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May 17, 1492
Columbus reaches the New World
Columbus reached a small island in The New World now known as the Bahamas. Columbus tried to go around the world and reach India but ended up in America. -
May 17, 1500
The Spanish Empire
Two conquistadors, Hernan Cortez and Fransisco Pizzaro claimed land in America. They started a trade with the natives around the area, trading goods for gold. Nowadays, people often tell the story that the natives were used as slaves. -
May 17, 1534
New France
Jacques Cartier was sent by the French to explore the Atlantic coastline of North America. He failed to do his job, but fortunately found land that nowadays we know as Canada. -
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
John White led a group of 117 colonists to Roanoke Island. They stayed there for a while. Knowing what had happen to the last colonists, everyone persuaded John White to go back to England and ask for help. When he went to England there was a war going on, so he couldn't come back. He returned after three years, and there was no one left in the settlement. Except the word Croatoan curved in a tree nearby. No one knows what happen to them or what the word Croatoan means. -
Jamestown The first English colony
John Cabot, an Italian exploring for England, sailed to Newfoundland, off the coast of present day Canada. He thought he landed in the perfect spot to make a new home, but then realized it was a swamp. It was flooded with mosquitos and diseases. His relations with the Native Americans were not even good. At first life there was horrible but then gradually got beter and better. -
Starving Time
In the Fall of 1609, Smith was injured and sent back to England. That Winter was the worst for Jamestown; without Pochahontas and Smith there to keep the friendship between the two groups, the Native Americans refused to trade food or supplies. The English died out and the following Spring only 60 of the 500 people were alive. -
The Netherlands
The Dutch West India Company sent Peter Minuit to New Netherland as the colony's leader Not only did Minuit serve a peaceful relationship with the Natives, he also offered a trade, $24 for their land. -
Claiming Louisiana
Robert De La Salle explored the entire length of the Mississipi River. He planted a French flag at the mouth of the river and claimed everything west of the Mississipi River for France. He names the area Louisiana for the French monarch King Louis XIV. -
Proclamation of 1763
In 1763, after the French-Indian war, King George passed on a law that stated that the colonists could only stay on the east side of the appalachinas so that Britian could prevent the conflits between the Americans and the Indians. Also England could not afford another war. The Americans were furious because they needed to find new land to farm in. However the British ignored these arguments and expanded the British army in America to 7500 men. -
The Stamp Act
In 1765 the British parliament decided to pass on a law that stated that all the colonists must purchase a stamp for every single paper they use. They passed on this law becasue Britian needed more money and argued that the colonists need to pay for their own "protection". The colonists were mad and shouted out "No taxation without representation. With serious protests and forming of mobs such as the sons of liberty, the british repealed the law. -
The Quartering Acts
In 1765 the British Parliment sent more soldiers to America to "protect" the Americans.The Quartering Act that the British passed on stated that all the colonists must house the soldiers an provide with their everyday materials such as beer. The colonists argued saying that they never asked for protection and that they don't need to pay for something they didn't ask. Colonies such as New York and New jersey protested saying that it was another way to collect tax. Still Britian refused to repeal. -
The Quartering Act
In 1765 the British Parliment sent more soldiers to America to "protect" the Americans.The Quartering Act that the British passed on stated that all the colonists must house the soldiers an provide with their everyday materials such as beer. The colonists argued saying that they never asked for protection and that they don't need to pay for something they didn't ask. Colonies such as New York and New jersey protested saying that it was another way to collect tax. Still Britian refused to repeal. -
The Townshed Act
In 1767, the British parliment passed on the townshend act. The British sent more soldiers to America, and to pay for those soldiers, they decided to charge every single british good with taxes. The colonists saw this as another attempt to collect taxes. So a man called Samuel Adams sent a letter to all the colonies saying that they should protest. So the colonists decided to boycott all british goods. Later on, the British did repeal this -
The Trail of Tears
Native Americans were forced from their homes and made to walk over 1,000 km barefoot, without their belongings. Many became ill and died on the way to their new territory, which was much smaller than their own land. The trail they walked was later called the "trail of tears" -
The Tea Act
In 1773 the British Parliment passed on a law that told the Americans can only purcahse tea from one company. The British East India company. They made sure that the price of the tea was cheaper then smuggled dutch tea so that the colonists would buy it. But the colonists thought of this as an another act of collecting taxes. Furious, the sons of liberty in boston got on board on one of the ships with tea, disguised as Indians. They threw all the tea overboard.This is named the Boston tea party. -
The Intolerable Acts
After the Boston Tea Party,the British Parliament passed on a series of harsh laws to punish the Bostonians.In fact these were so harsh that it was called this The intolerable Acts.They did all this to show the Americans that Britian was still in charge.Colonists thought of this as unacceptable and united as one for the first time.They started forming small militias just in case a war breaks out.In the first ever continental congress, the colonists sent a letter King George showing their opinion -
Lexington and Concord
