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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Discovers the New World
August 3, 1492, Columbus sailed from the Spanish port of Palos. He landed in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. When he landed he thought he was in India. This is important because Columbus set out looking for India, but when he landed he was not in India. He was in the Americas. This showed Britain that there was more than just the Old World, and it also marks the discovery of the New World. -
Period: Oct 12, 1492 to
Unit 1
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Sigining of the Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was written by William Bradford. The compact established a civil law body. It was not actually meant for self government. It was meant as more of a rule book. This is significant because the Mayflower Compact became the first written framework of government in the New World. The Mayflower Compact sets the precedence for future self government. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon was a colonist in Virginia. He and several other freemen became furious with the way Governor Berkely was treating the landless whites. The freemen were infuriated because men that were once indentured slaves were not granted the land and women that were promised to them. This led Bacon to attack the Governor's house, and then burn it to the ground. This is significant because it is the first sign of revolt in the colonies. -
Africans became the primary source of labor in the New World
After Bacon's Rebellion, farmers began to look for less rebellious labor to work the vast plantations. It just so happens that the economy in England began to pick up and indentred servants became more scarce. At this same time the Royal African Company lost the monopoly on slave trade, because of this slaves became a cheaper option for labor in the New World. This is significant because the New World began to produce cash crops and export them all over the world. The exportation of goods to -
Africans became the primary source of labor in the New World (continued)
other countries infuriated Britain. This causes them to place taxes on the exports. (Navigation Acts). Date is not exact. Africans majorly came to the New World after Bacon's Rebellion ended in 1677. -
The Albany Congress Ends
The Albany Congress started on June 19,1754. They met in New York. Seven colonies met, but the others never showed up. This is significant because this is the first attempts to unify the colonies as a whole. Although they were not successful, they also resolved another issue, the Iroqouis. The Iroqouis were very strong as a whole and the British and the French wanted them as an ally. By the end of the Albany Congress the Iroqouis chose to be Britain's ally. -
The French and Indian War Ends
The French and Indian War was fought because France had control of The Ohio River Valley. This created conflict between the French and the Birtish Colonists. The significance of this event is as a result of the war France lost control over Canada and gave Louisiana to Spain. This is significant because England becomes the dominant power in the New World. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre took place in Boston. The American colonists threw snowballs, and insulted the British soldiers. The British soldiers then became furious and fired their guns into the crowd. By the time the "massacre" was over it wasn't really a massacre. Only 5 were left dead, and another 6 were wounded. This is significant because it caused tensions to rise enormously between the Americans and British because this was the first killing that occurred. -
The Boston Tea Party (continued)
and the tax of tea was repealed. This is significant because showed the British that the colonists would not stand the taxes the British were putting on the items. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party started because the British forced a monopoly upon the East India Tea Company. This became a problem in the colonies because they did not want the tea that Britain was forcing at them. Governor Hutchinson then blockaded Boston Harbor until the merchants paied for the tea. As a result of this The Sons of Liberty dressed up like Indians. They then boarded the ship and demanded the tea. When they were given the tea they dumped it into the harbor. The colonist got their wishes -
The First Continental Congress ends
The First Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, on September 5, 1774. All 13 colonies were there except Georgia. At the congress they all agreed to not import anything from Britain. Some of the colonies wanted to give Britain more time to repeal thier taxes. Others wanted to take imediate action againts Britain. This is significant because it showed unified colonial opposition againts Britain. -
Lexington and Concord
Birtish troops left Boston in search of colonial arms. A British solider was confused and shots were fired at the rebels. Later British troops arrived at Concord to find that there were no arms to be found. The British soon retreated to Boston. As a result of retreating, they suffered a large quantity of casualties. This is significant because it was the first battle of the American Revolution. It became known as the, "Shot fired heard round the world".
