-
Port Royal is Established
Port Royal was established in modern day Nova Scotia. It would allow the french to launch greater expeditions, both for trading and in search of the Northwest Passage. -
Jamestown is founded
Jamestown was founded by the English Virginia company. Despite a poor location and a high mortality rate among settlers, it would survive for over 100 years. -
The Founding of Quebec
Founded under the leadership of Samuel de Champlain, Quebec would go on the become a major city that survives to this day. -
Santa Fe Is founded
Santa Fe was founded by the Spanish, and it would go on to become the first permanent European settlement in the Southwest -
The First Tobacco crop is grown in Jamestown.
As the years rolled by, Jamestown was struggling to survive. It seemed that they just couldn't get their feet under them. That changed when Tobacco arrived. Tobacco became wildly popular in England, and where there is popularity, there is quick money to be made. Investors sent more people and supplies to support the growth, processing, and distribution of tobacco -
The House of Burgesses and the First Slaves Arrive at Jamestown
The House of Burgesses was a meeting of elected representatives who made decisions on the behalf of the people of Jamestown. This was the first form of the freedoms we fully enjoy today. The house met for the first time in 1619. In the same year, the first slaves arrived in Jamestown. -
Plymouth is founded
The Puritans left England to establish their own society based on their beliefs. They sailed for two months before arriving at the New World. Before they left the ship, they wrote an agreement about the form their government would take, the Mayflower compact. -
Opechancanough's massacre
After the death of his brother Powhatan, Opechancanough took power and vowed to drive the english out of their settlement. He killed over 350 Englishmen in a single day. The English responded with their own massacres. This gave the English an excuse to drive the Natives from their land. -
New Amsterdam is founded
In 1609 the Dutch commissioned Henry Hudson to find the Northwest Passage. Even though he couldn't find the mythical waterway, he established New Amsterdam. The settlement would later be taken by the English and called New York. -
Maryland is established
King Charles I set aside 12 million acres of land to found a new colony called Maryland. He granted it to his friend Cecilius Calvert, who wanted to make it into a haven for Catholics and Protestants. -
Puritans Massacre the Pequots
A group of Puritans called "the Sword of the Lord" marched into Pequot territory and killed hundreds of Pequots. This gave the English colonies much more stability and changed the power dynamic between native tribes. -
The English take control of New Amsterdam
The Dutch Colony of New Amsterdam was relatively small, which left it open to English Attack. The English took the city and renamed it New York. -
Period: to
King Phillip's war
As English power expanded in North America, relations with native tribes continued to decline. The neighboring Indian tribes were upset because they were losing power. In one final attempt to reclaim power several tribes combined under the leadership of Metacom or, as the English knew him, King Phillip. The natives put up a good fight, but in the end, they lost. This would permanently alter the power dynamic in the area, while English territories expanded native power dwindled. -
Bacon's Rebellion
As tensions between colonists and natives continued to rise, one group of colonists took matters into their own hands. Frustrated by the defensive policies of the Virginian leaders, Nathanial Bacon took up arms and lead many other settlers in conflict with the natives of the area. He would later force the Governor of Virginia, William Berkley, to name him the General of Virginia. -
Period: to
Salam Witch Trials
A series of trials where women were accused of witchcraft. In all, about 20 people were executed in the end. -
the Cotton Gin is invented
Eli Whitney's invention would change the landscape of the South and the process of slavery forever.
