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England makes peace with Spain
After the defeat of the Spanish Armada, King James of England made peace with Spain in 1604. This meant that English privateers could no longer profit from Spanish ships, forcing the English to look towards more permanent colonization efforts. -
Jamestown Established
Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World, was established in Virginia. Although the colony initially suffered many setbacks due to the poor soil on the peninsula, it would eventually grow valuable tobacco and pave the way for further English colonization. -
Mayflower Lands
In 1620, a puritan group onboard the Mayflower famously landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Despite early setbacks, this community proved to be more sustainable than Jamestown in part due to the family structure that the puritans brought. -
Charles I Excecuted
After the long and bloody English Civil War, King Charles I was executed, and a republic was established under Oliver Cromwell. This new government sought to exert greater control over American colonies, eventually increasing tensions to the point of an embargo on the colonies in 1650. -
New York ceded to England
After a series of English attacks, the Dutch colony of New Netherland, which was renamed to New York, was ceded to the British. Although the colony would be briefly recovered by the Dutch, the English would eventually regain it. -
Start of King Philip's War
King Philip's War began in Massachusetts after three Indian men were executed for the alleged killing of a local Christian Indian. After this execution, a local Indian leader named Metacom, also known as King Philip, began a bloody campaign against the English. This war would last 14 months and claim thousands of Native and English lives. The war would also permanently sour relations between the English and the Indians, leading to further conflict. -
Beginning of Bacon's Rebellion
In 1675, some Virginian colonists became dissatisfied with the local government's response to several Indian attacks. Eventually, a group of these colonists, led by a man named Nathaniel Bacon, overthrew the local government. The rebellion would eventually be put down, although some colonists did call for an independent Virginian republic during Bacon's rule, marking the first time there was a call for independence from Britain. -
The Glorious Revolution
Discontented with King James II's Catholic and pro-French policies, the English monarchy was once again overthrown. This revolution placed the Dutch Prince William and his English wife, Mary, on the throne. This revolution was met with support from the colonies, who had been tiring of James II's stricter colonial policies, and reaffirmed their belief in a protestant Britain.