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Lost Colony
The Roanoke colony was sponsered by Sir Walter Reliegh on
Roanoke Island off the North Carolina coast. It was the first English colony in America. Sir Francis Drake later took every body but 15 people back to England, the remaining 15 were never seen or heard from again. -
Jamestown
In 1607 the first secessful english settlement was founded. Capt. John Smith and 105 cavaliers landed on the coast of Virgina in 1607. Capt. John Smith had decided to name the colony Jamestown in honor of the current King James. -
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses, founded in 1619, was the first colonial representative assembly. It was in Jamestown, Virgina and the fist meeting was on July 30. Established by the Virgina Company to convince English workers to come settle in North America. -
Pilgrims
The first Pilgrims came to North America in 1620 on the Mayflower. These pilgrims were from England and came to North America to escape religous prosecution. -
Providence, RI
In June 1636 Roger Williams founded the city of Providence, Rhode Island. Providence was a democratically ruled colony. Became a refuge for persecuted religous dissenters. Also 1636 Harvard College became the first college in the North America. -
Navagation Act
In 1660 British paliment passed the first Navagation Act. This act required ships to be three fourths english and products from the colonies could only be shipped to England. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was an uprising in the Jamestown,Virgina in 1676 led by Nathaniel Bacon. The rebellion was against British Govenor Sir William Berkley. They burned down the Capital but the rebellion was ruined when Bacon died. -
William Penn
In 1683 William Penn signed a treaty with the Delaware indians. He also made a payment for the Pennsylvania land. Pennsylvania means "Penn's Woods". The first German colonists had settled not far from Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. -
Salem Wictcraft Trials
The Salem Witchcraft trials were suposivly started by two girls who heard a story about witches from a pheasent. They went out and accused people of being witches and were put to a special court. There were 20 alleged witches accused by special court that had been killed. 19 were hung and 1 was pressed. -
Benjamin Franklin/ Georgia
In 1732 Benjamin Franklin had published the first Poor Richard's Almanac which was published until 1757. Also the last of the 13 colonies was chartered. This colony was Georgia. -
Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a religous movement in the 1740's that was a period of religous revival. It was the second out of four. The famous sermon "Sinners in the hand of an Angry God" was delivered at Enfield, MA on July 8th by Johnathan Edwards. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian war was a war between the French and the Indians versus the British. It was the conflict of Britain and France in the Colonies that had been building for many years. The British captured Quebec and when a peace treaty was signed France nlost Canada and the Midwest. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act, put in on April 5th 1764, was a tax placed on molasses, rum, lumber, etc. to pay for debts from the French and Indian War. From England but only in the colonies. -
Stamp Act/ Quartering Act
The Stamp Act was enacted by Parliment on March 22, 1765. This act reqired all documents to have the official stamp and was a direct tax on the colonists. This lead to the Stamp Act Congress which adopted the Declaration of Rights and the Stamp Act bwas repealed the following year. The Quartering Act went into affect on March 24 and required colonists to house British troops. -
Townshend Acts
The Towshend Acts put taxes on glass, painter's lead, paper, and tea. By protest by 1770 all taxes were repealed except for tax on tea. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a inncident in 1770 were British troops fired into a mob and killed 5 people . This was later called the Boston Massacre in a local paper. -
Boston Tea Party
On December 16, in protest of the tea act, members of the Sons of Liberty dressed as Natives went of the boat and threw off hundreds of pounds of tea into the bay. -
Intolerable Acts
Passed by Parliment in 1774, the Intolerable Acts were a punishment on Massachusetts colonists until they payed for the lost tea. -
First Continental Congress
A convention held at Carpenter's Hall in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention went from September 5th to October 26th and calle for civil disobedience. -
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry addressed the Virgina convention on March 23, 1775. He was the man the at said "Give me Liberty or Give me Death". By this he ment he would rather die then be under British rule. -
First Battles of the Revolutionary War
On the night of April 18, 1775 Paul Revere and William Dawes rode through the night to alertthe patriots the British were on their way to Concord to destroy their weapons. The next day at Lexington, MA. the minutemen fought the british and lost 8 men. When the British came back from Concord they lost 273men. -
Continental Congress
At the Continental Congress in 1775 George Washington was named commander in chief and on July 26 a postal system was established. Along with the postal system Ben Franklin became the first postmaster general. -
Common Sense
Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine was published January 10, 1776. It was a famous proindependence pamphlet. It quickly sold 10,000 copies and convinced many people to become Patriots. -
Declaration of Independence
In Continental Congress June 7 Richard Lee said that the colonies ought to be free. So the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 2 and approved July 4, which is now Independence Day. -
