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The Founding of Jamestown
In 1607, Jamestown was founded by a joint-stock company called the Virginia Company in order to make a profit. -
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was a place of justice in Colonial America. -
The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was signed on board the Mayflower by the settlers in order to establish a system of justice. The document established the ruling of a majority on important issues. -
Dutch Settle New Amsterdam
The Dutch settled New Amsterdam but it was eventually conquered by the British and renamed New York. -
The Settlement of Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was settled by the Puritans and between 1630 and 1640 a great number of Puritans moved from England to New England. They were motivated by a desire to own land and have religious freedom. -
Settlement of Georgia
Georgia was settled for two reasons. The primary reason was to serve as a buffer region between Spanish Florida and the British Colonies. The secondary reason was to serve as a penal colony. -
Settlement of Rhode Island
Roger Williams founded Rhode Island because he wanted a place to put into motion a government in which church and state were separate. -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
First constitution in Colonial America. Established political system and allowed representative government. -
Maryland Act of Toleration
The Maryland Act of Toleration was created by Lord Baltimore and allowed the practice of all Christian denominations. -
The Halfway Covenant
The Halfway Covenant essentially allowed children to become partial members of the congregational church. This was passed to attempt to increase the number of church members. -
Carolina Founded
The Carolina Colony was primarily settled for economic purposes. The Carolina Colony would not split into North Carolina and South Carolina until 1712. -
King Philip's War
King Philip, also called Metacom, was a Native American leader who made war on the settlers due to land infringement. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon rose up against Governor Berkeley. Aided by a group of followers, Bacon protested against the governor and burned Jamestown. This action would start the shift from indentured servitude to slavery. In order to prevent another uprising of indentured slavery, the wealthy aristocrats began to favor the use of slaves. -
Settlement of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania was founded as a haven for Puritans and primarily focused on the production of staple crops. Pennsylvania was religiously and ethically diverse. -
The Dominion of New England
The Dominion of New England was created by the British and was enforced by Edmund Andros until 1689. This system limited freedom and was not well-received by the colonists. -
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Salutary Neglect
The system of salutary neglect was one that was based around the idea that enforcing the Navigation Acts was an economically poor choice. This resulted in a great deal of smuggling in the New World as many traders disregarded the Navigation Acts. -
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The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was a time of religious revival in both Europe and America. It was characterized by a new perspective on religion and an increase in Protestantism. Key figures included George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards and Samuel Davies. -
Molasses Act
Put economic limits of the trade of molasses. Was not followed by colonists, nor was it enforced by the British. -
Stono Rebellion
The Stono Rebellion was a slave uprising that ultimately failed and resulted in harsher slave regulation. -
Albany Congress
Because of increasing conflicts with Native Americans, the Albany Congress proposed a unified government in order to defend themselves more effectively. However, though Benjamin Franklin's idea received some support, it was generally rejected.