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New Mexico & Arizona
Spanish colonists arrived after Native Americans settled in this region for 700 years. Santa Fe was established in 1610. -
Jamestown Settlement
The Jamestown Settlement is founded by the Virginia Company. It was led by Captain John Smith (who was once a slave for the Ottoman Empire). While Jamestown was boosted by tobacco, it suffered due to dysentery and malaria, gentlemen who would not work, and conflict with natives. Jamestown used the headright system, in which settlers were granted a plot of land (often 50 acres) for immigrating to the 13 colonies in an attempt to encourage colonization and provide labor. -
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson sails up the river known later as the Hudson River. Though Hudson was English, he was hired by the Dutch (Netherlands) and established Dutch claims to New Amsterdam. The Dutch West India Company controlled the region for economic purposes. While the Dutch were few in number and focused on trade like the French, they were less likely than the French to intermarry with Native Americans or settle inland. -
The First Recorded Africans in America
The first Africans to arrive in the colonies arrived in 1619 as indentured servants, not slaves. However, this soon changed as slave laws were passed to ensure slavery for life as well as the next generation. Though ancient slavery was seldom racial, this was. Slavery became an instrumental part of colonial society. Without it and the slave trade, the colonies would not have grown so quickly. Despite this, enslaved Africans tried to maintain family ties and elements of African religions. -
House of Burgesses
Virginia creates the legislative House of Burgesses. Similarly, the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact in 1620, pledging to make majority decisions. -
Mayflower Departs
The Mayflower, composed of 50% Separatists (Pilgrims) from the Anglican Church of England, which had officially separated from the Roman Catholic Church, but had not departed from most of its rituals or structure. The journey lasted 65 days and was led by Captain Miles Standish and Governor William Bradford. -
Virginia Colony Becomes a Royal Colony
King James I turned Virginia into a royal colony by revoking the royal charter granted to the failing Virginia Company. As a royal colony, it was operated directly by the English government, though Virginia did not lose its right to rule itself. The other types of colonies in North America were corporate colonies (those operated by joint-stock companies) and proprietary colonies (under individuals granted charters by the king). -
Massachusetts Bay Colony
More moderate dissenters from the Anglican church, known as Puritans, sought refuge from persecution in Massachusetts. They founded Boston. -
Maryland
Maryland was split from Virginia by King Charles I, who made it a proprietary colony (one under an individual(s) granted a charter by the king). The first leader was George Calvert, whose son Cecil took it over later. Both were known as Lord Baltimore. Maryland served as a haven for Catholics in a land filled with Protestants. -
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New England Confederation
Democratic military alliance that united Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and New Haven. It was led by a board with two representatives per colony. Though it fell due to colonial rivalries and English control, it was notable as a first step towards the colonial unity that would eventually ensure independence. -
Rhode Island
Roger Williams, a Puritan minister who was in conflict with others, began the Rhode Island colony by uniting Providence (founded by him in 1636) and Portsmouth (founded by Anne Hutchinson in 1938), allowing religious freedom for all Christians, Jews, and Quakers. This made it a refuge for many. Additionally, Williams recognized the rights of Native Americans. -
Act of Toleration
Granted religious freedom to all Christians, but called for the death of anyone who would deny the divinity of Jesus. In the late 17th century, protestants revolted and won a civil war against the Catholics. They repealed the Act of Toleration and revoked the right of Catholics to vote in assembly elections. -
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Acts of Navigation
Various Acts of Navigation were passed by England to hinder colonial trade. Under the main version, only English or colonial ships and crew could trade between the two, almost all colonial imports had to pass through England, and some goods could only be exported to England. Any economic benefits from this system were likely offset by damage to colonial relations with Great Britain. Notable themes underlying the acts include mercantilism (more exports than imports) and salutary neglect. -
New York
NY is granted by Charles II to his brother James, the Duke of York. James took control from the Dutch but treated Dutch settlers well. He ordered taxation without representation but yielded in 1683. -
New Jersey
Split from NY in 1664 and given to Lord John Berkely and Sir George Carteret. Though it split into West NJ and East NJ in 1674, the two reunited in 1702 largely due to confusion. -
Connecticut
Unhappy with MA authorities, Thomas Hooker founds Hartford in 1636. John Davenport starts New Haven in 1637. The first written constitution in American history, the Fundamentalist Orders of Connecticut, is drafted. Connecticut had limited self-government. -
