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Swedes & Finns begin settling in the For Christina area
For Christina was named after Queen Christina of Sweden. The fort was located East of now what is Wilmington, Delaware. It was upstream of the Delaware River. -
First African slave brought to Delaware
Anthony was his name. He was brought from the West Indies. -
Dutch build a fort near Newcastle.
Peter Stuyvesant built the Fort Casimir. This was before Governor Stuyvesant and his troops sailed to New York. -
Dutch captured all New Sweden & made it part of New Netherlands.
Dutch General Stuyvesant was done dealing with the Swedes & then wanting to control Delaware. With 317 soldiers & 7 armed ships, Stuyvesant invaded New Sweden and took its forts one by one: ending with Fort Christina in September 1655. Stuyvesant's capturing of Fort Christina marked the end of New Sweden- & Swedish claim to the New World. -
Sir Robert Carr of England- drove the Dutch out of Delaware, claimed land for James, Duke of York, & Delaware became an English colony.
Fun Fact- A couple of years after Carr drove the Dutch- he returned to Bristol, New England & died June 1st, 1667 -
Dutch gain control
The Dutch gain control the land of England. -
Dutch return the land to England
They return the land to England, so England gains control over the dutch. -
Holy Trinity, & an Old Swedes Church is built in Wilmington
The Holy Trinity is the oldest church in the United States that still stands as originally built. Its also a national landmark. -
Colony of Delaware formed.
William Penn granted the 3 lower counties of Pennsylvania their own assembly. The counties later broke away to form the colony of Delaware. -
Willingtown founded & it receives a royal charter
1731- Thomas Willing founds Willingtown.
1739- Willingtown receives a royal charter & is renamed Wilmington. -
Delaware at the Stamp Act Congress
Caesar Rodney & Thomas McKean represent Delaware at the Stamp Act Congress. -
First printing press in Delaware
James Adams sets up the first printing press in Delaware in Wilmington. -
First state to ratify the Federal Constitution
Delaware is the first state to ratify(to sign or give formal consent of something to make it valid) the Federal constitution. -
The first steamboat line
The first steamboat line opens between Philadelphia and New Castle. -
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal & Delaware Free School Act
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal opens. Delaware Free School Act passes, creating first public schools in the state. Louis McLane was appointed Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. -
senate considers ending slavery
The Delaware senate considers ending slavery, but the act is defeated by 1 vote. The senate was John M. Clayton. -
President Lincoln’s offer to buy slaves
Delaware legislatures rejects President Lincoln’s offer to buy its slaves. -
The first telephone line
The first telephone line was installed in Wilmington. -
Electric street trains
Electric street trains started to replace “horse cars” in Wilmington -
Amendments to the United States Constitution
Delaware’s legislature ratifies 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution. -
automobile license
The first automobile license in the state. -
Delaware’s claim to control the Delaware River
United States Supreme Court confirms Delaware’s claim to control the Delaware River. -
World War 2 1939-1945
30,000 Delaware men and women serve in armed forces in World War 2 -
Delaware Court of Chancery
Delaware Court of Chancery orders University of Delaware to end segregation -
Delaware General Assembly outlaws racial segregation in public accommodations
. President John F. Kennedy opens Delaware Turnpike (Interstate 95; John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway) completing a non-stop highway between Boston & Washington D.C. – one of his last public appearances. -
Riots broke out in Wilmington
Wilmington following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. – prompting a 10-month occupation of city by the National Guard., the longest occupation in the country. – Second span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge was dedicated. -
The First State & state marine animal
Delaware is nicknamed “The First State.” The Horse-show crab is named the state marine animal. -
Delaware’s 1st Vice President
Joe Biden was elected as Delaware’s 1st Vice President of the US. & first Roman Catholic to hold office. -
Delaware’s state fruit & Wildlife animal
A strawberry was named Delaware’s state fruit. A Grey Fox becomes the states wildlife animal. -
Civil Union Bill
Delaware passes Civil Union Bill. It allows civil unions shall enjoy all the same rights, benefits, protections, and shall be subject to all the same responsibilities, as married persons a=under the Delaware law.
