prehistory-1700's

  • Oct 12, 1492

    Columbus discovers America

    Columbus discovers America
    Arrive at the Bahamas where Christopher Columbus named five islands: San Salvador, Santa Maria de la Conception, Fernandina, Isabela, and Las Islas de Arena.
  • Jan 1, 1517

    Martin Luther launches the protestant reformation

    Martin Luther launches the protestant reformation
    1517 - Martin Luther launches the Protestant Reformation in Europe, bringing an end to the sole authority of the Catholic Church, resulting in the growth of numerous Protestant religious sects.
  • Jan 1, 1541

    mississippi river discovered

    mississippi river discovered
    Hernando de Soto of Spain discovers the Mississippi River
  • james town

    james town
    Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America, is established by the London Company in southeast Virginia (May 14 o.s.).
  • Mayflower

    Mayflower
    The Mayflower ship lands at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with 101 colonists. On November 11, the Mayflower Compact is signed by the 41 men, establishing a form of local government in which the colonists agree to abide by majority rule and to cooperate for the general good of the colony. The Compact sets the precedent for other colonies as they set up governments
  • The Pennsylvania Gazette

    The Pennsylvania Gazette
    1729 - Benjamin Franklin begins publishing The Pennsylvania Gazette, which eventually becomes the most popular colonial newspaper.
  • war ends

    peace treaty ends revolutionary war
  • ben franklin

    ben franklin inventes bifofical glasses
  • constitution

    constitution ratified
  • seat of government

    seat of government moves from NYC to philadelphia
  • vermont

    vermont addmited
  • ghent

    treaty of ghent
  • treaty

    treaty with britan sets 49th parallel