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Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus Reaches New World
Italian seafarer, Christopher Columbus, reaches the island of Hispanola. He intended on finding a quicker route to the Indies -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
Virtual line, made by Pope Alexander, that split the world in half. Portugal got everything east of the line and Spaing got everyting west. -
Apr 2, 1513
Ponce de Leon Explores Florida
Juan Ponce de Leon is first to explore Florida, looking for the Fountain of Youth -
Aug 13, 1521
Hernan Cortes Defeats Aztecs
Hernan Cortes, a Spanish conquistador, deafeated the Aztecs in Mexico -
Jan 1, 1540
Coronado Explores Southwest United States
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado explores southwest United States to modern day Kansas. -
The Lost Colony
Settlers at Roanoake are missing, making the first settlement attempt a failure -
Defeat of Spanish Armada
Francis Drake and the English defeat the Spanish Armada in the English Channel -
English Colonists Land in Jamestown
Jamestown established, making it the first permanent English settlement in North America -
John Rolfe Raises Tobacco
John Rolfe is able to plant and raise tobacco, saving Virginia -
House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses established as a basic legislature to work out little issues in Colonial America -
Maryland is Founded by Lord Balitmore
The colony of Maryland is established by Lord Baltimore, primarily as a haven for Catholics -
Second Anglo-Powhatan War
Second Anglo-Powhatan War, results in English victory and Indians effectively banished from the Chesapeake -
Barbados Slave Code
Colonial legislature passes Barbados Slave Code to provide a legal base in Barbados -
The Carolina's
The Carolina's were founded and named after Charles II. Carolina prospered due to its ties with the West Indies -
Georiga Colony Established
James Oglethorpe establaishes Georgia, which is orignally intended as a buffer colony, to protect the Carolina's -
Great Awakening Begins
Jonathan Edwards begins the Great Awakening, America's first big religious movement -
Zenger Press Trial
John Peter Zenger goes on trial for printing the truth. This trial is a landmark for freedom of press in the United States -
Whitefield Expans Awakening
Geroge Whitefield, a great preacher, expands the Great Awakening -
War of Jenkins's Ear
War between Spain and Britian, where a Spanish commander cut off English Captain Jenkins' Ear -
King Geroge's War
Part of the War of Austrian Succession, this war was between France and Britain. The fight was over small islands in the north -
Princeton College Founded
College of New Jersey founded in Princeton, New Jersey. Later named Princeton University -
French and Indian War
War between France and Britain, for control of North American land -
Albany Congress
Meeting of representatives from the norhtern 7 colonies, to discuss Native relations and defensive measures against the French -
Braddock's Defeat
British general Edward Braddock, dies on expedition to capture Fort Duquesne. He died via ambush attack -
William Pitt Take Over
William Pitt takes over British government and leads British to victory in French and Indian War -
Battle of Plains of Abraham
AKA Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the French and Indian Wa. The British won, while being led by James Wolfe -
Britain vetoes South Carolina anti-slave trade
Britain vetoes South Carolina's bid to stop slave trade, because Britain needed slaves for plantations -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty to end French and Indian War, resulted in the French leaving North America -
Procalmation of 1763
British enforced Proclamation that prohibited colonists the settle west of Appalachian Mountains -
Paxton Boys March on Philadelpia
Paxton Boys march to Philadelphia to challenge to government for their lack of protection -
Common Sense Published
Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense urging Americans to start fighting more consistent -
Richard Henry Lee Urges For Complete Indoendence
Virginia representative, Richard Henry Lee, urges the Second Continental Congress for complete indpendence for Britain -
American Indpendence
America finally recognizes indpendence from Brtiain , with the Declaration of Indpendence -
Washington Attacks Trenton
George Washington crosses the Delaware River to attack the Hessians in Trenton -
Battle of Brandywine
Battle fought between George Washington and William Howe -
Battle of Saratoga
The colonists defeat the British in Saratoga, the most decisive battle in the war -
Washington Spends Winter In Valley Forge
George Washington and his men spend the winter in Valley Forge, where Baron Von Steuben whips them into shape -
Frano-American Alliance
France offers treaty alliance to America, to help fight the British -
Clark Caotures Forts
Frontiersman Geroge Rogers Clark, leads men to capture forts in the west -
Rochambeau Brings Reinforcements
French general Comte de Rochambeau arrives in Newport, Rhode Island with French reinforcements -
Arnold Turns on America
Benedict Arnold turns against America, buy trying to sell out West Point -
Armed Neutrality
Catherine the Great of Russia organized the Armed Neutrality, pitting most of Europe against the British -
Battle of Yorktown
Lord Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, last decisive battle in war -
Greene clears South Carolina and Gerogia
Nathanael Greene clears most of the British out of Georgia and South Carolina -
Treaty of Paris, 1783