American Flag/Articles of Confederation/ Princeton
On January 3, 1777 Washington defeated Lord Cornwallis at Princeton. Then on June 14 the Continental Congress an American Flag. Later that year the Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress in November 15 and they were put into affect on March 1781.. They turned out to be a very unstable type of Government and was later replaced. -
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was probably the best naval seaman in the war. On September 23, 1779 John Paul Jones on the Bonhamme Richard defeated Serapis in the British North Sea waters. -
Battle of Yorktown/ Bank of North America
On May 26 the Bank of North America was incorperated. Lord Cornwallis retired to Yorktown, Virginia. Washington and Jean Baptiste de Rochambeau joined forces, and the Siege of Cornwallis began on October 6 and Cornwallis surrendered October 19. -
Slavery in Massachusettes
In 1783 the Massachusetts Supreme Court declared slavery illegal in Massachusetts. -
News/Webster
On May 30, 1783 the first regular daily newspaper went on sale in Philidelphia. Noah Webster published the first American Spelling Book the same year. -
Paris Peace Treaty
On September 3, 1783 Britain and the U.S. signed the Paris Peace Treaty which reconized American Independence and Congress ratified it on January 14, 1784. -
Shay's Rebellion
A rebellion of debt-ridden farmers in Massechusetts. The rebellion failed when they were defeated in Sheffield, Massachusetts. -
Federalist Papers
Federalist Papers first appeared in NY Independent Journal and were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. Their were 85 and encouraged Federal government. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was opened on May 25th. The Constitution was accepted by the delegates and Delaware became the first state to ratify. Pennsylvania and New Jersey came short after. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance adopted on July 13, 1787, set the orderly pattern of growth for the Northwest Territory. Guaranteed free religon, support for schools, and banned slavery. -
George Washington's Inaugurated
George Washington was elected president in 1789 with 69 votes and John Adams became vice president with 34 votes.On May 4 First Congress met at Federal Hall and declared the Constitution in effect. On April 30 Washington was inaugurated there and on May 7th the first inaugural ball was held their. -
Departemnts
U.S. State Dept. was established by congress July 27 and Thomas Jefferson was the first secratary. War Dept. createdon August 7th and Henry Knox was secratary. Treasury Dept. was established September 2nd with Alexander Hamilton as secratary. -
Supreme Court
The Suprme Court, created by the Federal Judiciary Act, was established September 24th and John Jay was named the first Supreme Court Justice on September 26th. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights which was submitted to the states in 1789 went into effect on December 15th. The Bill of Rights guaranteed citizens individual rights not specifically stated in the Constitution. Also in 1791 the first Bank Of America was chartered. -
Cotton Gin
In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin which revoluntionized cotton production in the south. The cotton gin increased the cotton production in the South by making cotton a hundred times easier to clean. -
Washington
On May 4th Washington was inaugurated for the second term. John Adams again having to be vice president. Washington declared rhe U.S. Neutral in the war between France and Britain. -
Whisky Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a rebellion against the liquor tax of 1791. The rebellion was supressed in September by the Militia. -
John Jay's Treaty
John Jay's controversial treaty was a treaty made to settle long standing differences between the U.S. and Britain. It was signed on November 15th and was ratified June 24th the following year. -
Washington's Farewell Address
Washington's Farewell address was delivered on September 17, 1796. He warned against permanent alliances with foreign powers, big public debt, and a large military establishment. -
War with France is threatened
In 1798 war with France was threatened because of french raids on U.S. shipping and the rejection of U.S. diplomats. The U.S. navy captured 84 french ships and the raids were stopped when Napolean come to power. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition acts were passed by congress in June-July of 1798. They made it illegal to criticize high government officals, gave the presidnet more power, and gave the right for aliens to be arrested. -
Jefferson Vs. Burr
In the 1801 election Jefferson and Burr had recieved the same amount of votes. The House voted 35 times before Alexander Hamilton convinced some men to vote for Jefferson and Jefferson won the election and Burr was named Vice-President. -
Marbury vs. Madison
Marbury vs. Madison was a supreme court case in which was the first case to exercise judicial review and for the first time overturned a United States law. -
Louisiana Purchase
Napolea, ruler of France, sold all of Louisiana from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border. The U.S. bought the landfor about three cents an acre and the purchase doubled the size of the United States. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition was by President Jefferson to explore the new west half of the United States. The journey started in St. Louis on May 14th and ended September 23rd 1806. -
Burr vs. Hamilton
On July 11th 1804 in Weehawken, New Jersey Vice-President Arron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Hamilton died the very next day. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was accumilated by 3 main causes.
