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Henry Hudson is the first to arrive in Delaware
August 28, 1609 – Henry Hudson, an English navigator under the employ of the Dutch East India Trading Company, the first explorer to arrive in Delaware. -
Henry Hudson Discovers the Delaware river and bay
21609 - Henry Hudson, an Englishman sailing for the Dutch East India Company, discovers Delaware Bay and River. -
Captin Samuel Argall names the bay and river after his Lord De La Warr
1610 - Captain Samuel Argall, an English sea captain, names the bay and river after Lord De La Warr, the governor of Virginia. -
Colonists find a settling point
1631 - Dutch colonists settle at Zwaanendael (site of present-day Lewes). -
The first European Colony
1638 - The first European colony in the Delaware Valley was established by Swedish settlers -
Swedish colonization began
1655 - Swedish colonization began at Fort Christina (now Wilmington) in 1638, but New Sweden fell to Dutch forces led by New Netherlands' governor Peter Stuyvesant. -
The Dutch get the Delaware back
1673 - The Dutch regain control of the Delaware. -
The English take back the Delaware
1674 - The English regain the Delaware -
The Dke of York transfers control to William Penn
1682 - The Duke of York transfers control of the Delaware Colony to English Quaker William Penn. -
An important church is built
1698 - Holy Trinity, Old Swedes Church, is built in Wilmington -
The town of Dover is created
1717 - Town of Dover laid out. -
Thomas Willing founds Willingtown
1731 - Thomas Willing founds Willingtown -
Willingtown is renamed Wilmington
1739 - Willingtown receives royal charter and is renamed Wilmington. -
flour mill built
1742 - Oliver Canby builds flour mill on Brandywine River at Wilmington, beginning large commercial flour milling industry. -
Delaware is growing fast
1760 - 35,000 people lived in the Delaware region. -
James Adams sets up the first printing press
1761 - James Adams sets up first printing press in Delaware at Wilmington. -
French and Indian war ends
1763 - The French and Indian War ends in 1763 and Great Britain gains controls of all lands previously held by France. England pays for the war by increasing taxes on its American Colonies. Restrictions on the colonists eventually lead to a fight for independence from the crown. -
Stamp act congress
1765 - Caesar Rodney and Thomas McKean represent Delaware at the Stamp Act Congress. -
John Dickinson writes Letters as an influential protest against British policies towards the colonies.
1767-68 - John Dickinson writes Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, an influential protest against British policies towards the colonies. -
First Continental Congress
1774 - Caesar Rodney, Thomas McKean, and George Read represent Delaware at the First Continental Congress. -
Revolutionary War begins
1775 - Revolutionary War began -
- June 15 - Delaware Assembly declares independence from England
1776 - June 15 - Delaware Assembly declares independence from England. This is the origin of the holiday called Separation Day. -
Delaware Assembly ratifies Articles of Confederation.
1779 - Delaware Assembly ratifies Articles of Confederation. -
Oliver Evans builds prototype automatic flour mill in Newport
1785 - Oliver Evans builds prototype automatic flour mill in Newport.Delaware Gazette, state's first newspaper, begins publication. -
Delaware is one of 5 states to send delegates to Annapolis Convention
1786 - Delaware is one of 5 states to send delegates to Annapolis Convention, which hoped to revise the Articles of Confederation. -
Delaware ratified the United States Constitution and became the 1st state in the Union.
1787 - Dec. 7 - Delaware ratified the United States Constitution and became the 1st state in the Union. -
Delaware becomes last state to abolish use of the pillory.
1905 - Delaware becomes last state to abolish use of the pillory. -
30,000 Delaware men and women serve in armed forces in World War II.
1941-45 - 30,000 Delaware men and women serve in armed forces in World War II. -
Delaware Memorial Bridge opens
1951 - Delaware Memorial Bridge opens first span linking Delaware to New Jersey. -
Delaware passes Civil Unions Bill
2011 - Delaware passes Civil Unions Bill