Treaty ends Revolutionary War between America and Britain -
Land Ordinance of 1785
Determined how Ohio Valley lands were divided. Land was broken up into 6 mile by 6 mile townships and had one mile by one mile sections -
Great Compromise
Determined that Congress would have two house. One based on population and another that had equal representatives from each state -
Three-Fifths Compromise
Answered how slaves would count towards the population, hence the three-fifths -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Set the layout for how territories would become states. -
Whiskey Rebellion
Protest on America's excise tax, that included whiskey -
Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights were adopted and were apart of the Constitution, granted basic rights to citizens -
Neutrality Proclamation
President Washington declares that America will remain neutral in the conflict between England and France -
Washington's Farewell Address
President George Washington gave this address, after deciding not to seek reelection. He gave America some helpful tips that he thought would help them. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
Laws passed by President John Adams, that extended amount of years to become a citizen and limited writings of critics towards the government -
Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
Statements drafted by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison that went against the Alien and Sedition Acts -
Revolution of 1800
Thomas Jefferson defeats John Adams, taking the Federalists party out of office -
Marbury v. Madison
First big U.S. Supreme Court case. First time a law was striked down as unconstitutional -
Louisiana Purchase
America purchases the Louisiana Territory from the French for $15 million dollars -
Embargo Act
Law passed by President Thomas Jefferson that forbade all exports to any nation -
Battle of Tippecanoe
Battle fought between William Henry Harrison led U.S. forces and Prophet led Indian forces. -
Hartford Convention
Series of meetings in Hartford, where Federalists discussed their greivances with the War of 1812 -
Treaty of 1818
Treaty between America and Britain that settled fishing, boundaries, and slave restoration -
Panic of 1819
America's first major financial crisis, during peacetime. -
Missouri Compromise
Compromise that regulated slavery in western territories and established a slave boundary at the 36 30 parallel -
Monroe Doctrine
John Quincy Adams created document that dealt with foreign policy, stating European nations can't colonize in the America's -
Erie Canal Completed
Canal in New York that ran from East to West from Atlantic Ocean to Lake Erie -
First Railroad in U.S.
First railroad was completed in the United States, which helped transportation of people and goods -
Steel Plow Invented
John Deere invents the steel plow, which helped break up soil -
Aroostook War
Boundary dispute between America and Britain over the Maine and Canada border -
Commonwealth v. Hunt
Court case in Massachusetts that declared labor unions legal -
Telegraph Invented
Samuel Morse invents the telegraph -
Potato Famine
Famine in Ireland causes many death and mass immigration of the Irish people to the United States -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Treaty that ended the Mexican-American War. Most importantly gave the United States control of California -
Know Nothing Party Formed
The Know Nothing Party was formed, and strongly opposed immigration and Catholics -
Cumberland Road Completed
Cumberland Road aka the National Road was completed and was America's first major improved highway -
Bleeding Kansas
Divide in Kansas leads to violence and bloodshed between pro and anti slavery people -
Republican Party Founded
The Republican Party was founded and would end up being a major political party. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act passed, allowing popular soverignty in Kansas and Nebraska -
Brooks and Sumner
As tenstions rise, Preston Brooks brutally attacked Charles Sumner in Congress with a cane. -
Pottawatomie Massacre
Abolitionist John Brown leads a brutal massacre of five pro-slavery people at Pottawatomie Creek, Kansas -
Election of 1856
Democrat James Buchanan wins office after defeating Repubilcan nominee John C Freemont and Know- Nothing nominee Millard Fillmore -
Panic of 1857
Inflation of gold, over production of grain, and over speculation, lead to a nation wide panice in 1857 -
Lecompton Constitution
The Lecompton Constitution was rejected by Congress, denying slavery in Kansas -
Dred Scott Decision
The Supreme Court rules Dred Scott, a slave, not a U.S. citizen and therefore can't sue for his freedom in this bombshell court ruling -
"The Impending Crisis of the South"
Book written by Hinton Helper, that said slavery was wrong in an economical sense. Since it wasn't good for non slave holding whites. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas sqaured off in seven great debates leading up to the Illinois Senate Election. -
Harpers Ferry
Abolitionist John Brown leads raid on federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in hopes of starting a slave revolt in the South -
Election of 1860
Republican nominee, Abraham Lincoln, wins office after defeating Stephen Douglas, John C. Breckinridge, and John Bell -
Crittenden Compromise
A last ditch effort from John Crittenden to salvage peace between the North and the South, compromise included renewal of Missouri Compromise line. -
South Carolina Succeeds
South Carolina becomes the first state to succeed from the Union
