Colonial America Timeline

The first to arrive in Carolina were the Spanish. First, explorer Giovanni da Verrazano mapped out the coastline in 1524. Later (1584), the English established the Roanoke Colony. The colony was led by John White. When White returned to England to gather more supplies, when he returned to Roanoke the colony had disappeared. What happened to this original colony is still a mystery to historians. (https://kidskonnect.com/states/north-carolina/)

In 1524 Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano arrived to Rhode island. He met with some of the local tribes and mapped out portions of the coastline. Dutch explorer Adriaen Block arrived around 90 years later. He further mapped out the coastline. But the first permanent European settlement was established by Roger Williams in 1636. Williams moved to Rhode Island after being kicked out of Massachusetts for his religious beliefs. (https://kids.kiddle.co/History_of_Rhode_Island)

The first expedition to Roanoke was led by Sir Richard Greenville in 1585. The Roanoke Colony was located on Roanoke Island off the coast of North Carolina. The British settlers hoped to establish in the Americas to expand their empire. Settlers were constantly fighting with the local Native Americans. There are many ideas about the disappearance of the Colony, many historians think that the colonists moved. (https://www.ducksters.com/history/colonial_america/lost_colony_of_roanoke.php)

Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America. It was founded in 1607 and served as the capital of the Virginia colony for over 80 years. They named the new settlement Jamestown after King James I. Most settlers were men looking for gold. They hoped to get rich and then return to England. They didn't know how to fish, hunt, or farm. Their lack of basic survival skills made the first few years very difficult. (https://kids.kiddle.co/Jamestown,_Virginia)

1609, Henry Hudson found New York Bay and the Hudson River while exploring for the Dutch. Over the next few years, People from many countries moved into the area, many from England. In 1664, an English fleet arrived at New Amsterdam. The English took control of the colony and renamed the city and the colony New York. In 1788, New York ratified the new U.S. Constitution and became the 11th state to join the Union. (https://study.com/academy/lesson/history-of-new-york-city-lesson-for-kids.html)

Before Europeans came to Connecticut, the land was inhabited by Native Americans. The first European to visit was Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. He sailed up the Connecticut River, mapping out the region for future Dutch settlers. In the 1620s, settlers began moving into the region. Soon the Dutch were getting pushed out. 1662, the Colony was granted a Royal Charter from King of England making it an official English colony. (https://www.ducksters.com/geography/us_states/connecticut_history.php)

House of Burgesses, the first elected legislative body of colonial Virginia between 1619 and 1776. Established by governor George Yeardley at Jamestown. Britain wasn't completely ok with the idea of colonists beginning their own legislative body. So, English politicians had the final say in actions taken by the House. There was originally 22 members of the House. It operated until the American Revolution.(https://study.com/academy/lesson/virginia-house-of-burgesses-facts-lesson-for-kids.html)

Mayflower Compact was a set of rules for self-governance established by the English settlers who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower. Storms drove their ship off course, the settlers landed in Massachusetts, near Cape Cod and New Plymouth, outside of Virginia’s jurisdiction. Colonist leaders created the Mayflower Compact to create a functioning social structure. They established the Plymouth Colony in 1620.(https://www.ducksters.com/history/colonial_america/pilgrims_plymouth_colony.php)

In 1630, Puritans left England for North America. The settlement was called the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Puritans were Christians. The English government mistreated them because of their beliefs. Puritans wanted to find a place where they could practice their religion in peace. The Puritans, led by, John Winthrop, left Boston. The fleet of 12 ships, known as the Winthrop fleet, set sail to reach Massachusetts. (https://historyofmassachusetts.org/history-of-the-massachusetts-bay-colony/)

Early European explorers, Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524 and John Smith in 1608 sailed along Maryland's coastline. They mapped the area. In 1631, the first European settlement was established by English fur trader William Claiborne. In 1632, English King Charles I gave George Calvert a royal charter for the colony of Maryland. George died shortly after, but his son Cecil Calvert inherited the land. As the colony grew, the Native American tribes were pushed out. (https://www.mdhs.org)

The Maryland Toleration Act was a law passed in 1649 by the colonial assembly of the Province of Maryland mandating religious toleration of all Christian denominations. As the first such law, it is often seen as a precursor to the First Amendment. Maryland was the most religiously diverse of the English colonies, having been founded as a Catholic haven, and then populated by a large number of Protestants. (https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline)

The first settlers in the region were the Dutch and the Swedish. However, the British defeated the Dutch in 1664 and took control over the area. In 1681, William Penn was given a large area of land by King Charles II of England. He named the land Pennsylvania after his family name "Penn" and after the forests in the land. Penn wanted his colony to be a place of religious freedom. Most settlers were Quakers looking for where they could practice their religion. (https://nationalgeographic.com)

In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon led a group of Virginia settlers in a rebellion against Virginia Governor William Berkeley, the planters and Tidewater Aristocrats. The Rebellion led to dissent in the Virginia colony. Economic problems, declining tobacco prices, growing commercial competition, an increasingly restricted English market, the rising prices from English goods and political challenges from the western frontier.(https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm)

Salutary Neglect was a British Policy in the 13 colonies which allowed the colonists to violate, the laws associated with trade. The British policy was not documented. The policy lasted from the 1690's to the 1760's and benefited the colonists boosting their profits from trade. The British reversed their policy to raise taxes in the colonies to pay for the massive war debt. This led to the Boston Tea Party, the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. (landofthebrave.info.com)

The trials occurred in Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. More than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were executed (mainly woman). The first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hanged, many more died after her. Eventually, the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and compensated the families of those convicted. Since then, the story of the trials has become synonymous with paranoia and injustice.
(https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/salem-witch-trials)

Great Awakening was a series of religious revivals in the North American British colonies during the 17th and 18th Centuries. Europeans were focusing on matters of logic and experience. People began to find the need for getting back in touch with religion. A Prime mover of the Great Awakening was Jonathan Edwards, known mostly for his famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." This speech warned people against ignoring religion. (https://kids.britannica.com/article/Great-Awakening)

The Albany Plan of Union was a proposal made at the Albany Congress in 1754. Aimed at a formation of a strong union of the colonies under one single government and direction. Justified because of the necessity for defense against the threats and consequences posed by the infamous French and Indian War. It was proposed by Benjamin Franklin, among the many plans presented by the different delegates that participated in the Albany Congress. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Albany-Plan-of-Union)

The war was a major war fought in the American Colonies between 1754 and 1763. British gained territory in North America as a result from war. The main enemies in the war were the French and the British. Both sides had American Indian allies. France was forced to give up all of its North American territory. Britain gained all of the land east of the Mississippi River and Spain gained the land west of the Mississippi. (https://kidskonnect.com/history/french-indian-war-facts/)

The Proclamation was issued in response to a revolt of Native Americans in 1763 by King George III. This was a measure to calm the fears of the Indians, who felt that the colonists would drive them from their lands as they expanded westward. Many in the colonies felt that the object was to pen them in along the Atlantic seaboard where they would be easier to regulate.This excluded the Ohio Valley and territory from the Ohio to the Mississippi rivers from settlement. (https://www.history.com)

The movement of around 6 million African Americans out of the Southern United States to the Midwest, Northeast and West. The main reasons African Americans left were to escape racism and seek jobs. In 1963-2000, data shows the movement of African Americans leaving the south. There were good jobs in the South and better racial relations. (https://kids.kiddle.co/Great_Migration_(African_American)