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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus' landing in the New World
Columbus lands in the New World with his soldiers thinking it is India. He plants the Spanish flag and a flag representing Christianity in the name of God. -
Nov 13, 1500
The Spanish Empire
Hernan Cortez and Fransisco Pizzaro, are one of the most accomplished Spanish conquistadors to have to claimed in the American. Their main mission was to find gold for their country and to make it very wealthy. Somehow, during all this, they had managed to bring diseases with their soldiers , and put an end to many civilizations. -
Nov 25, 1513
In Search of the Fountain of Youth
Juan Ponce de leon landed on a sunny peninsula in North American in April 1513. He was in search of a fountain of youth, which was rumored to make old people young again, by the Indians. Because he had sighted this peninsula on Easter Sunday, he called it La Florida. He returned to Florida 8 years later with 200 men to establish a settlement. Native Americans in this area used poison arrows to drive off invaders. Instead of finding the fountain, he died of a poison arrow to the stomack -
Nov 13, 1534
New France
Jacques Cartier set to explore the Atlantic coastline of North American to find the Northwest passage through the North American continent to the Pacific Ocean. He failed to find the passage but had managed to claim land for Franca, we now known as Canada. -
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
In 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh sent a group of colonists to Roanoke. They had arrived too late in the season to plans crops, so John White sailed back to England to bring supplies. Fighting broke out betwen England and Spain as a result of which, his return to Roanoke was delayed by three years. When he finally went back, all the colonists on the island had vanished. They left the word CROATOAN carved on a doorpost. Still, nobody has any idea as to what happened to the colony or what the word means -
Jamestown; The First English Colony
A group of merchants formed the London Company in order to being a money-making colony in Virginia. The colonists settles on a swampy peninsula once they had reached Virginia, because they believed it would be easier to defend themselves from any Native Americans. They called it Jamestown. -
New Netherland
In 1609, Henry Hudson discovered a deep river full of fish and though it would take him across the continent. It did not, but he claimed the land along its back for the Netherlands. The first colonists settled along the, what Henry Hudson call the Hudson Bay, where they built Fort Orange, now known as Albany, New York. They soon found out that good profits could be made from fur trading and so they established trading posts along the Hudson. -
The Starving Time; Jamestown
IN 1609, after the being injured in a gunpowder explosion, John Smith returned to England, The winter that Jamestown faced next, was one of the worst that they had ever seen - so - it was called 'The Starving Time.' Indians soon refused to trade with them and the food the settlers had brought with them began finishing. The English had to survive on rats, dogs and even reached as low as human corpses without food. By Spring, only 60 of 500 people who had settled with John Smith remained alive. -
Journey to the First Thanksgiving (1620 & 1621)
A group of about 50 separtists set sail to American to build a perfect society in which they can practice religion freely. After a long and uncomfortable journey, they landed in Plymouth, near Cape Cod. They were greeted by a bunch of friendly Native Americans who helped them survive their first winter. A year later, in 1621, the Pilgrims invited the Natives to a three-day feast of Thanksgiving. That was the first thanksgiving. -
The Proclamation of 1763
After the Indian and French war, the British government had trouble keeping the colonists and Native Americans from killing each other as settlers pushed westward, so King George III drew a line down the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. He told the settlers to stay on the east of the line and the Indians to stay west. This was ordered in his Proclamation. The Americans thought of him as a person who used his power in the government in an unjust way and called him a tyrant. -
The Stamp Act
In order to pay off the debt left off from the French and Indian War, the British government decided to pass out a new law/act that required all the colonists to buy a stamp for every piece of paper they used. -
The Quartering Act
The anger over the Stamp Act began dying down so another law was passed for the Americans requiring all colonists to give shelter to the soldiers who were protecting them and providing them with candles, food, fire, bedding cooking utensils, salt, vinegar and beer/cider. Seeing how this cost a lot of money, New Kersey protested against this law and said that this was just another act to lay taxes on the Americans, just like the Stamp Act -
The Townshend Act
