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Jan 1, 1492
Columbus discovers the Caribbean
In !492, A portugeese man in the service of Spain named Christopher Columbus discovered a "new world." Columbus named that land San Salvador, which means holy savior. -
Jan 1, 1511
First Enslaved Africans reach the Americas
In 1511 the first African Slaves were brought to the Americas. The Colonists needed men to do cheap labor for the them. They felt the Africans were perfect because they had built up immunity to Spanish diseases, and knew how to farm. -
Jan 1, 1521
Cortes conquers the Aztecs
When Cortes and his crew first landed in current day Mexico, they were looking for gold. While searching, they came upon the Aztecs, who welcomed that Spaniards and thought Cortes was a god. Since they though he was a god, they gave him their gold. In 1521, the Aztecs fought the Spanish, but Spain's supierior weaponry and the diseases they brought over were too much for the Aztecs. -
Jan 1, 1533
Pizzaro conquers the Incas
Pizzaro and his army of 200 men defeated Atahualpa and his army of 30,000 unarmed men. The Spanish surprised the Incas and captured Athualpa. Atahualpa offered Pizzaro a room of gold and two of silver for his release. Pizzaro took this offer and then killed Atahualpa. -
English found Jamestown
King James gave a company of London investors a charter to found a North American colony. In 1607, the colonists reached Virginia and named the settlement Jamestown after King James. -
Pilgrims found Plymouth
In 1620, the Pilgrims went to America seeking religious freedom. Later that year, their ships reached the shores of Massachusetts and they named their colony Plymouth. -
French Indian War Ends
In 1754, a war broke out called the French-Indian War. In the French-Indian War, the British fought agaisnt the French and the Indians. The British won the war establishing dominance in colonizing North America.
