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The "Lost Colony' of Roanoke was founded off the coast of North Carolina. It was sponsered by Sir Walter Raleigh, and said to have vanished, settlers and all, in 1590.
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The Jamestown colony, founded by Captain John Smith, was established 1607 on the Virginia coast. It became the first permanent English settlement in the New World. The 105 cavaliers that traveled to Jamestown were in search of wealth and gold.
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The House of Burgesses was elected on July 30, 1619 in Jamestown, Virginia. It is known to be the first representative assembly in the New World.
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The Mayflower Compact was written by Pilgrims, who had fled England to escape religious persecution. They had landed their boat, The Mayflower, near present-day Cape Cod, and established their colony in Plymouth, Virginia. The Mayflower compact was written and signed by the men on the Mayflower to establish a form of self government. This was the first document written in the colonies that established the ideas of self government and majority rule.
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Providence, Rhode Island is founded by Roger Williams in June of 1636. It became a democratically ruled colony with seperation of state and church.
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On December 1, 1660 the first Navigation act was passed by British Parliament. To suit English needs, this act regulated commerce in the colonies.
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Nathaniel Bacon along with 23 follower s rebelled against Sir William Berkeley, a British Governer, in September of 1676. The rebellion collapsed shortly after Bacon's death; all rebels were excuted. This rebellion resulted in the burning down of Jamestown, Virginia.
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On this date in 1683, The Delaware Indians and WIlliam Penn signed a treaty in order to purchase land for the new state of Pennsylvania.
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In 1683, the first settlers from Germany colonized near Philadelphia.
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In 1692, 20 accused witches were executed by special court in Salem, Massachusetts. This event is known as the "Witchcraft delusion at Salem."
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in 1732, the first Poor Richard's Almanack was published by Benjamin Franklin. This almanack was annually published until 1757.
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Georgia, the last of the 13 colonies, was charted.
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On this date in history, John Peter Zenger was found unguilty and his charges were cleared after criticizing the British Governer's conduct in office. Freedom of Speech was promoted through this trial.
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Jonathan Edwards delivers his famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Edwards became a major figure in the colonies' spiritual uprising known as the "Great Awakening."
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The French and Indian War began when the French occupied Fort Duquesne, and ended with the Peace pact that was signed on February 10. 1763. The result of this war was the French lose of Canada and the Midwest.
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In order to pay off war debt, British parliament established the Sugar Act. This act placed taxes on lumber, foodstuffs, molasses, and rum in the colonies.
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The Stamp Act placed on the colonies in 1765 required revenue stamps to be placed on many colonial goods in order to fund royal troops. This act was sson repealed in 1766 due to the colonies "Declaration of Rights."
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The Quatering Act required all colonists to house British troops.
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The Townshend acts originally levied taxes on paper, lead, glass and tea. But in 1770, all the taxes besides on tea were repealed.
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During the Boston Tea Party, many rebellious colonists climbed aboard East India Company tea ships dressed and Native Americans. These men threw the ships cargo overboard in order to protest British Parliament's tea act.
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The Intolerable Acts barred use of the Boston Harbor until the tea thrown overboard could be paid for.
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On September 5, 1774, the colonies held their First Continental Congress in Philedelphia. This congress lasted through October 26 and called for civil disobedience again British rule.
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Bunker Hill was a fort set in Charlestown, MA in which the Patriots occupied during the Revolutionary War. Under General WIlliam Howe's control, the Patriots forced British troops out twice before retreating on June 17.
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On this date in 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes took "The Midnight Ride" to alert the Patriots of British troops on their way to Concord.
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On this date in 1776, Common Sense by Thomas Paine became published. This phamplet explained the need for American Independence from Britain and sold over 100,000 copies in the colonies.
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On July 4, 1776, the members of the Continental Congress approved and signed the Declaration of Independence. This document listed grievances of the colonies to King George III.
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The Articles of Confederation, the first written form of government for the new nation, were adopted on November 1, 1777. This document took effect on March 1, 1781.
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On September 23, 1779, John Paul Jones defeated the Serapis on the Bonhamme Richard in British North Sea waters.
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General Cornwallis of the British Troops surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. This was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.
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On this date in history, Britain and the U.S. signed the Treaty of Paris 1783, ending the Revolutionary War. This treaty recognized American Independence from Britain.
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Shay's Rebellion took plae in Massachusetts, where debt-ridden and angered farmers rebelled against government officials.
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Federalist papers begin to develop in the New York Independent Journal that encouraged and supported the ratification on the Constitution.
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On May 25, 1787, the Constitutional Convention opened in Philadelphia with Washington presiding. On September 17, The Constitution was accepted by delegates along with ratification from Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
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The Northwest Ordinance established how the Northwest Territory was to be governed, and set the orderly pattern of growth for the United States.
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George Washington voted as President, John Adams voted as Vice President. The Constitution was put into effect by the First Congress in New York City on March 4.
