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Jan 1, 1450
John Cabot
ohn Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer whose 1497 discovery of parts of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England is commonly held to have been the first European encounter with the mainland of North America since the Norse Vikings visits to Vinland in the eleventh century. The official position of the Canadian and British governments is that he landed on the island of Newfoundland. -
Oct 30, 1450
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer, born in the Republic of Genoa. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Those voyages, and his efforts to establish permanent settlements on the island of Hispaniola, initiated the Span -
Feb 3, 1468
Johannes Gutenberg
Johannes Gutenberg was a German blacksmith, goldsmith, printer, and publisher who introduced printing to Europe. -
Jan 1, 1492
Reconquista
The Reconquista is a period of approximately 781 years in the history of the Iberian Peninsula, after the Islamic conquest in 711–718 to the fall of Granada, the last Islamic state on the peninsula, in 1492. It comes before the discovery of the New World, and the period of the Portuguese and Spanish colonial empires which followed. -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillass
The Treaty of Tordesillas Spanish: Tratado de Tordesillas, signed at Tordesillas on 7 June 1494 and authenticated at Setúbal, Portugal, divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Portugal and Spain along a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands. This line of demarcation was about halfway between the Cape V -
Jan 1, 1500
Slave Trade
The Atlantic slave trade or triangular slave trade took place across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th through to the 19th centuries. The vast majority of those enslaved that were transported to the New World, many on the triangular trade route and its Middle Passage, were West Africans from the central and western parts of the continent sold by West Africans to Western European slave traders, or by direct European capture to the Americas. -
Jan 1, 1512
Encomienda System
The encomienda was a legal system that was used by the Spanish crown during the Spanish colonization of the Americas to regulate Native Americans and to reward individual Spaniards for services to the crown. -
Jan 1, 1517
Prodtestant Reformation
"The Protestant Reformation was a major 16th century European movement aimed initially at reforming the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Its religious aspects were supplemented by ambitious political rulers who wanted to extend their power and control at the expense of the Church. The Reformation ended the unity imposed by medieval Christianity and, in the eyes of many historians, signaled the beginning of the modern era. -
Sep 7, 1533
Elisibeth I
Elizabeth I was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana or Good Queen Bess, the childless Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. -
Jun 28, 1547
Henry VIII
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later assumed the Kingship, of Ireland, and continued the nominal claim by English monarchs to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the Tudor dynasty, succeeding his father, Henry VII -
Roanoke
The Roanoke Colony on Roanoke Island in Dare County, present-day North Carolina, United States, was a late 16th-century attempt by Queen Elizabeth I to establish a permanent English settlement -
Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada (Spanish: Grande y Felicísima Armada or Armada Invencible, literally was a Spanish fleet of 130 ships that sailed from A Coruña in August 1588, under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia with the purpose of escorting an army from Flanders to invade England. -
Quebec
Original settlement on this site was established by Jacques Cartier in 1535 but abandoned in 1536. He returned in 1541 but abandoned the site again. Samuel de Champlain established a permanent settlement on July 3–4, 1608. Only completely garrison-walled city north of Mexico. -
Richard Hakluyt
Richard Hakluyt was an English writer. -
Plymouth
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth -
WIlliam Bradford
William Bradford was a significant figure in Plymouth Colony. On finding the new World Bradford took a leadership role in the colony and was one of the signers of the Mayflower Compact. He was the leader of the colony for a legnthy span and cooperated with Native Americans to teach the colonists how to survive. -
New Hampshire
John Mason founded the colony of New Hampshire. New Hampshire was a colony that produced a lot of naval services and wood. There was much dispute over land that wouldn't be resolved until the Mason-Dixon line. The colony operated under the Massachusetts Bay Colony with the provision that members did not have to be part of the Puritan church. -
Massachusetts Bay Colony
A colony on the east coast that was economicly successful in trading with England and the West Indies. -
The Carolinas
The Carolinas were formed because the landownders in the Carribean island of Barbados was running out of land. The King Cahrles II gave the men in support of him and the colony the title of Propieter and controlled the colony. -
Maryland
Lord Baltimore was given a charter to create a colony that would be a safe haven for English Catholics. This was one of the first colonies to be focused on religious tolerance. The colony was founded sort of the same was as Jamestown where settlements were along the waterways and rivers. Maryland grew tobacco for export to England, like Jamestown. -
Rhode Island
Roger Williams was an influential preacher in Massachusetts that had ideas in conflict with the Puritan leaders. So he was exiled and he and a group of his followers formed the colony of Rhode island. Some time later Anne Hutchinson, who was another freethinker and was exiled, followed Roger Williams and formed a settlement near Rhode island. Eventually these settlements and plantations were formed into a single colony that heralded religious freedom. -
New York
