U.S History Timeline

  • 1492

    Columbus lands in the New World

    Columbus lands in the New World
    Columbus sailed to the Americas to find a trade route to India and China. Europe was able to colonize the New World because of this " discovery."
  • Jamestown foundation

    Jamestown foundation
    Jamestown was founded because there was a river that would lead to resources like fish and water. There was also natives which could be converted to Christianity. These factors led to the foundation of the Jamestown colony.
  • Pilgrims landed in Plymouth

    Pilgrims landed in Plymouth
    They did not plan on landing in Plymouth, at first they planned on settling near the mouth of the Hudson river. This impacted the Pilgrims since they were not controlled by the king anymore.
  • French and Indian War

    French and Indian War
    The French and Indian war was fought over the New World land. This war led for British to gain land and stop salutary neglect and New England got debt. After this event the king established the acts.
  • Albany Plan of Union

    Albany Plan of Union
    The Albany Plan of Union was a plan that Benjamin Franklin made that had a snake with different parts and with colonies names on it that said join or die. It symbolized for all the colonies to come to 1 government together or British will loose.
  • Quartering Act

    Quartering Act
    Ordered colonists to take care of soldiers such as feeding them and letting them rest in the colonists house. In this act colonists states that the Quartering Act is as badly as the Stamp Act.
  • Treaty of Paris

    Treaty of Paris
    The Treaty of Paris was signed to end the war. The French gave up land to British. The British then owned land to the Mississippi River.
  • Proclamation of 1763

    Proclamation of 1763
    The Proclamation of 1763 was a line that George 3rd established and the line went through the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. It was strongly prohibited to not cross the line.
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act
    Required colonists to pay a tax on every printed paper they used including newspapers, playing cards, and dice. They established the Stamp Act after the war since there was huge debt. This was the first act placed on the colonists.
  • Townshed Acts

    Townshed Acts
    A tax placed on certain goods such as candles, glass, paint, and tea. This act was established a year after the Stamp Act.
  • Boston Massacre

    Boston Massacre
    The Boston Massacre started as a solider teasing a young boy and eventually led to a big fight. This event and many others started building up to the revolution.
  • Tea Act 1773

    Tea Act 1773
    This Act showed that the colonists did not want anything taxed. There was a popular saying," No taxation without representation". This act led to the Boston Tea Party.
  • Boston Tea party

    Boston Tea party
    The Son's on Liberty threw the tea off the ship. This Tea Party not only symbolized that the colonists didn't want the taxes on the tea, but also symbolized they wanted representation.
  • First Continental Congress

    First Continental Congress
    They avoided war and decided to do colonial protests, so they put Santations on British on nonimportation of British goods.
  • Intolerable Acts

    Intolerable Acts
    Colonists started revolting on the Acts so they established the Intolerable Acts and that led to colonists being angry. This led to the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
  • Battle of Lexington

    Battle of Lexington
    This battle showed that the colonists had already stated their opinions about the British. After this battle there was a battle at Concord.
  • Battle of Concord

    Battle of Concord
    This event had an attack at North Bridge then made them rejoin their units. This battle led to the American Revolution.
  • Second Continental Congress

    Second Continental Congress
    They had a different plan, they decided to create a Continental Army with George Washington as commander. They were taking a different step and decided to have a war.
  • Period: to

    American Revolution

    All the events during the American Revolution were Bunker's Hill,Trenton, Saratoga, Brandywind, Valley Forge, Yorktown ,and Treaty of Paris. These battles led the colonists to their Independence.
  • Olive Branch Petition

    Olive Branch Petition
    It was written in the Second Continental Congress. This Petition showed that the colonists were faithful.After the king ignored the Olive Branch Petition that led to deciding to start the war.
  • Common Sense by Thomas Paine

    Common Sense by Thomas Paine
    Without this paper there wouldn't have been the battles between Lexington and Concord. This paper persuaded many people to begin the war.
  • Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence
    This marked that they were finally standing up for them selves and that they wanted Independence.
  • Treaty of Paris 1783

    Treaty of Paris 1783
    This symbolized that the American Revolution ended and brought colonists their much needed Independence. The United States doubled the size and the colonists were now free.
  • Shay's Rebellion

    Shay's Rebellion
    This event was an uprising in response to the debt crisis. After the American Revolution, the farmers began to loose land. This event showed that a stronger national government was needed.
  • Congress ratifies the U.S Constitution

    Congress ratifies the U.S Constitution
    It was official when New Hampshire was the 13th state to ratify. Until the constitution the government was following the Articles of Confederation. The allowed all states to be united and form a union.
  • Whiskey Rebellion

    Whiskey Rebellion
    This rebellion was a protests that the farmers made on the newly product " Whiskey". This protest was about the tax on the Whiskey placed. At the end of this rebellion, the farmers now knew they couldn't just protest there way out of things.
  • XYZ Affair

    XYZ Affair
    This affair was between France and the U.S. U.S sent 3 diplomats to France while France sent 3 agents naming them X,Y, and Z. They demanded a bribe of 250,000 dollars and loan just to meet with him. This is important because the President needed to make a hard decision either to give the money/peace or a war.
  • The War of 1812

    The War of 1812
    This war was fought between America and British and France. There were many treaties being established to stop the war. In the end Madison declared war which lasted 2 years and neither side won. The impact on this war was that it created pride and nationalism for the U.S.