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Roanoke
First European settlement (temporary) led by John White. John Whites' departure to England for supplies was the last time he'd see his family. Upon his return he couldn't find them, a tree marked with "croatoan" led him to believe that they were living with the Indians. They were either killed off by Indians or they sailed back home to England while he was gone, because they weren't anywhere to be found. White returned to England and never got the funds to go back to America. -Notes -
Jamestown
First permanent British settlement. Had a very rough start with the majority of the men dying in the rough winter. John Rolfe and his wife, Pocohantes, experimented with growing tobacco. The land turned out to be fertile and tobacco became Jamestowns first profitable export. The economy took off even more with the use of indentured servants.
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New York
Also called "New Amsterdam", settled by the Dutch who opened up trading posts. Almost had its own government until they were turned into a royal colony. The people of New Amsterdam were angry so in 1682 they overthrew the appointed king in the "glorious revolution." https://www.historycentral.com/TheColonies/NY1.html -
House of Burgesses
Form of elected government for Britain. 2 elected burgesses from each of the 11 settlements throughout the colonies.The electives also sat on the supreme court. This system held up until the American Revolution.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/2f.asp -
Mayflower/Plymouth/Mayflower Compact
The Plymouth colony was settled by Pilgrims in the year 1620. The Mayflower was the ship that brought the 35 pilgrims on their expedition. The Pilgrims found a good water supply and clear fields to settle. They established their Government with the Mayflower Compact: the first self-governing plan where decisions were made based on the majority of the colony's men.
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Puritan Great Migration
Starting the great migration. They wanted to move to america for a spiritual life, not gold. They weren't poor back home, they were middle-class and also educated. John Winthrop led the expedition to Massachusetts where they joined the Plymouth Colony. They got along with the Natives sharing cultures, starting the tradition of Thanksgiving, saying thanks for the ships that brought them safely to America. http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/the-great-migration-of-picky-puritans-1620-40/ -
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Puritans settled the Massachusetts bay colony under their leader John Winthrop. He believed they were going to be a "city upon a hill" by following all of the strict puritan laws. God would favor them and they would stand out. The rules weren't for everybody, people who didn't follow puritan laws were called dissenters. Some dissenters ended up leaving to form their own colonies, free from the strictness of the Puritans.
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Maryland
Settled by Lord Baltimore who received 100 million acres of land from King Charles. The land was meant for persecuted Catholics. When Lord Baltimore died his son, Cecil Calvert, took over and offered 100 acres of land to married couples that moved to Maryland. This backfired when protestants took advantage of the offer, making Maryland mostly protestant. This was the catalyst for the Toleration Act of 1649, granting religious freedom to catholics in Maryland.
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island was a New England Colony that branched off of the massachusetts bay colony. It was settled by Roger Williams, who was a banished dissenter for speaking out against the religious persecution and confiscation of native american land.
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Connecticut
First settled by Dutch fur traders traveling via the Connecticut river. Colonized by Reverend Thomas Hooker. Set up a popular fur trading post. They were puritans who were interested in spreading the faith.
https://connecticuthistory.org/timeline-settlement-of-the-colony-of-connecticut/ -
Maryland Toleration Act
When Protestants started to outnumber Catholics in Maryland they passed the Maryland Toleration Act. Which gave religious freedom to all who believed in the Trinity. It also made it illegal to swear against Mary and Jesus, to swear at Catholics, or work without purpose on sabbath. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1601-1700/maryland-toleration-act-11630122.html -
Carolina
Settled by King Charles' supporters in 1663, Carolina was meant to be for trade. King Charles gave 8 supporters land and the people grew strong cash crops like tobacco, indigo, and rice. Due to the intensive labor force, African Slaves doubled European settlers.
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Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon raised an illegal militia of poor people to fight Native Americans'. Virginia Government retaliated with an army. Gov Berkeley refused to kill more Native Americans. Bacon and his army destroyed Jamestown. Soon after the rebellion, Bacon died of dysentery, and his followers were hung.
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Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania was the Holy Experiment. It was meant to be "a place without a landowning aristocracy where every male settler received 50 acres of land and had the right to vote." When the colonies settler, William Penn, became a Quaker; Pennsylvania soon became desirable to Quakers everywhere.
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Salem Witch Trials
A young girl convinced the women in the town of Salem, that she had been possessed by the devil. Convicted witches would be hung or burned at the stake. The way they believed in witches was that humans would get power to do evil if they devoted themselves to the devil. Witches made the entire town superstitious and for decades they held trials for witches, convicting them in whatever way they believed.
https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/salem-witch-trials -
Great Awakening/Enlightenment
The Great Awakening was a movement that increased everyone's passion for religion in the colonies. Christian leaders would speak at nearby cities. At the same time, an England movement, Enlightenment rushed into the colonies. Enlightenment was a very logical way of thinking that pushed religion to the side. In the end preachers pushed their message to show the importance of God's word. The after affects were positive for Christianity https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/great-awakening -
Albany Plan
The Albany Plans' goal was to unify the 13 colonies and place them all under the same government. The idea was sparked after a disagreement among them and the Iroquois, they wanted to have cooperation among the colonies and the Indians. It failed due to British control but it served as an important moment for when they are unified in the future.
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/albany-plan -
French-Indian War
Also called the Seven Years' war. Frances expansion to the Ohio river led to conflict with Britain. 1756 is where Britain finally declared war to defend its colonies. Britain took 3 victories to sway the tide of war, this led to them getting the territories of Canada in their peace treaty with France.
https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/french-and-indian-war -
Proclamation of 1763
At the end of the French and Indian war, Britain passed the Proclamation of 1763. This was meant to decrease the amount of land that was being taken from the Natives. Native Americans' were given everything west of the Appalachians and the Colonies got the coast. https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/1763-proclamation-of -
Salutary Neglect
Salutary Neglect relaxed trade laws on the American Colonies, allowing them to trade with other colonies besides Britain. Britain enabled this so they could focus on cementing themselves as a world power. Obviously, the colonies profit from trade soured. Many believe this first operation of independence is what gave America the strength for a revolution in the future, https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/salutary_neglect