First called New Amsterdam, the area around New York was originally founded by Dutch colonists, along with other national and ethnic groups. These peoples included freed slaves, Germans, Finnish people, Scots, and Swedish people. Colonel Richard Nicholls demanded the surrender of the colonists in 1664 and without violence the colonists became British and the colony was renamed to New York to honor the King's brother who was the Duke of York. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon’s Rebellion was lead by Nathaniel Greene, a wealthly landowner who was upset he wasn't in the elite circle of the governeor William Berkely. So he attacked some Natives to inspire the common people who were having dificulties with Indian attacks and he chases the govenor out of town. He stopped when he realized that he was petty in fightin over fur trading rights where other men had actual grievances. -
Jamestown
Jamestown was the first settlement of the Virginia Colony, founded in 1607, and served as capital of Virginia until 1699, when the seat of government was moved to Williamsburg. This article covers the history of the fort and town at Jamestown proper, as well as colony-wide trends resulting from and affecting the town during the time period in which it was capital. -
The Great Awakening
The Great Awakening is a period in the Americas preachers, wanting to imitate the preachers of past issued a surge in emotionalism in relgion. They led revivals and the inspired a great many people to follow them. These preachers preached mainly about a having a personal experience with God and achieving salvation through good works. -
Georgia
James Oglethorpe founded Gerogia to clear out the impoverished and criminal population of England where they could start a new life, as well as protect South Carolina from the advances of the Spanish to the South. -
French and Indian War
Also known as the 7 Years War, the French & Indian War was the colonies' attempt to drive the French out of Mississippi. In the end, Florida, Canada, & everything east of the MS River was Britain's; they took all but France's Guadeloupe & Martinique. Peace of Paris of 1763 was signed to end the war. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was put into place in 1764. It revised duties on sugar, coffee, tea, and wine. The Sugar Act was implemented as Britain's effort to generate revenue from the colonists to pay off post-war debt. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act caused printed documents to be issued on a special stamped paper. Colonists were then forced to pay for specialized stamps, and it affected all Americans negatively. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act required colonists to shelter/provide for British soldiers. Colonists yearned to refuse, as they felt uncomfortable. -
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was an intercolonial gathering where petitions were drafted and issues were discussed. In essence, they petitioned against unwanted taxes. -
Declatory Act
Parliament essentially declares its superiority and supremacy above colonists absolutely, causing colonists to feel powerless yet motivated. -
Townshed Revenue Act
New duties were implemented on glass, tea, lead, paper, paints, etc. Customs collections were tightened. Colonists refused to submit and began to look for ways to thwart the acts. -
Boston Massacre
British soldiers were picked on and shot 5 bystanders. It inspired the colonists to further the revolution. -
Tea Act
Parliament gives the East India Company permission to sell tea in order to save itself from collapse, and the price of tea is reduced. However, some people were rendered incapable of making a suitable living. -
Boston Tea Party
Patriots dumped British Tea into the Boston Harbor, which spurred the Intolerable Acts and marked extreme rebellion against Britain. -
Coercive/Intolerable Acts
Britain closes the Boston Port and restricts the Massachusett's government in addition to tightening control everywhere and stationing soldiers in the colonies. It was implemented to punish colonists for the Boston Tea Party and ultimately led to the creation of the Continental Congress. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting held with the intention of deciding what could be done to avoid the British tyranny. They decided to halt all commerce with Britain until the Intolerable Acts were repealed. -
Shots Heard Round The World
This was the battle at Lexington & Concord. People were hyped about going to war after the American victory. -
Lexington & Concord
Gage dispatched troops to take control of rebel supplies, however militia soldiers were gathered around & shots were fired as British soldiers approached Concord. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress assembled the Continental Army under Washington. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Continental Congress petitioned for peace with Britain one last time before going to definite war. -
Prohibitory Act
The Prohibitory Act declared the British intention to coerce Americans into submission and put an embargo on American goods while seizing American ships. In essence, it declared war on American commerce and rendered them incapable of trading. -
Common Sense
Written by Thomas Paine, Common Sense inspired Americans everywhere to break away from Britain's rule. -
Trenton
The Continental Army crossed the Delaware River and surprise ambushed the British. The Americans won. -
Germantown/Valley Forge
The British entered Philadelphia and Americans were crushed after being forced to retreat. -
Saratoga
After being prepared, the Americans were victorious and gained the French as an ally. -
King's Mountain
Though Americans lost the first battle, they ended up winning. -
Yorktown
British chased the Americans but grew tired, leading to an American victory that won the revolution. -
Sebastian Cabot
Charles Sebastian Thomas Cabot was an English film and television actor -
Pennnsylvania
William Penn founded Pennsylvania as a colony intended not only for Quakers but also for religious tolerance. The colony rose in influence with the city of Philidelphi and made economic stride by producing a very popular grain and feed for animals.