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The First U.S. State Department was established by Congress; inclided Thomas Jefferson, Henry Knox, and Alexander Hamilton.
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On September 24, 1789, The Federal Judiciary Act created the Supreme Court. The first Supreme Court chief justice was John Jay.
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The Bill of Rights is put into effect.
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After his second inauration, President George Washington declares the U.S. neutral in the war between Britain and France. This put the United States in an awkward position because of their strong relationships with both countries.
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The Cotton Gin, invented by Eli Whitney, is patented. This invention increased the need for slavery in the South.
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The Whiskey Rebellion consisted of angered Pennsylvania farmers protesting against the liquor tax of 1791.
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Washingoton's farewell address set a precedent for future leaders of America. This speech given by Washington also warned against foreign alliances.
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The Alien and Sedition Acts were set by Federalists in order to silence political opposition.
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Thomas Jefferson was elected president after recieving the same number of votes as Aaron Burr in the 1800 Election. He gained presidency by winning over the House vote. Burr became Vice President.
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Marbury v. Madison was a Supreme Court case in 1803 in which the Supreme Court ruled that it had the power to abolish laws by declaring them unconstitutional. This case established Judicial Review.
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The Louisiana Purchase is the act in which Thomas Jefferson purchased land from Napoleon for $11,250,00. This land nearly doubled the size of the United States.
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The Lewis and Clark Expedition was ordered by Thomas Jefferson in order to explore the land recieved from the Louisiana Purchase. The expedition ended September 23, 1806.
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Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton on July 11 in a duel.
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Robert Fulton makes the first practical steamboat trip. The invention of the Steamboat increased transportation in the U.S.
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The Embargo Act eliminated all trade with Foreign countries and forbid ships to sail to foreign ports.
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Congress declared war on Britain after the seizing of U.S. trading ships, the capture of U.S. sailors, and Indian Raids set up by the British.
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Oliver H. Perry defeated a Britsh fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie.
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The Battle of Lake Champlain resulted in a U.S. Naval Victory and the Peace Treaty of Ghent signed with Great Britain on December 24.
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Francis Scott Key writes the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner," due to the American Flag still waving after an attack from a British fleet.
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Florida is ceded from Spain into the U.S.
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The Monroe Doctrine is enunciated by President James Monroe which opposed European intervention in the Americas.
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The Famous Webster-Hayne Debate was mainly on states' rights to nullify federal law. This debate was between Daniel Webster of Massechusetts and Robert Hayne of South Carolina.
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The Indian Removal Act signed by President Jackson called for all Native Americans to be relocated to Indian Territories.
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Nat Turner was a black slave in Virginia who led a local slave rebellion; killing 57 unarmed whites. Turner was captured, tried, and hung for his actions on November 11.
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The Trail of Tears was the forced walk of the Cherokee Indians to relocate to Indian Territory. This trail was a very sorrowful time for the Indians with many lives lost.
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The first message sent on a Telegraph Line was from Inventor Samuel B. Morse from Washington to Baltimore.
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Gold discovered January 24 in California; 80,000 prospectors emigrated in 1849.
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The Compromise of 1850 admitted California into the Union as a free state.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes "Uncle Tom's Cabin." This book expressed the cruelity of slavery and sold thousands of copies.
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The Republican Party was fored on February 28, 1854.
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The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed for the settlers in this region to vote on whether slavery was to be legal or not.
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The outcome of the Dred Scott v. Sanford case resulted in the Supreme Court declaring that slaves did not become free in a free state and blacks could not be citizens.
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Abolitionist John Brown seized the U.S. armory at Harper's Ferry along with 21 other men in order to inspire slaves to fight for their freedom. Brown was hanged for his actions, becoming known as a terrorist to the South and a matyr to the North.
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Abraham Lincoln elected the 16th President of the United States in a four way race.
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The Civil War began at the Battle of Fort Sumter, where Confederates fired on and captured the fort.
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After the election of Lincoln into office, seven southern states seceded from the Union, setting up the Confederate States of America. These states elected Jefferson Davis as president.
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The Battle of Bull Run consisted of Confederate soldiers repelling Union forces.
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The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest battle of the war.
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The Emancipation Proclamation, announced by President Lincoln, freed al slaves still in area of rebellion. This proclamation had little effect on "rebellious" areas considering there were not many Union forces to put this act into action.
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The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the war. The battle gave the Union the entire Mississippi River and a major victory. Abraham Lincoln later on gave his famous "Gettysburg Address" on November 19.
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The Battle of Vicksburg resulted in a Union Victory and split the Confederacy into two.
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General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse.
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President Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by John Wilkes Both on April 14 at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. Booth was chased and killed, as well as his conspirators hanged.
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The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
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The 14th Amendment gave citizizenship to all perons born in the United States.
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The 15th Amendment gave all men, no matter the color of their skin, the right to vote in the United States.
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Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross.
