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Oct 12, 1492
Columbus lands in the Americas
After sailing across the Atlantic, Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas. -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas signed
The Spanish and Portugese sign the Treaty of Tordesillas. This gave everything west of the imaginary line to the Spanish, and everything east of it to the Portugese. -
May 20, 1498
Vasco Da Gama reaches India
Vasco Da Gama was the first to sail from Europe to India, by going around Africa. -
Jan 21, 1513
Balboa claims all land touched by the Pacific Ocean.
Vasco de Balboa claimed all the lands that are touched by the Pacific Ocean. At the time they had no idea that the Pacific was such a large body of water. -
Jan 2, 1522
Magellan's crew circumnavigates the world
Magelland and his crew began this journey, but in the process Magella died. The crew however, completed the circumnavigation without him. -
Sep 10, 1523
Ponce de Leon explores Florida
Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain. He was the first to find this area of the New World. -
Sep 10, 1577
Francis Drake circumnavigates the world.
Francis Drake started circumnavigating the globe in 1577. It would take him more years to complete the journey. -
Cortes Conquers Mexico
Hernando Cortes surrounded the Aztec Empire and waited outside. He and his army waited as they died from diseaes and starvation, then attacked when they were weak. -
Rolfe Perfects Tobacco
John Rolfe perfected tobacco making it the primary cash crop in the colonies. -
First Anglo-Powhatan War ends
The first Anglo-Powhatan war ends due to John Rolfe marrying Pocahontas. This created peace between the two groups. -
First Africans arrive in Jamestown
The natives were dying from sickness which made the colonists look for other options. They dedcided to bring in Africans becuase they had a stronger immune system. -
Maryland Founded
Maryland was founded as a colony when Lord Baltimroe went to the Americas. -
Second Anglo-Powhatan War
The second Anglo-Powhatan war was started after John Rolfe died. This caused the peace between the two to slowly diminish, until they finally started the war. -
Pope's Rebellion
Roman Catholic missionaries provoked a revolt from the Pueblo Indians. The Pueblo revolt was successful, as they destroyed churches and killed settlers. -
Georgia Founded
Georgia was one of the last southern colonies founded. It was established so that there was a buffer between the English Carolinas and the Spanish Florida. -
War of Jenkins's Ear
A small war between the British and Spanish that eventually turned into the War of Austrian Succession. -
King George's War
The third of the four French and Indian Wars. -
French and Indian War (Seven Years War)
A war between the British and French that ended up as a victory for the British. This shrinked the French presence in North America. -
Braddock;s Defeat
Braddock's failed attempt to capture the French fort Duquesne. -
Battle of Quebec
A British victory led by General James Wolfe that ensured the British control of Quebec. -
End of French and Indian War
The end of the war was due to the signing of the Treaty of Paris. -
Sugar Act
This act stated that merchants had to pay a larger tax on imported molasses. -
Quartering Act
An act passed to house soldiers in the American Colonies. -
Stamp Act
Another tax put on the colonies. This one taxed every piece of printed paper. -
Declaratory Act
An act passed with the repeal of the Sugar act that reaffirmed Parliament's right to bind the colonies. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was when colonists were throwing objects at British soldiers. This led to the soldiers opening fire on the colonists, killing many. -
Committees of correspondence
A government set up by leaders in the colonies before the Revolutionary War. -
Boston Tea Party
A political protest where many colonists threw tea into the Boston Harbor. -
First Continetal Congress
A meeting between delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies near the Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The beginning of the Revolutionary War, when the militants of the colonies first engaged the British Army. -
Paine's Common Sense
Thomas Paine's pamphlet that talks about what a republic is and why the colonies should become one. -
Declaration Of Independence
A declaration that called for independence in the colonies. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington crossed the Delaware River on christmas night to attack the British. -
Battle of Brandywine
A battle between the army of General George Washington and the British General Howe. -
Battle of Saratoga
Battle where the British surrendered and was known as the turning point for the war. It showed other countries that the colonies can win. -
Battle of Germantown
Battle fought in Pennsylvania on the Philidelphia campaign. -
Clarke's victories in the west
Clarke took around 175 men to Kaskaskia where he captured many British terretories. -
Greene leads Carolina campaign
Many of the commanders in the south were failing to succeed. Then Nathaniel Greene was given command in the south and eventually led to more success than any of the previous commanders. -
Cornwallis Surrenders
At the battle of Yorktown the patriots laid seige to the city causing Cornwallis to surrender one of the most impactful battles during the war. -
Battle of King's Mountain
A battle fought in South Carolina which turned out to be a decisive victory for the colonists. -
Battle of Cowpens
Another battle fought in South Carolina that was important for the colonists. The colonists were led by General Daniel Morgan. -
North's Ministry collapses
Frederick North was the Prime Minister during most of the war. He was also to blame when the war was looking bad for Britain. So the war going toward the Americas was the downfall of North's time as Prime Minister. -
Treaty of Paris