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Metacom's War (King Philip's War)
The Wampanoag and other tribes fought English settlers (partially helped by the NE Confederation), the Mohegans, the Pequot, and some other tribes. The colonists and their Native American allies won, killing Metacom (also known by his English name King Philip) of the Wampanoag and stifling Native American resistance to the colonists. -
Bacon's Rebellion (Chesapeake Revolution)
Governor William Berkeley of Virginia failed to protect small farmers from Native American attacks. A small volunteer army gathered by Nathaniel Bacon, a colonial planter, attacked multiple Native American villages (some of which were friendly with the Virginia government. Accused of rebellion, Bacon defeated Berkeley's forces and burned Jamestown. Though the rebellion fell after Bacon's death, it showcased a class wealth gap and the first popular rebellion in the colonies. -
New Hampshire
New Hampshire separates from the MA Bay colony. It is a royal colony. The Halfway Covenant is used, which allowed people to be church members even without a documented conversion. Strict Puritan practices weakened over time. -
Pueblo Revolt
Due to Spain's encomienda system (in which Native Americans were granted to Spanish settlers for labor as long as the Spanish cared for them) and harsh efforts to convert Native Americans, Pueblo tribes (such as the Hopi and Zuni) united and drove out Spain until 1692. Though Spain eventually regained control, they were much more accommodating to the Native Americans. They found greater stability this way. -
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Frame of Government
Written by the Pennsylvania colony, creating a representative assembly elected by landowners. -
James II becomes King of England
James II united NY, NJ, and other NE colonies into the Dominion of New England under Sir Edmund Andros. Andros was quickly unpopular; he levied taxes and limited democracy. The Glorious Revolution ended James II's reign and the Dominion of New England. -
Glorious Revolution
Events in England replaced James II with William & Mary (James' daughter). Both new monarchs were Protestants, like most of the people in England. After this, the monarch would never hold absolute power again. More importantly to American history, this change ended the Dominion of New England. However, trade issues continued to divide England and its colonies. -
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The Enlightenment
This European movement in literature and philosophy promoted reason as the solution to humanity's problems. John Locke was an English Enlightenment philosopher who wrote the Two Treatises of Government and argued for natural rights (those endowed to all people), popular sovereignty (ultimate authority in the hands of the people), and the social contract (people can revoke power from an abusive government). Locke provided much rationale for the American Revolution and U.S. Constitution. -
Charter of Liberties
Written constitution for the Pennsylvania colony that notably allowed religious freedom. -
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Colonial Populations Skyrocket
Due to immigration and a high birthrate, colonial populations skyrocket. -
Delaware
Split from Pennsylvania by William Penn and given its own assembly, though they had the same governor. -
North and South Carolina
Form in 1729. Originally, the two colonies were given to 8 proprietors for helping Charles II gain the throne after the death of Oliver Cromwell, who had taken it after the death of Charles I at the height of the English Civil War. -
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The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening and its leaders sweep the colonies, emphasizing total depravity and portraying an angry God. Prominent leaders included Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield. The impact of this was massive. Denominations split, ministers lost authority as people learned to discover God on their own, Puritans and Anglicans were challenged, and calls began for stricter separation of church and states. Most importantly, it united and democratized the colonies as they sought autonomy. -
Georgia
Georgia is created to protect SC from Spanish Florida and provide a place for imprisoned debtors in England. Until it became a royal colony (one led directly by the government of England) in 1752, it was led by James Oglethorpe, who imposed strict regulations. -
The Zenger Case
The Zenger Case begins. It was a crime to criticize the governor when published John Peter Zenger was tried for libel for doing so. His lawyer, Andrew Hamilton, argued that Zenger printed the truth. In an important freedom of the press case, the jury acquitted Zenger, encouraging the press to criticize and serve as a watchdog of the government. -
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Lawyers & Colonial Rights
Lawyers became prominent in the colonies in the 18th century. They gained respect and argued for colonial rights leading up to the American Revolution. Prominent American lawyers included John Adams, James Otis, Patrick Henry, and James Madison. -
Newspapers
More than 40 colonial newspapers exist in 1776. The Freedom of the Press is ensured later in the First Amendment.