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smallpox epidemic
This epidemic killed 90% of Native Americans in Massachusetts Bay Colony. -
Pilgrims settled at Plymouth
The Pilgrims, which were a small community of English Nonconformist Protestants, settled at Plymouth. Later in 1629 the Puritans, a larger group of Calvinist Protestants arrived. -
Old Deluder Satan Law enacted
This law was enacted by the General Court of Massachusetts which required every town of fifty or more families to appoint a reading and writing teacher. This meant the town was in charge of supporting the local schools. -
New England Primer first published
The New England Primer was referred to as the "Little Bible of New England." The book contained rhymes that featured each letter of the alphabet. Each letter also included an illustration. This book displayed the close relationship between reading and religion within the New England schools. -
College of William and Mary was established
The college was established by a royal charter in Williamsburg, Virginia. The original organization of the college included a grammary\ school, a School of Philosophy and a School of Divinity. -
Jefferson drafted Virginia Act
The Virginia act was drafted in order to establish Religious Freedom. In it he wrote, "no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or beliefs." -
Jefferson introduced a “Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge” into the Virginia General Assembly
This bill reflected Jefferson's personal belief regarding government requiring education, educations function, and the support of educational institutions by the state. -
Treaty of Paris
The treaty officially ended the war with Great Britain and recognized the colonies as independent from Britain. -
Ratification of the Constitution
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Noah Webster published American Dictionary of the English Language which included 70,000 words
At the time the dictionary was published, Webster was70 years old.
