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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
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Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island Colony founded. Every settler mysteriously vanishes. -
Jamestown Founded
Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the new world, is founded. -
House of Burgesses
First representative assembly in the New World. -
Mayflower Compact
An agreement to self-government called the Mayflower Compact was signed by all the free men on the Mayflower. -
Providence Founded
Roger Williams founds Providence, RI -
Navigation Act
British Parliament passed first navigation act. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon leads revolt against British Governor Sir William Berkeley. -
Pennsylvania
William Penn signs treaty with Delaware Indians and buys land for Pennsylvania -
Salem Witch Trials
20 alleged witches executed -
Great Awakening
Great Awakening Revival Begins -
Poor Richard's Almanac
Benjamin Franklin publishes the first Poor Richard's Almanac -
The Zenger Trial
Zenger was accused of speaking adversely of the Government. Reason we now have the first Amendment -
Albany Plan
Organized colonies -
French and Indian War
French and Indian War begins -
Proclamation of 1763
forbade colonist from settling west of the Appalachian Mts. -
Sugar Act
Sugar Act passed by British Parliament to pay for the French and Indian War -
Stamp Act
Stamp Act enacted by British Parliament to fund royal troops -
Quartering Act
Quartering Act passed by British Parliament, requiring colonists to house British troops -
Townshend Acts
levied taxes -
Boston Massacre
British Troops fire into Boston mob, killing 5 -
Boston Tea Party
Cargo thrown overboard to protest the tea tax -
Intolerable Acts
curtailed Massachusetts self-rule -
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere and William Dawes rode to alert Patriots that the British were coming -
Lexington and Concord
First battles of the Revolutionary war fought -
Common Sense
Thomas Paine publishes his pro-independence pamphlet, and sells 100,000 copies -
Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence approved, giving the 13 colonies independence from Britain -
Battle of Saratoga
Turning point of the war in America's favor. It convinced Europe that America might actually win the war and persuaded France to help us. -
Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation adopted by Continental Congress. Became the first outline of America's new government, and was the precedent to the Constitution. -
Bonhomme Richard defeats Serapis
John Paul Jones of the Bonhomme Richard defeated Serapis in British North Sea waters. -
Yorktown
Cornwallis retires to Yorktown, Virginia -
Cornwallis Surrenders
British General Cornwallis surrenders -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris signed, ended Revolutionary War -
Constitutional Convention Held
Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia. U.S. Constitution accepted by delegates September 17. Delaware became first state to ratify it December 7, 1787 -
Northwest Ordinance
Adopted by Continental Congress for Northwest Territory. Made rules for statehood and guaranteed freedom of religion, support for schools, and banned slavery. -
George Washington Inaugurated
George Washington unanimously voted first President of the United States of America. John Adams became his Vice-President. -
Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights submitted to the states. Went into effect December 15th -
Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin, making it easier and more profitable to grow cotton, thus reviving southern slavery -
Washington's Farewell Address
Washington warned against permanent alliances with foreign powers, big public debt, large military establishments, and devices of small, artful, enterprising minority. -
Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson buys Louisiana from Napoleon for about three cents an acre, doubling the size of the U.S. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Thomas Jefferson orders Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Expedition ended September 23rd, 1806 -
Steamboat invented
Robert Fulton invents the first practical steamboat that could move against the current or a strong wind -
War of 1812 Begins
War declared on Britain for seizing U.S. ships, kidnapping over 4000 U.S. sailors, and arming Native Americans -
Star Spangled Banner
Francis Scott Key writes the poem, Star Spangled Banner, during the bombardment of Fort McHenry. -
Monroe Doctrine
President James Monroe gives the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that the Americas wereclosed to further colinization and that The U.S. considered itself the protector of Latin America. -
Trail Of Tears
Cherokee Indians forced to walk from their homeland of Georgia to Oklahoma in what is come to be known as the Trail of Tears -
Telegraph Invented
Samuel F.B. Morse sends the first telegraph message. -
Seneca Falls Convention
Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton led the Seneca Falls, NY Women's rights convention -
Compromise of 1850
California was to be admitted as a free state, only if the fugitive slave law was strengthened. Proposed by Henry Clay. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes her book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, which exposed the evils of slavery -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
The Court ruled that slaves did not become free if taken into a free state, blacks could not be citizens, and the Missouri Compromise was considered unconstitutional. -
Election of 1860
Republican Abraham Lincoln elected President in a four-way race. -
Southern States Secede
Seven Southern states secede to set up the Confederate States of America and elect Jefferson Davis President. -
Fort Sumter
Confederate Forces fire on the Union controlled Fort Sumter, starting the Civil War. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest one day battle of the war, is fought. -
Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in areas still in rebellion. -
General Lee Surrenders
Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ullyses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House -
Lincoln is Assassinated
Linoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre -
13th Amendment
13th Amendment abolishes slavery -
14th amendment
The 14th Amendment, providing citizenship to all born in the U.S., is ratified -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment gave blacks the right to vote. -
Red Cross Founded
Clara Barton Founds the American Red Cross