On April 18, 1775, the first battle of the Revolutionary war took place. When british troops attacked the field of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, they were surprised to see a troop of colonists as well. The battle lasted only a few minutes, with the colonists defeating the British. On April 18, 1775, the first battle of the Revolutionary war took place. When british troops attacked the field of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, they were surprised to see a troop of colonists as we -
The Second Continental Congress
After the start of the Revolutionary war, delegates from the 13 colonies decided to form a continental army. To lead the army, the delegates chose General George Washington. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
Worried by the fort built by the colonists on top of Bunker HIll, the British decided to seize the fort. The colonits, fighting back, ran out of gunpowder and were forced to surrender. -
The Olive Branch Petition
In a last attempt to peacefully make amends with King George III, the Continental Congress sent an Olive Branch petition. However, King George had already declared the colonies to be in a state of open rebellion, and ordered "to bring the traitors to justice". -
The Siege of Boston
In need of heavier weapons, colonists stole weapons from Fort Ticonderoga, which they aimed at the city of Boston. This frightened the British soldiers, who left the city. -
The Louisiana Purchase
New Orleans was an extremely important port for american farmers. So, President Thomas Jefferson offered to buy it from Napoleon. However, Napoleon could see that Britain was on the brink of war with Britain. Deciding it was best to get rid of the land, Napoleon sold all of Louisiana to the US for $15 million. -
Spain gives Florida to the US
Florida contained a wide variety of people living there. However, slaves from Georgia had been running away to Florida and there had been raids on southern states by Seminole. President James Monroe sent a letter to the Spanish governor telling him to govern Florida -
The Indian Removal Act
In 1830, the Indian Removal Act was passed by Congress. This act forced many native american tribes to move west, into new territory on the Great Plains. Some tribes went willingly, but others refused. For example, the Sac and Fox, led by Black Hawk. -
Texas is Annexed
In 1821, American settlers began moving to Texas. However, they had trouble with the mexicans already living there. The Americans and Tejanos often got into fights and did not get along. -
War with Mexico
After President James Polk offered to buy areas of Mexico from the mexican government and was denied, mexican soldiers shot and killed/wounded 16 americans. This gave Polk an excuse to start a war. After 2 years of fighting, Americans had gained control over Callifornia and many other places. -
Oregon Treaty
In 1819, 4 nations all had claims in Oregon(Russia, Spain, Britain, and the United States). By 1825, however, only Britain and the US had claims on it. Many settlers (american and british) had rushed to Oregon and lived peacfully with each other. -
Northern issue #1
Northerners were against slavery. They thought that everyone had their own rights. Even black people. They fought to defend rights for all people. They wanted to abolish slavery in the South so that everyone will be free. The south would not give up slavery. -
Northern issue #2
Northerners were playing it peacefull until the South did the first move and attacked Fort Mercer. The Northerners then decided that the only thing left to do was war. Reasoning with the South was not an option anymore. -
Southern Issue #1
The Southerners were all mostly farmers. They spent most of their time in the field. They really need slaves to keep farming. The slaves do most of the jobs in the South. Since the North was trying to abolish slavery in the South, they were fighitng to keep slavery because if they had lost slavery, the South would be in chaos. -
Southern Issue #2
Southerners were having trouble keeping all their slaves with them. A lot of slaves were running away, trying to get to the north so they could be free. Lots of slaves had gotten away. The South was argueing with the North about wiether they can go and collect the slaves or not. They think that slaves are property and be taken and collected anywhere. They had to stop slaves from running away. -
Period: to
The Civil War
The Civil war was between the Confederacy (the South) and the Union (the north) The South and North had been fighting over slavery for a long time now. The North was trying to abolish it and the South was trying to defend it. They had been fighting for many years to solve the problem. After coming to no concencess at all, the only thing they that was left to do was war. The South was led by Jefferson Davis and the North was led by Abraham Lincoln. The main cause of the civil war was slavery, -
The Hundred flowers movement
Under the slogan “Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom and a Hundred Schools of Thought Contend,” Mao actively encourages the opinions and criticisms from all walks of society, including intellectuals (the name is a reference to the Hundred Schools of Thought period of the Warring States Period). -
The Great leap foward.
Frustrated by the slow rate of change, Mao wants to take things up a notch. His Great Leap Forward was supposed to propel China on the fast track to modernization. -
The Tibet rising.
The Tibet Uprising for independence is ruthlessly suppressed. The Dalai Lama escapes to India and sets up a government–in–exile. Tibet from this point on is subjected to close Chinese rule and its considerable mineral resources are tapped. -
Starvation eases
Starvation eases—grain is imported from Canada and Australia. -
Mao rises.
1963: Mao reemerges and starts his vendetta against the “Liu Shaoqi clique”. -
THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION [1966-1976]
The Cultural Revolution was largely a power play by Mao to regain power. Launching an all out attack on his opponents, he has Liu and Deng arrested and placed under house arrest (in poor health and denied medical attention, Liu dies in 1968). -
Ping Pong diplomacy.
China takes its first baby steps out of isolationism. The US ping pong team, who were playing in a tournament in Japan, are invited to Beijing and lavishly received by Mao (events snowballed in Japan after a US player approached a Chinese counterpart by saying in Chinese: “Hi, Chinese, long time no see.”).
