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1524
Giovanni da Verrazzano Discovers New York Harbor
Giovanni da Verrazzano sailed to North America in search of a sea route to the pacific and discovered the New York Harbor -
1534
Frenchman Jacques Cartier Discovers Montreal
Frenchman Jacques Cartier reached the Gulf off the eastern Coast of Canada and followed river until he reached an island with a mountain. He named it Mt. Royal which is now Montreal. -
Jamestown
English Colonist landed in Virginia and named colony Jamestown after monarch who had financed the new settlement. -
Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain sailed up the St. Lawrence River and founded Quebec. Quebec became the capital of New France. -
Henry Hudson
Englishman, Henry Hudson, sailed west from Netherlands searching a northwest sea route to Asia. He did not find it but he did find a river that was later named after him - The Hudson River. -
Pilgrims Founded Plymouth
The pilgrims founded a 2nd English colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts -
Dutch Formed New Netherland
The Dutch claimed the Hudson waterways and established fur trade with the Indians to form the Dutch West India Company and was Granted permission to colonize the region and expand for trade. The Dutch Holdings in North America became known as the New Netherlands. -
English Drive Out The Dutch
English King Charles II granted his brother, the Duke of York, permission to drive out the Dutch. The Dutch surrendered and the Duke of York claimed the colony for England and renamed it New York. -
Mississippi River Explorers
French Jesuit Priest Jacques Marquette and trader Louis Joliet explored the Great Lakes and upper Mississippi River. -
Louisiana was Founded
Sieur de la Salle - explored lower Mississippi River and claimed it for France and named it Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV.