Colonial Period, 1607-1763

  • Founding of Jamestown

    The first permanent English colony in North America is founded at Jamestown , Virginia
  • Tobacco industry launched

    Settlers in Jamestown start growing tobacco, which becomes the main cash crop for Virginia and Maryland.
  • Virginia house of burgesses

    the Virginia house of burgesses, the first colonial legislature, is founded at Jamestown, the beginning of representative government in America
  • slavery starts

    the first africans arrive in Jamestown, marking the beginning of North American slavery
  • pilgrims land

    the pilgrims land at cape cod, the beginning of Massachusetts
  • mayflower compact

    the pilgrims sign the mayflower compact, agreeing to govern themselves in the new world
  • city upon a hill

    puritan leader John Winthrop says Massachusetts should be city upon a hill, raising the idea that America is a special place
  • Charleston founded

    planters from the Caribbean island of Barbados found Charles town (Charleston) in South Carolina
  • rice industry begins

    settlers in Charles town began growing rice, which becomes the main cash crop for South Carolina
  • Georgia founded

    Georgia is founded the last of the 13 colonies
  • first great awakening

    the first great awakening a religious revival begins at Jonathan Edwards church in Northampton, Massachusetts and then sweep the 13 colonies
  • stono rebllion

    the stone rebellion erupts near Charles town the largest slave revolt in colonial America
  • Albany plan

    with the French and Indian war about to start, Benjamin Franklin proposes the Albany plan of union the first plan to unite the colonies
  • start of French and Indian war

    france and Britain began a war that eventually will drive France from most of America
  • end of French and indian war

    france and Britain close war that drove France from most of North America
  • proclamation line of 1763

    in order to keep peace with Indians, king George 111 of England d forbids colonists to settle west of the Appalachian mountains