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Oct 1, 1000
Norse Voyagers Discover and Briefly Settle North America
Norse voyagers established permanent colonies in Greenland, but there were few or no large settlements in North America. -
Period: Aug 15, 1096 to Apr 26, 1272
Christian Crusades
These religious wars in Europe and the Middle East sparked European curiousity and started a flame for exploration. -
Oct 1, 1295
Marco Polo Returns To Europe
Marco Polo's stories about the riches of Eastern Lands further sparked the exploratory flame, and led to many different European explorers trying to find a water route to China and India. -
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Lands in the Americas
Columbus, an Italian explorer funded by Spain, set out across the Atlantic in an attempt to find a water route to India. Instead he found North and South America, although he never learned that he hadn't reached India. -
Oct 1, 1498
Da Gama Reaches India
Vasco Da Gama became the first European to reach India by sea in 1498, by sailing around Africa. -
Aug 13, 1521
Hernan Cortez Takes Over the Aztec Empire
Cortez Invaded Mexico from the east, fighting several battles with natives before capturing the capital of the Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan. -
Oct 1, 1534
Cartier Travels Up The St. Lawrence River
While searching for the Northwest Passage, a nonexistent sea route through America, French explorer Jacques Cartier traveled up the St. Lawrence River, discovering an important waterway into the vast regions of Canada. -
Oct 1, 1580
Sir Francis Drake Circumnavigates The World
In 1580, Sir Francis Drake completed his circumnavigation of the Earth, becoming the first Englishman to do so. -
Company Lands at Jamestown
In 1606, a joint-stock company, known as the Virginia Company of London, received a charter from King James I of England for a settlement in the New World. The company landed in Jamestown on May 24, 1607. -
John Smith Takes Over In Jamestown
In 1608, Captain John Smith took over the failing Jamestown colony, enforcing some mush needed discipline among the colonists. -
Quebec is Established
Quebec became the first colony established by the French in the New World, and it still exists today -
SIgning Of The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact is the first governing document in the New World, signed by the men onboard the ship. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Farmers frustrated with lack of action from Virginia Governer WIlliam Berkeley against the natives took matters into their own hands and murderously attacked Indian tribes and chased Berkeley out of Jamestown. -
William Penn Founds Pennsylvania
A group of dissenters, commonly known as Quakers, arose in England in the mid-1600s. Officially, they were known as the Religious Society of Friends. Quakers were especially offensive to the authorities, both religious and civil. They refused to support the Church of England with taxes. William Penn was attracted to the Quaker faith in 1660. In 1681, he managed to secure from King Charles II an immense grant of fertile land, in consideration of a monetary debt owed to his deceased father by -
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7 Years War
War Between British and French in North America form 1756 to 1763, with Indians fighting on both sides. English won, but the huge war debt led to additional taxation of the colonies. -
Proclamation Act of 1763
Prohibited settlement west of Appalachia. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists in defiance of the tea act boarded a ship dressed as Natives and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the harbor. -
Stamp Act of 1765
Taxed the colonists by forcing them to pay for a stamp for almost any paper good. -
First California Mission is founded at San Diego
The first of many Spanish churches, or missions, founded in California. -
Boston massacre
On March 5, 1770, a crowd of 60 townspeople attacked 10 redcoats and the redcoats opened fired on the civilians, killing/wounding 11 of them. -
Intolerable Acts
Acts passed by Britian to retaliate for the Boston Tea Party and other incidents. Led to the First Continental Congress. -
Olive Branch Petition
An attempt by the colonies to avoid a full war with Britian. It was rejected. -
Signing Of Declaration of Independence
Declared the independence of the colonies from Britian. -
Washington Crosses The Delaware
Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware river on Christmas day, catching the sleeping Hessians completely unawares. -
The Articles of Confederation are Ratified
The Articles of Confederation, our nations first plan of government, is officially adopted. -
Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown
General Cornwallis, surrounded by American troops and French ships, surrenders. The Americans win the Revolution. -
Treaty Of Paris
The Treaty of Paris between the British and the Americans is signed, confirming America's Independence. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
Divided some of the land west of the Appalachians into states. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Showed the world that the land west of the Appalachians would be settled, and would eventually become a part of America. -
The Constitution is Ratified
The Constitution, which still is in effect today, replaced the old, weak Articles of Confederation.
