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The Settling of Jamestown
Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in the New World, was settled by the Englishmen aboard the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery in 1607. Jamestown was built on a previously uninhabited peninsula, easily defendable but avoided by indigenous peoples due to the uninhabitable land and lack of good resources. It survived only because of the Powhatans help in finding food and warmth in the winter, and later was saved by the rise of tobacco popularity. -
House of Burgesses Established
The House of Burgesses was established by the Virginia Company. It was the first representative body made up of English landowners in Jamestown. They made laws and granted supplies to the colonists. -
First Slaves Brought to Jamestown
The first slaves brought to Jamestown were Angolans kidnapped by the Portuguese and bought by the English colonists. This was the beginning of slavery in North America. -
Arrival of Pilgrims in New England
The Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower after a 66 day voyage, searching for a place to build home that would allow them religious freedom. They landed in Plymouth harbor, where only 52 of them survived after their first year. -
Jamestown Massacre
The Powhattan Indians massacred the settlers of Jamestown, killing 347 men, women, and children in an attempt to stop the settlers expansion in Virginia. This attack laid the groundwork for a centuries long fight between the settlers and the Native Americans. -
Massachusetts Bay Colony Founded
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was established by the Massachusetts Bay Company. It was made up of puritans who desired to create a colony based on God's laws. It was governed by John Winthrop and was self governed rather than governed by England. -
Implementation of the Halfway Covenant
The Puritan church allowed the children of members to become half members in order to baptize their children into the church without committing to Puritanism. This helped make the church seem more open to the public and kept them from seeming overly pious, a point which helped draw others to them. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion is one of the first armed rebellion against Britain's government; the result of oppressive legislation, tax policies, restrictive voting and representation rights. The rebellion ultimately deteriorated due to Bacon's death a month after the start of the rebellion, however before his death Bacon and his militia captured Jamestown and destroyed it. Bacon's reasons were similar to those that caused the American Revolution, simply years before. -
The Salem Witch Trials
On March 1st, investigated Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne in an attempt to find out if they were practicing witchcraft. This began the Salem Witch Trials, a series of trials and killings of those who were suspected of witchcraft, guilty or not. The Salem Witch Trials resulted in the execution of twenty people and bitterness and tension between settlers due to the unfair murders. -
Invention of the Steam Pump
Thomas Savery, an English inventor, patented the first steam pump, which made it possible to drain mines and keep pits from flooding. His design was improved upon by other inventors in order invent the steam engine.