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Period: 1492 to 1493
Christopher Columbus first voyage.
On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail from Spain to find an all- water route to Asia. On October 12, more than 2 months later, Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas that he called San Salvador, the natives called it Guanahani. -
Virginia becomes the first colony.
Virginia is founded under a patent for the London company and becomes the first British colony in North America. Jamestown, Virginia is the first permanent English settlement. -
Massachusetts is founded.
The king of England grants a charter to a group of Puritans to allow them to form a colony along the Massachusetts Bay. The Puritans form the colony of Massachusetts as a place to spread there Religion and extend the empire of Great Britten. -
New Hampshire is founded
New Hampshire is created as a fishing colony by captain John Mason. It is named for Hampshire county in England. -
Lord Baltimore founds the colony of Maryland
The first colonists from England to arrive on the western shore of Maryland call it ST Mary's, George Calvert, the first lord of Baltimore is acting under a royal charter to create a colony to serve as a refuge for Catholics. -
Puritans establish the colony of Connecticut.
Puritan minister Thomas Hooker and Governor John Haynes of the Massachusetts Bay Colony establish River Colony, later called Connecticut. Hooker lost support in Massachusetts for his belief in government being led by the consent of the people, not just God's will. -
Rhode Island is founded by Roger Williams.
After being kicked out Massachusetts for his belief in the separation of church and state, Roger Williams goes to live with the Narragansett Indians. He forms Providence, which will be the capital of Rhode Island. -
Delaware is founded by Peter Minuit and the New Sweden Company.
Peter Minuit of the Netherlands establishes a colony called New Sweden. Minuit later is forced to give up the colony when King Charles II takes control of the area called "New Netherlands" and tells him to give it to his brother James, the Duke of York. James renames New Sweden Delaware. -
A group of Virginians establishes Carolina.
Acting on a charter from King Charles II, eight noblemen from Virginia create a settlement south of Virginia. They call it Carolina, although it is divided into North Carolina and South Carolina when the crown takes control of the colony in 1729. -
Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret found New Jersey.
James, the Duke of York, gives land from New Netherland to his friends Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. They call the colony New Jersey and advertise it as a place of religious freedom. -
The Duke of York establishes New York.
With the Duke of York in control of the former Dutch trading post, he renames it New York. The city the Dutch called New Amsterdam becomes New York City.
