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First Settlers Arrive in Jamestown
In 1607, 104 Englishmen arrived in Virginia and named their new settlement Jamestown, which is now considered the first successful English settlement in America -
Santa Fe Colony is Founded by the Spanish
The first purely Spanish settlement is founded and Santa Fe is considered the third oldest city founded by European colonizers., -
First Anglo-Powhatan War Begins
The first war between the Jamestown settlers and an alliance of Algonquian-speaking Natives. These battles are not considered extremely large by historians standards but the violence of the English settlers makes them distinct to most Native historians. Two more Anglo-Powhatan Wars happened after the "peace" in 1613 (1622, 1644) -
Thomas Hunt kidnaps Squanto
Thomas Hunt, an English explorer, kidnapped Squanto and 23 other Natives from the Northern area of the US. He sold Squanto into slavery in Spain, where Squanto learned English and other skills. Squanto later escaped captivity. -
First Slaves are traded in Virginia
Though the Dutch had been trading slaves across the Atlantic for years, the early English colonies were absent of them. The first slaves were traded in Jamestown. -
Pilgrims arrive at Plymouth Rock
The Mayflower landed on Plymouth Rock and the colonists began to build their town. -
Massachusetts Bay Colony is Founded
Around 1928-1930, John Winthrop led a group of around 1,000 Puritans to New England to escape persecution. -
Harvard College is Founded
Harvard College was founded through vote by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and though it originally had no students, buildings, or education structure, it grew into one of the most prestigious universities in the world. -
Maryland colony passes Toleration Act
The Maryland Colony passed this act to ensure religious tolerance for Trinitarian Christians who wished to live in Maryland. Though the act was later repealed, it demonstrated the beginnings of religious tolerance in North American colonists -
The first Anglo-Dutch War begins
These wars were fought between England and the Dutch Republic, but involved overseas colonies and trade. Since they were a series of conflicts, they technically lasted until 1674 -
Hudson Bay Company is founded
King Charles the Second issued "The Governor and Company of Adventurers of England, trading into Hudson's Bay" -
Salem Witch Trials begin
This was a series of prosecutions of accused "witches" in Salem, Massachusetts. It demonstrated mob mentality and religious fervor.