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Delaware Bay is discovered
Henry Hudson was an Englishman who was sailing for the Dutch East India Company and discovered the Delaware Bay and River -
Delaware Bay is Renamed
Captain Samuel Argall named the bay and river after Lord De La Warr who was the governor of Virginia -
Fort Casimir is built
Peter Stuyvesant who was a Dutch governor of New Netherland built Fort Casimir (now New Castle) just a few miles south of Fort Christina -
Fort Casmir is taken over and renamed by the Swedes
Fort Casmir was captured by the Swedes and renamed Fort Trinity -
Fort Trinity is taken over by the Dutch
The Dutch defeated the Swedes, ending the New Sweden Colony. Delaware later became a part of New Netherland -
Pennsylvania is created
William Penn was granted land from England and established the colony of Pennsylvania -
Delaware is given to William Penn
The Duke of York transfers control of the Delaware Colony to William Penn -
Delaware becomes its own colony
Delaware's first assembly of the Three Lower Counties Upon Delaware, separate from Pennsylvania, meets at New Castle and makes Delaware its own colony -
An increase in taxes for all the colonies
The French and Indian War ended in 1763 and Great Britain gained control of all land previously held by France. England payed for the war by increasing taxes on its American Colonies. Restrictions on the colonists eventually lead to a fight for independence from the crown -
Delaware is represented at the Stamp Act Congress
Caesar Rodney and Thomas McKean represented Delaware at the Stamp Act Congress in 1765 -
The Revolutionary War Begins
The American Revolutionary War started with the battles at Lexington and Concord and eventually lead to America gaining independence from Britain in 1776 -
America gains independence from Britain
Congress approved the final text of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams believed the date would be known as “the most memorable epocha in the history of America” -
Delaware becomes the first state in the United States
Delaware ratified the United States Constitution and became the 1st state in the United States on December 7th 1787 -
The United States elects its first president
George Washington served as a general and commander-in-chief of the colonial armies during the American Revolution and later became the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797 -
First School Act is passed
Delaware Free School Act passes in legislature creating first public schools in the state which opened public schools -
Civil War frees slaves in America
From 1861-1865 a war between the North and Southern parts of America were at war over whether or not to abolish slavery. The North fought to abolish slavery and the South fought to keep slavery and in the end slaves were freed. -
Delaware votes against all races being equal
The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution guaranteed equal protection for any race under the law. The Delaware legislature voted against the amendment -
Delaware opens its first ocean resort
Delaware opened its first ocean resort at Rehoboth Beach in 1870 -
Delaware splits African American kids and white kids to different schools
State legislature created separate schools with separate funding for white children and African American children so they wouldn't be around one another -
Delaware opens a college for black students
State College for Colored Students chartered and is now Delaware State University -
The Delaware Corporation Law is passed
With time this law would make it easier for businesses to incorporate in Delaware than in other states -
Delaware abolishes pillory
Delaware became the last state to abolish the use of the pillory. Pillory was a wooden framework with holes for the head and hands, in which an offender was imprisoned and exposed to public abuse. some people, even children, would throw rocks, tomatoes, anything they could throw -
Delaware is given a large highway
T. Coleman du Pont builds a highway running the length of the state of Delaware and gave it to State of Delaware -
Delaware helps out in World War I
Almost 10,000 people from Delaware serve in World War I -
Delaware gains control over the Delaware River
United States Supreme Court confirmed Delaware's claim to control the Delaware River -
World War II
30,000 Delaware men and women serve in armed forces in World War II where the Nazis in Germany were keeping Jews in concentraition camps and killing -
Delaware is forced to end segregation
Delaware Court of Chancery orders University of Delaware to end segregation -
Delaware gets a new highway
President John F. Kennedy opens Delaware Turnpike (Interstate 95; now John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway) completing a non-stop highway between Boston and Washington D.C. This was one of Kennedy's last public appearances -
A baseball player from Delaware is elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame
William Johnson, a former Negro League baseball player, becomes Delaware's first player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame -
A football player from Delaware is chosen in the first round of the draft
Joe Flacco became first player in Delaware football history to be selected in the 1st round of NFL draft