Charles Townshend, another Brtish Leader, persuaded the British Parliament to pass another law, called the Townshend Law, which required every colonist to pay duty/tax on certains goods that the colonies would import from Britian. Some of these goods uncluded, glass, paint, paper and tea. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was passed when Lord North was trying to save the British East India Company from sinking, which was sinking because of the American boycott on British goods. In 1773, the company was in danger of going broke, so the Tea Act lowered the cost of British Tea resulting in it costing less than smuggled Dutch Tea, but this tea was still being taxed. Lord North thought he had tricked the Americans into buying this tea, but the colonists turned out to be smarter than he thought. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were passed to punish the colonists in Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. The first law required the Boston Harbor to be closed until the ruined tea was paid for. The second law forced the government of Massachusetts to be under the rule of the British Government and the third law stated that the soldiers who were accused of murder would be tried in Britain, not in any of the colonies. British troops were sent to Boston to enforce the new laws. -
Lexington and Concord
Lexington and Concord was the first battle of the fight that turned into a seven year long one, that took place between the colonists and Britain -
The Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. Here they decided that Geroge Washington was to lead the New England Army with troops from every colony. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
Israel Putnam and a few hundred of his men went up Breed's Hill and dug for four hours to build a fort on top of the hill. 2000 redcoated troops formed two lines at the base of Breed's hill and marched up the slope at General William Howe's order. When the British were on top, the militiamen pulled their trigger. British regrouped and attacked again. Americans stopped them once more but the third time Americans were out of gunpowder and the British took the hill. The battle was short but bloody -
The Olive Branch Petition
Congress sent King George III a petition asking for peace. This petition was called an “olive branch,” by John Adams because olive tree branches symbolized peace in the ancient times. -
The Siege of Boston (The British Abandon Boston)
The British soldiers woke up to the ridges of Dorchester Heights bristled with cannons that were aimed towards the city. General Howe, not wanting to another bloodbath, abandoned the city and within days of his leaving, more than a hundred ships left Boston Harbor and moved to Canada. There 9000 British troops and 1100 loyalists on the ships. -
The Battle for New York
The inexperienced Americans were no challenge for the well trained British. The British were greater in number and lost only 377 men whilst the Americans didn't have many people and lost 1407 men. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Continental Congress appointed a committee to write a declaration for independence. This job was given to Thomas Jefferson. His job was to explain to the world why the colonies wanted to separate from Britain. He pointed out that the King was unfit to be a ruler. He concluded the declaration by saying - “These United Colonies are and of right ought to be, free and independent states.” -
Trenton
The Americans used small boats acroos the Delaware River to get across to Trenton, during which George Washington gave his men a password for the long night march ahead: 'Victory or Death.' When they reached, they found the Hessians sleeping off their Christman feasts. The mercenaries surrendered because they were caught off guard and Washington took 868 prisoners bcak to New Jersey. A week later, the Americans captured 300 other British toops in New Jersey. -
Ratification of the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was approved by all 13 states but it took several years for this to happen. The approval was delayed in Maryland due to arguments. At that time, the document had to be ratified by all 13 states This served as the first constitution of the United States -
Saratoga
Saratoga Springs were swarming with militia men by the time Burgoyne reached there. The rebels outnumbered his army, but he ordered an attack on them. Gentleman Johnny accepted defeat on the 7th of October, 1777. France became an ally of the Americans after the war and so did Spain. Later, the congress declared a day of thanksgiving where each man could eat well. They were hungry for the past few days because most farmers preferred to sell food to the British. -
Yorktown
By the time Cornwallis was settling in Yorktown, France had sent 5000 troops to join Washington's army in New York. In August, Washington learned that nother 3000 troops were to arrive iin 29 warships. HWashington set a trap for Cornwallise by moving his army south to Virginia. They joined the French and surrounded Yorktown on land with more than 16,000troops. Cornwallis hoped that the British Navy would come and rescue them but soon surrendered out of fear when they did not. -
Treaty of Paris
