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Period: 1492 to 1504
Columbus' four voyages
Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, made four voyages across the atlantic ocean. His first one was intended to find a direct water route from Europe to Asia, but he never did and instead stumbled across the Americas. These first few voyages are then what started the spanish colonization. -
Period: 1519 to 1521
Cortes conquers the Aztecs
During the time of 1519, and 1521, hernan cortes lead spanish conquers to take over the Aztec Empire. The conquest ended on August 13th when the capital was captured by Cortes. They then established their Capital in the ruins of Tenochtitlan which marked the start of the Spanish rule in Mexico. -
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Roanoke Island Colony fails
The first attempt at building a permanent English settlement in North America. It was established in 1585 in what is now today Dare County in North Carolina. Due to lack of supplies and bad relations with the natives, the colony didnt last long and it was empty by the time of 1587. -
Jamestown, Virginia founded
The first actual permanent English Settlement in North America. It was established by the Virginia Colony of London in may and named after their king, James I who organized and founded the company. -
First Africans Arrive in Virginia
The First Africans arrived in Virginia at point comfort, on the James River in late August of 1619. They were sold most likely into slavery once they were transported into Virginia. -
Virginia House of Burgesses Formed
The first Elective governing body in an overseas British settlement. It was established by Gov. George Yeardley at Jamestown in July of 1619. This governing body remained in place until the American Revolution -
Pilgrims found Plymouth MA
The second permanent English Colony in North American, Plymouth was founded by a group of religious dissenters often referred to as Pilgrims. They had a beliefs similar to the Puritans, but believed that the church could not be purified, and they wanted total separation. It was set in what today is the modern town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and at it's peak, it took up most of the southern part of the state. -
Puritans Migration to Massachusetts
Led by John Winthrop, a puritan Lawyer, the puritans left England in 1630 and arrived in New England where they settled in what is now Boston. They established the Massachusetts Bay colony there and it became the largest colony in New England. -
Calverts found Maryland
The colonial province of Maryland was granted by King Charles I to George Calvert for settlement beginning in 1634, and it was named Maryland in honor of Henrietta Maria. Then in March of 1634, the first group of settlers arrived. -
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Pequot Indian War, Maryland
An armed conflict that took place in New England between the Pequot Tribe, and an alliance of colonists and their Native American Allies, the Narragansett and Mohegan. The conflict ended with the defeat of the Pequots. And at the end of it, 700 pequots had been killed of taking into captivity, hundreds of prisoners sold to the West Indies as slaves, and others given as captives to the victorious tribes. -
Anne Hutchinson convicted of heresy
Criticizing the ministers of the Massachusetts bay colony, and claiming that she knew god directly and had spoken with him, Anne Hutchinson was put on trial for Heresy and proclaimed a heretic. She was banished from the colony, and along with her family and some followers moved to Rhode Island, and then later New York where she died in an Indian Raid. -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
Adopted by the the Connecticut Colony council, the fundamental orders described the government set up by the Connecticut River towns. They set its structure and powers. It is considered to be the first constitution in Western Tradition which is how Connecticut got its nickname of The Constitution State. -
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English Civil War
A series of armed conflicts between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists. The first and second wars were between King Charles and supporters of the Long Parliament. While the 3rd and 4th was between King Charles II and supporters of the Rump Parliament. It eventually ended with a Parliament Victory . -
First Navigation Act
The navigation acts were laws created by the English that promoted English ships, shipping, trade, and commerce between other countries as well as it's own colonies. The first one passed in 1651 and aimed at the Dutch, allowed for the commonwealth to regulate Englands National trade, and trade with its colonies. It required that English trade must be carried in English ships. -
English Conquers New Netherlands (New York)
Due to being an unpopular Ruler, and that his Dutch subjects would not rally around him, Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant surrenders New Amsterdam, the Capital of New Netherlands, to an English Navel Squadron which was udner Richard Nicolls. After it's capture, its name was changed to New York to honor the Duke of York who organized the mission. -
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King Philip's (Metacomet) War, MA
An armed conflict between the Native Indian inhabitants of New England and the New England Colonists and their native allies. Shorty after Metacom was captured and beheaded, the war ended leaving lots of destruction behind as a result -
Bacon's Rebellion
An armed rebellion by Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the rule of governor William Berkeley who failed to address the demands of the colonists. It was suppressed when some armed merchant ships sided with Berkeley, and eventually government forces came form England to help end it. -
Pennsylvania settled
The province of Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn when he was given a royal charter by King Charles II. It remained in the hands of the Penn family until the American Revolution. -
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English Glorious Revolution and Bill of Rights
The Glorious revolution was the overthrow of King James II of England by union of English Parliamentarians along with William III. The English bill of rights is an act of parliament that gives basic civil rights which was requested after the overthrow of king James. -
Massachusetts becomes a royal colony
A compromise was made in 1691 over the unpopular dominion of New England and a new charter was made. The new charted united the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth Colony and Maine Colony into one new colony that would be called Province of Massachusetts Bay. It also called for a royal governor, and for an elected assembly to be established. -
Salem witch hunts
A series of trials of people accused of witchcraft/being a witch in Massachusetts. More than 200 people were accused during them, and 19 were found guilty and executed by hanging. Another man was pressed to death for refusing to confess, and at least five people died in jail making it the deadliest witchhunt in the U.S. -
Period: to
Queen Anne’s War
The second of a series of conflicts fought between Great Britain and France in North America for control of the continent. It was also the counterpart of War of the Spanish Succession fought in Europe. -
England, Wales, and Scotland unite into the UK
Also known as the Acts of Union, these were two acts made by parliament which united the Kingdom of England and The Kingdom of Scotland, which were separate sates, into "One Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain". -
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George I’s reign
During his reign, the power of the monarchy declined and Britain moved closer to the modern system of a cabinet system lead by a prime minister. Toward the end of his rule, actual power was held by Robert Walpole who was Britain's first prime minister. -
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George II’s reign
Since he was King from 1727. when the monarchs didn't really have much power, he had little control over British domestic policy which was mostly controlled by Parliament. He spent 12 summers in Hanover where he had more control over government policy. -
Georgia founded
In 1732, King George created a charter in order for the settlement to be established, and by the time of the next year, 114 settles arrived to found a new settlement. -
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First Great Awakening
A series of Christian revivals that went through the English colonies. It came at a time when idea of secular rationalism was being emphasized, and people were losing passion for religion. In it, Christian Leaders often went from town to town preaching about the gospel, and emphasizing salvation from sins. The result of this was a new dedication toward religion. -
John Peter Zenger trial
John Peter Zenger was a german immigrant who printed a publication of The New York Weekly Journal. The publication often harshly criticized the government. And John was accused of Libel. The jury however returned with a verdict of not guilty and He became a symbol for freedom of the press -
Stono Rebellion, NC
A slave rebellion that began in North Carolina, and it was the largest slave uprising in the British Colonies. The leader of the rebellion, Jemmy, recruited around 60 other slaves, and was eventually defeated by a South Carolina militia. As a result of this rebellion, the South Carolina legislature passed the Negro Act of 1740. -
Period: to
King George’s War
The operations in North America that formed part of the 1744-1748 War of the Austrian Succession. Was the 3rd of the four french Indian wars. And mostly took place in the British provinces of New York, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia. It was then ended with Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. -
Albany Congress
A conference at Albany, New York that pushed for union of the British colonies, and defense measures from the French Threat up in Canada in the opening stage of the French and Indian War.