were angry that their hard work had gone to waste. -
Albany Congress
In 1754 the British government summoned an intercolonial congress in Albany. The purpose of the congress was to keep the Iroquois loyal to the British. Benjamin Franklin was the leading spirit of the Congress and he created a well-devised scheme for colonial home rule. -
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French and Indian War
Know as the Seven Years war in Europe. Began in North America because of conflict over the Ohio Valley and became the most far-flung war of the time. -
Battle of Quebec
Ranks as one of the most significant engagements in British and American history. Resulted in French power being thrown completely off North America. -
Proclamation of 1763
Issued by the London government and prohibited settlement beyond the Appalachian mountains. It was drafted to work out the Indian problem fairly, but it angered many Americans. Consequently, many Americans defied the order. -
Sugar Act
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Quartering Act
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Stamp Act
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Stamp Act Congress Assembles
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Townshend Acts
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New York Legislature Suspended
London authorities suspended the New York legislature after failures to comply with the Townshend Acts. -
Boston Massacre
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Boston Tea Party
Provoked by the British East India Company's monopoly over tea trade and taxes on tea -
Intolerable Act Passed
Many chartered rights of the Massachusetts colony were swept away, like town meetings. -
First Continental Congress Meets
Response to the "Intolerable Acts" and 12 colonies were represented Created The Association which called for a complete boycott of British goods. -
Lexington and Concord
Beginning of the American Revolution -
King George III Rejects Olive Branch Petition
King George III rejected the colonist's Olive Branch Petition, a last attempt to keep the peace. However, King George declared that the colonies were in rebellion. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
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Thomas Paine Publishes "Common Sense"
"Common sense" was one of the most influential pamphlets printed. A foundational document of American independence and foreign policy. -
Second Continental Congress Meets
All 13 colonies were represented in Philadelphia. No real desire for independence among colonies. Drafted Olive Branch Petition -
Declaration of Independence!!
America officially secedes from Britain!