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1492
Christopher Columbus discovers the New World
In 1492 Christopher Columbus was sent with four ships by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to discover the Western Hemisphere that was inhabited by Native Americans. Columbus named the island "San Salvador" and wrote Ferdinand and Isabella asking to enslave the Native Americans because he believed they were weak. His explorations allowed for "triangle trade" between Africa, Europe, and the Americas where slave trade and cheap liquor were distributed among other goods. -
The Indian Wars and the Colonial Response
The Pequot war in 1607 allowed nearly all of the Mohicans to be destroyed. In response, King Phillips War in 1675 allowed the tribes to fight back against the Europeans. After the Pequot war ended, The New England Confederation was founded in 1643 because of the lack of aid from England. Formed in 1570, the League of the Iroquois consisted of five tribes with fifty representatives created to handle laws and treaties. The colonies were unable to unite due to rivalries and religious differences. -
The Dutch Explore the New World
Henry Hudson found the Hudson River after being hired by the Dutch East India Company where later the Dutch would found New Amsterdam in 1625. New Amsterdam was established between the Massachusetts Bay and Rhode Island Colonies and the Virginian Colonies. Manhattan was purchased by the Dutch from the Native Americans in 1626 after fur trade became popular and led to friendliness with the Native Americans. -
Puritans Land at Cape Cod
King James I issued another charter with a specific location and orders for the Puritans who boarded the Mayflower. Whether on purpose or by accident, the ship went off course and the colonists landed far too north. They had already broken the charter's rule of where to go, so the colonists governed themselves and created the Mayflower Compact which acted as a constitution for the colonies. The Native American Squanto was instrumental in teaching the colonists to plant and survive winter. -
Nathaniel Bacon Leads a Revolt
After Nathaniel Bacon lived through the Indian wars without aid of England, he wanted the power to be restored through the people instead of the government. He had seen many destroyed by the Indians and wanted revenge. In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon gave his Declaration of the People and the furious, drunken crowd murdered an innocent tribe then burned Jamestown. After his death, the royal governor hanged many of his rebels and ended what was left of the riots. -
The Georgia Colony is Established
Georgia was established in 1732 as a neutral state between the Native Americans and the Spanish who dominated Florida. General James Oglethorpe was put in charge of the task of forming a safe haven for people who wanted to start a new life. Georgia was the final colony of the famous thirteen. The Georgia Colony was named after King George II of England, as ordered by the king himself in the charter allowing the establishment of the colony. Oglethorpe served as the colony's governor for 12 years. -
The Seven Years War
In the 1750's, French expansion brought France into conflict with the British colonies multiple times. In 1756 the British were defeated by the French because of their alliances with the Native Americans. In 1757, British Prime Minister William Pitt funded the colonies against France. The Albany Plan of Union was drafted by Benjamin Franklin and provided a government ruled by the colonists. The Treaty of Paris ended the war by giving England Canada, the Great Lakes, and the upper Mississippi.
