-
Oct 12, 1492
First Discovery of America
Christopher Columbus made a harrowing journey across the ocean to discover America in 1492. This happened after 10 weeks of travel on rough and unknown seas. -
First English Colony in North America
The first English colony known as the Roanoke Island colony was set up in 1585 by the explorer sir Walter Raleigh. The colony disappeared in 1590 though leaving behind very little clues. -
First Successful Colonization of America by England
In 1607 the first English colony was set up in North America. It was located in Jamestown, Virginia. -
"Starving Time"
Only two years after the creation of Jamestown, the settlers experienced a horrific winter in 1609 and 1610. This cold spell left around 60 of the 500 settlers alive. -
John Rolfe and Tobacco
In 1610 John Rolfe brought tobacco to Virginia. Rolfe's Tobacco was from the West Indies, and was much preferred over the local Virginia tobacco strain. This product became Virginian's first profitable export. -
Slaves for Tobacco
The West Indie tobacco market in Virginia continued to grow, and the very labor intensive nature of growing tobacco made it obvious that farmers needed to have more workers. Around 1619 the importation of Slaves from West Africa become more common in order to keep up with the tobacco industry. -
The Mayflower
In 1620, after 66 days on sea, a ship arrived in Cape Cod carrying onboard 102 passengers and 37 crewmen. The pilgrims founded the colony Plymouth. -
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was considered to be the first constitution of America. It orchestrated some of the first workings of a government in the colonies. It was started by the Connecticut River towns who wanted the government to have access to the ocean for trading. -
The Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina was founded by King Charles II as a show of appreciation for eight Englishmen who helped in his fight to regain the throne back in England. -
Philadelphia is Founded
In 1682 the town of Philadelphia was founded by William Penn. -
Salem Witch Trials
In Massachusetts persecutions of women accused of witchcraft began. It was a result mainly of intolerant church policies. In total 19 women were hung and others imprisoned. -
Province of Carolina Separates
In 1712 the Province of Carolina separated into North and South Carolina. -
Princeton Founded
In 1746 the college of New Jersey now known as Princeton was founded. -
French and Indian War
In 1754 the French and Indian War started. The war was between Great Britain and France, and it was over territory in North America. The Paris Treaty ended the war in 1763, and over the course of the nine years Great Britain gained control of a lot of land. But the war had created issues inside of Great Britain and the Colonies that ultimately led to the American Revolution. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was intended to tax sugar products to help Great Britain pay for the French and Indian War. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was an act that made people use stamps on any official documents or papers. The stamps were a form of tax, which was used to pay for the French and Indian War. -
The Declaratory Act
The Declaratory Act stated that Great Britain had the the same decision making authority in the Colonies as in Great Britain. -
Committees of Correspondence
The Committees of Correspondence is an important organization setup between the colonies to ensure that were communicating and unjust actions brought on by Great Britain wouldn't go unnoticed. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest performed by American Colonists where the Americans raided tea ships in a harbor at night and threw a total of 342 chest of tea into the harbor. This made the tension between Britain and America much worse leading up to the revolution. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts consisted of 4 Acts. The Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, and the Quartering Act. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was an act that forced colonies to provide housing for British soldiers during the war. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord started the revolutionary war. 49 Colonists were killed and 39 were wounded, while the British lost 73 and 174 were wounded. -
The Battle at Bunker Hill
In the Battle at Bunker Hill the British conquered the Americans, but was very costly for the British, more so than the Americans. The British suffered a great loss of 228 dead and 828 wounded. The Americans lost more than 100 soldiers and more than 300 were injured. -
Separation of Delaware and Pennsylvania
At the start of American Revolution Delaware voted to break away from Great Britain and Pennsylvania. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was the United States declaration of it's official separation from Great Britain. In the document it is described how unfairly the colonists were treated by Great Britain, as well as how this new country plans to take care of it's citizens in a democratic way. -
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton was an important win for the Americans because it was the first time George Washington's army had defeated a regular army, which gave a much needed morale boost to the Americans. 22 Americans were killed and 92 were injured. The British lost 150. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre began as an argument between an American Colonist and a British soldier. It turned into mob tearing through the streets, which then lead to the execution of five colonists in the streets by British Soldiers. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Americans won the Battle of Saratoga which turned out to be a pivotal part of the revolution for them. It also motivated the Spanish, French, and Dutch to join them. Americans lost 90 soldiers and 240 were injured. the British lost 440 and almost 700 were injured. -
The Battle of Charleston
The Battle of Charleston lasted from March 29 to May 12 in 1780. The Americans surrendered this battle which left the British to take over the city. 89 Americans were killed and 138 were injured. The British had a death toll of around 76 and 189 wounded.