The treart of Paris was the peace treaty that was signed by the British and America to end the Revolutionary War. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
A system of planning and selling townships in the western lands. -
Shay's Rebellion
A series of protests by farmers against the taxes imposed on them. -
Northwest Ordinance
An ordinaance that was based on the Land Ordinance of 1784, but for the area past the Appalachians up to Canada. -
Judiciary Act of 1789
Adopted in the First United States Congress to set up the the judiciary of the United States. -
French Revolution Begins
Revolution in France that lasted from 1789 go 1799. It was during the later expansion of the French Empire and overthrew the monarchy to establish a republic. -
Bill of Rights adopted
Was adopted toward the end of 1791 to confirm the freedoms of the citizens. -
Vermont becomes 14th state
Vermont was adopted as the 14th state being the first state to be adopted outside of the original 13 colonies. -
Whiskey Rebellion
A rebellion on the frist tax on a domestic product after the United States became independant. -
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The final battle in the Northwest Indian War. -
Adams becomes president
John Adams was elected president by a three vote margin. Most of his votes came from the northern states. -
Judiciary Act of 1801
This act lowered the amount fo justices from 6 to 5 and eliminated their circuit duties. -
Louisiana Purchase
Land out on the west that was purchased from Napolean. The purchase was unconstitutional due to the entire purchase not being approved. -
Lewis and Clark expedition
Lewis and Clark adventured out to the Louisiana Territory that was just purchased. -
Burr Treason Trial
Aaron Burr was planning on seceding Louisiana from the United States. He was never convicted because he only thought about it and never did it. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
A battle fought near Lafayette, Indiana between the United States and the Native Americans in the area. -
American Colonization Society formed
A society formed to assist people emmigrating in from Africa. -
Jefferson Founds University of Virginia
Thomas Jefferson founds the University of Virginia. -
Missouri Compromise
A dispute between the North and South on if the new admitted states should be slave or free states. The compromise was settled on the 36 30 line, where the states below will be slave states and the northern states would be free. -
Cooper Publsihes "The Spy"
The Spy is a novel taking place during the Revolutionary War, and switching between the United States and Britain at that time. -
Erie Canal Completed
A canal created in New York that originally spanned 363 miles from Albany. -
First Railroad in United States
The first railroad was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad that officially opened in 1830. It was soon followed by the Camden and Amboy Railroad. -
Cyrus McCormick creates the mechanical reaper
When invented, the mechanical reaper revolutionized the wheat industry at the time. -
Anti-catholic Riot in Boston
Called the Ursuline Convent riots, these riots were held in many different cities across Massachusetts. -
John Deere invents steel plow
This was another revolutionary farming tool that was invented in the 1830sl, along with the mechanical reaper, -
Samuel Morse invents the telegraph
Morse created a way to communicate long distances with the telegraph. The type of communication was also named after him, morse code. -
Potato famine in Ireland
A famine hit Ireland's primary food source, potatoes, causing many of the Irish to immigrate to America. -
independent Treasury Restored
Two of Polk's four pillars was completed on this year. Restoring the Independent Treasury and settling the Oregon dispute. -
Mexican War
War with Mexico over the border of Texas. This war lasted two years and ended with the United States recieving the border for Texas that we have today. -
Free Soil Party Formed
A new political party was formed (Free Soil Party). The first candidate from this party was Van Buren who was possibly why Cass lost the election. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The official treaty that ended the Mexican war and set the border of Texas. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
Gave people in Nebraska and Kansas to decide if they wanted slavery in their states or not. -
Formation of the Republican Party
Anti-slavery Whigs decided to talk about making a new party, the Republican Party. -
Buchanan defeats Freemont
Buchanan defeated the Republican candidate Fremont and Know-Nothing candidate Fillmore. -
Sumner beaten by Brooks
Brooks beat Sumner with a cane due to differing opinions on slavery. -
Brown's Pottawatomie Massacre
John Brown and a few abolitionists killed five settlers at north Pottawatomie Creek. -
Civil War in "Bleeding Kansas"
A series of violent altercations between anti-slavery and pro-slavery people in Kansas. -
Dred Scott Decision
A decision made involving Dred Scott, a slave, trying to sue his master for taking him to a free state and not letting him become a free citizen. -
Lecompton Constitution
A constitution made by pro-slavery supporters that made Kansas a slave state, but was rejected. -
Panic of 1857
A financial crisis in 1857 caused by over speculation. -
Tariff of 1857
A major tax reduction that amended the previous Walker Tariff. -
Hinton Helper Writes "Teh Impending Crisis of the South"
A novel writtento promote slavery and show how it is important. -
Lincoln Douglas Debates
A series of seven debates between Licoln and Douglas who were running for the Illinois senate. -
Harpers Ferry
John Brown planned an attack on Harpers Ferry, that didn't work out because no one was informed and they couldn't help him. -
Lincoln wins presidency
Lincoln won the preidential race between Breckinridge, Bell, Douglas, and himself. -
South Carolina Secedes from the Union
South Carolina seceded from the Union after Lincoln won his presidency.