The representatives of the United States and Britain signed a peace treaty in Paris which had three important parts. First, Britain would recognize the US as an independent nation. Second, the British would give up the land that they claimed between the Atlantic Coast and the Mississippi River and third, the US agreed to return all the rights and property they had taken away from the loylalists during the war. -
Shays's Rebellion
Shays's Rebellion was a farmer's rebellion against unfair government. Farmer in debt could not pay off their taxes so they were being thrown in jail. This infuriated farmers which caused them to attach courthouses and invade arsenals. -
Ratification of the U.S. Constituion
The ratification required that at least nine states must approve of the constitution and all of them had. The U.S constituion consisted of three branches which were the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches. The Bill of Rights was added to this Constitution to make some states happier. -
Constitutional Convention
Each state was invied to this convention in May 1787 to discuss the situation of the United States. . The convention was held for only one prupose and that was to revise the Articles of Confederation. -
The Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana was under French rule at this time. In 1803, James Monroe went to France to buy New Orleans for $7.5 million. By the time he reached France, Napoleon had changed his mind about what to do with Louisiana and he no longer needed it. France and Britain were at the verge of war at the time, so he offered to sell Louisiana to the US. -
Spain gives Florida to the US
In 1818, President Monroe sent Andrew Jackson to Florida and there he invaded them with 1700 troops and began taking over each and every military post in the colony. President Monroe then sent message to Spain saying get out or learn to govern Florida well. Spanish were afraid of war so they got out and went to Texas. -
Missouri Applies as a Slave State - Upest Northerners
When Missouri applied as a for statehood as a slave state, the northerners opposed this request. This was because slavery was banned noth of that point and they thought that the sam ban should be applied to the west. Also, if it was accepted in the South, it would mean more slave states. -
The Tallmadge Amendment - Upset Southerners
This amedment, passed by James Tallmadge, proposed that Missouri would be admitted as a free state. The Southerners opposed this because they didn't think Congress had the right to decide whether a new state should be pro slavery or anti slavery. The South thought that they would lose their power to block anti slavery bills. -
The Indian Removal Act
Urged on by President Jackson, it was passed by Congress. It allowed the president to make treaties in which Native Americans in the East traded their lands for new territory in the Great Plains. -
The Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears was the removal of over 17000 Cherokee's, who were dragged from their homes in Georgie and forced to walk a long way to Indian Territory. Four thousand died on the way. -
Texas is Annexed
Most of the Texans were American and they wanted Texas to become a part of American, but Texas was an independent state for ten years. Many wanted Texas to be annexed but some feared that this would lead to war with Mexico. Polk was a strong believer in Manifest Destiny and after he was elected, Congress voted to annex Texas. Texas became the 28th State. -
Oregon Treaty
The Americans wanted to annex all of Oregon Country, and Polk had promised he would, but he didn’t want to risk going at war with Britain. Instead of war, he agreed to a compromise and decided to divide Oregon in half at the 49th parallel. -
War with Mexico
Mexicans didn’t like the thought of texas being annexed so the relationship between the US and them became bad. Mexican soldiers fired at the American troops who were patrolling along Rio Grande. 16 Americans were killed. Polk had been waiting for that to happen because it was an excuse for war. Congress declared war on Mexico two days after a speech was given by Polk. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin - Upset Southerners
The book ‘Uncle Tom’’s Cabin’ was a story about a slave and his master. This book was very unpopular amongst Southerners because it was anti-slavery, bad-mouthes slavery and turned many against slavery. -
The Fugitive Slave Law - Upset Northerners
The Fugitive Slave Law caused bitterness between the North and the South. Northerners were dissatisfied with the way the Fugitive Slave Law was enforced because didn't want to enforce the law and it meant that the runaway slaves would no longer be able to stay in the North. -
Civil War
The Civil War began in 1861, due to the issue of slavery when the South seceded after Abraham Lincoln was elected President, even though he had said that he would not interfere in the matter of slavery. They seceded because Lincoln was anti-slavery. If the civil war had never occurred, states could probably secede at any time they want. After the civil war, the Emancipation of Proclamation was passed, freeing all slaves in the Confederacy, in 1865.
