-
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus sailed the Pacific Ocean.
Christopher Columbus sailed with his ships, the Santa María, Niña, and Pinta in 1492 and landed in a series of Islands in the Bahamas and named the land, San Salvador. He received some money and the ships from King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain. -
Jan 1, 1511
First Enslaved Africans Arrive in the Americas
The first African slaves arrived in the Americas in 1511. They were mostly used by the Europeans to work in sugar plantations and tobacco farms, and these slaves were used as cheap laborers. Since these African slaves in the Amrericas had an immunity to the Europeans' diseases, could not escape because they did not know the new terrain, were experienced in working in farms and plantations, and could easily be found by the color of their skin, African slaves became a necessity to the Europeans. -
Jan 1, 1521
Cortés conquers the Aztec Empire
A Spanish conquistador named Hernanado Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma II, believed that Cortés was a god and gave him much gold, and when Montezuma asked Cortés why he needed so much gold, Cortés responded that he and his companions had a disease that only gold could cure. When the Aztecs and Cortés fought, the Spaniards had the upper hand because of their advanced weapons, like muskets, help from other natives, and diseases that killed many Aztecs. -
Jan 1, 1533
Pizarro conquers Incan Empire
Francisco Pizarro was another Spanish conquistador who conquered the Incan Empire in 1533. Pizarro and his army of 200 men fought against the Incan ruler, Atahualpa, and his 30,000 men and won. Pizarro kept Atahualpa captive and Atahualpa told PIzarro that he would give him one room filled with gold and two rooms with silver, if he let him go. Pizarro agreed to this deal, received the wealth, and killed Atahualpa. This disheartened the Incans and caused them to surrender. -
The English found Jamestown
More than 100 settlers from England landed in America and founded a colony named Jamestown, named after King James, in 1607. Many of these settlers died from hunger, disease, and attacks from or against the Native Americans, because these settlers were too interested in finding gold and riches then growing crops for food. However, after finding tobacco, the colony started to thrive and became England's first permanent colony. -
The English found Plymouth
A religious group called the Pilgrims founded Plymouth in 1620. The Pilgrims decided to found a colony in the Americas, because of the unacceptance and persecution of their religion in England. So, they came to England for religious freedom. This colony was located in Massachusetts. -
French and Indian War ends
The English wanted more land in the Americas, so they started to clash with the French and tried to take away the French's land holdings in the Americas. This was called the French and Indian War, because the French and the Indians fought on the same side against the English and was part of a larger war known as the Seven Years' War.
