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15,000 BCE
Migration Across Bering Strait
Hunter gathers followed their hunt across the icy land bridge call the Bering Strait that connected Asia to North America during the last Ice Age. -
2000 BCE
Maya Civilization
The Maya civilization began in central America -
1001
Leif Erikson Sailed to North America
In the year 1,001 the Icelandic Viking named Leif Erikson sailed across the northern Atlantic Ocean and landed in modern day Canada. Although the Vikings at the time did not create stay in America for long, Erikson was the first European ever to sail to America -
1200
Aztec Empire
IN what is now Mexico the Aztec Empire became one of the largest civilizations in the world -
1450
Iroquois Nation
Spread across the northeastern woodlands of North America multiple tribes of peoples joined together to form the Iroquois Nation, which would last for hundreds of years. -
1492
Christopher Columbus Accidentally finds America
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue in search for new trade and riches with Asia. When Columbus and his men arrived in the Caribbean, he had thought he had arrived to his destination India. Columbus would go on to enslave and massacre the native people he mistakenly called Indians. In Europe, Columbus was rewarded with riches and fame for his actions. -
1500
The Columbian Exchange
After Columbus discovered the New World, trade of goods, animals and even people kidnapped from Africa and enslaved quickly began. The Columbian Exchange mainly brought disease, slavery and death for the people living in America and Africa. People in Europe like Christopher Columbus, especially Spain, Britain and France grew wealthy and powerful from the exchange. Within 100 years 90% of the cities, towns and cultures in North America died away. -
1563
St. Augustine Colony
St. Augustine was the first European colony in North America. The colony was started by the Spanish and used as a key trading post and fortification from other European competitors like France or the Dutch. St. Augustine was settled in what is now the state of Florida. -
Jamestown Colony
In 1607 the European country of Britain made their first successful colony in the New World. In what is now the state of Virginia, British settlers made camp hoping to become wealthy by finding riches that were said to be in the Americas. -
New France Colony
Although the European country of France did not have success like the Spanish and the British in early settling of America, French traders found wealthy in what is now Canada by trading fur with the natives and searching for new routes across the continent. The colony of New France is now a major city called Quebec City in Canada. They still speak French in Quebec to this very day! -
Plymouth Colony
in 1620 British settlers landed on Plymouth Rock in what is now the state of Massachusetts. Just as the Jamestown colony before them, the people of Plymouth were in search of riches and gold in the New World. -
New Amsterdam
By 1626 the Columbian Exchange created trading across the all of the American colonies. One of the largest trading posts was settled by the Dutch who purchased the land from the native tribe. The natives did not believe a person could own land, only live on it. After their trade, the Dutch forced the tribes away from their homes. New Amsterdam grew into one of the largest cities in the world, New York City. -
Puritan Bay Colony
In 1630, a group of very strict and religious people from Britain fled the Old World (Europe) to find a place where they could practice their religion freely. Unlike other European settlers, the Puritans from Britain were not in search for riches and gold in America.