1. Britain seized U.S. ships trading with France
2. Britain seized 4,000 U.S. sailors
3. Britain armed indians who attacked the western border
On June 18th, unaware that Britain had raised that blockade on the French coast, Congress delcared war Britain. -
War of 1812
On September 15th Oliver Perry defeated the British at the Battle of Lake Erie. The U.S. won the Battle of the Thames in Ontario but failed Canadian invasion attempts and Buffalo and Toronto were burned. -
End of the War
On August 24th British forces landed in Maryland defeated the U.S. force and burned the Capitol and the White House. The Maryland militia stoped British forces and a British fleet failed at the Bombardment of Ft. Mc Henry which inspired the words to "The Star Spangled Banner". The U.S. won the naval Battle of Lake Champlain September 11th. A peace treaty was signed with Great Britain at Ghent on December 24th. -
Florida
On Febuary 22nd 1819 Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. so now th U.S. streches from Maine to Florida. -
Monroe Doctrine
Defined on December 2nd 1823 by President James Monroe the Monroe Doctrine opposed all European intervention in the America's. -
Webster Hayne debate
Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Robert Hayne of South Carolina debated on January 27th 1830 over the state right to nullify the federal law. Nullify: make of no use or value -
Mormon Church
On April 6th 1830 Joseph Smith organized the Mormon Church in Fayette, New York. -
Indian removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was signed by President Andrew Jakson on May 28th 1830. This act provided land and minor pay for indians who agreed to relocate west. -
Abolition movements
On January 1st William Garrison began The Liberator. It was the first abolitionist newspaper. The same year Nat Turner, a black slave from Virginia, led a slave rebellion. The rebellion started on August 21st and killed 57 whites. Thwe military was called in and 100 slaves were killed and Turner was captured, tried and hanged. -
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears was the forced removal of Cherokee indians from Georgia to Oklahoma. Began in October of 1838 and over 4,000 of 15,000 Cherokee indians died on the way. -
Telegraph
The first telegraph message was sent on the first telegraph line from Washington to Baltimore by Samuel F.B. Morse the inventor. -
Lots of Stuff
The Mexican war began when James Polk ordered General Zachery Taylor to seize disputed Texan land settled by Mexicans. Led to U.S. declaring war then Mexico declaring war.
Mexican war ended in 1847 and U.S. took claims to California, Texas and other territory.
The Bear flag of the Republic of California was raised by settlers at Sonoma on June 14th.
Mormon's settled in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The sewing maachine was invented. -
Gold Rush/Seneca Falls
On January 24th gold was discovered and in 1849 over 80,000 people immagrated to California. Also Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott held the Women's Rights Convention in Senaca Falls, New York. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as the 31st state and banned slavery in it. Also put more enforcement on the Fugitive Slave Act and ended the D.C. slave trade. Written by Henry Clay. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
In 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin was published. The book portrayed slvery as cruel and immortal. -
Republican Party
On Febuary 28th 1854 the Republican Party was formed at Ripon, Wisconson. The new party proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act which left the issue of slavery for the settlers to vote. Act became law on May 30th. -
Gadsen Purchase
On April 25th 1854 the U.S. purchased a strip of land known as the Gadsen Purchase from Mexico. Treaty was ratified by Mexico on April 25. -
Dred Scott case
On March 6th the Supreme Court decision on Dred Scott stated that slaves were not freed in a free state, also Congress couldn't ban slavery, and africans could not be citizens. -
Oil
The first commercially productive oil well was made in Titusville, Pennsylvania. -
Attack on Harper's Ferry
On October 16th John Brown and 21 men attacked and seized the U.S. Armory at Harper's Ferry. They were captured by U.S. Marines and John Brown was hanged for treason on December 2nd. -
Pony Express
On April 3rd the Pony Express was founded between Sacromento, California and St. Joseph, Missouri. -
Abrham Lincoln's election
On November 6th Lincoln won the presidential election in a 4-waay race between Lincoln, Douglas, Breckinridge and Bell. Lincoln and Douglas were from the North and Breckinridge and Bell were from the South. Lincoln and Breckinridge were known to take extreme views on slavery. -
Confederacy
Due to Lincoln's election by Febuary 8th seven southern states had seceeded and set up the Confederate States of America with Jefferson Davis at the head. The Civil War began when Confederates captured Fort Sumter in early April. By May 11 states had seceded and Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers. Lincoln blockaded the Southern ports but the Confederates managed to repell the Union at the Battle of Bull Run. -
Civil War Continues
The Union forces were secessful in the west by captureing the port of New Orleans. Battles in the east were ineffective despite heavy casualties. The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest one-day battle of the war were each side lost 2,000 men. -
Civil War continues to continue
On January 1st President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in rebellious states. By July 4th the Union had full control over the Mississippi and won a major battle at Gettysburg. On November 19th Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address. On July 4th confederate forces surrender Vicksburg to Union forces by siege. President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. -
End of the Civil War
On April 9th General Robert E. Lee surrendered 27,800 confederate troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. Nine days later another confederate general surrendered and before long all the rebels surendered. On April 14th President Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre by famous actor John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln died the next day and Booth and four conspirators were hanged. -
13th amendment
The first of the reconstruction amendments which abolished slavery. The 13th amendment was ratified on December 6th 1865. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment provided citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the U.S. This amendment was ratified on July 9th 1868. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment was ratified on Febuary 9th 1870 and stated that voting rights could not be discriminated by race or color. Also the U.S. Weather Bureau was founded in 1870. -
Red Cross
Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross on May 21st. It is a volenteer led emergency assistance, and disaster relief group in the U.S. -
Garfield's Assassination
President James Garfield was shot in Washington D.C. by Charles J. Guiteau. He was shot on July 2nd and died September 19th that same year.
