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Settlement at Jamestown
London sent three ships to the New World to the area that is now Virginia. In the spring a settlement was founded by the Virginia Company of London on a river to be named after King James, as was the town -- Jamestown. This was the first permanent settlement in the Americas ("World History Timeline"). -
King Charles I defeated
King Charles I came to the thrown after the death of his father, and refused to rule with Parliament. The struggle for supremacy led to the first English civil war. Charles I was forced to stand trial before a high court filled with his enemies, and was then convicted of treason and sentenced to death. He was beheaded early the next year ("King Charles"). -
England's Habeas Corpus Act
England's parliament passed the Habeas Corpus Act as a response to public pressure ("World History Timeline"). This act authorized judges to issue summons when courts were on vacation and deliver sever punishments to judges who refused to comply with it. These rights to habeas corpus were regarded as basic protections of individual rights ("Habeas Corpus"). -
War of Austrian Succession
The War of Austrian Succession involved most of the powers of Europe over the inquiry of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg. France and Britain were very hostile during this war, and led to two other battles which ended with many casualties. The war ended with the signing of a treaty between Britain, Spain, France, and the Dutch ("World History Timeline"). -
Treaty of Paris 1763
The Treaty of Paris was signed in February of 1763 by Britain, France, and Spain to end the Seven Years’ War between Great Britain and France. France lost territories in mainland America, and the huge territory of Louisiana to Spain. The land Britain obtained from France began to undergo attacks by the natives who were fed up with the policies of the British General. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the Revolutionary War between Britain and the United States (“World History Timeline”). -
Birth of John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767 to John and Abigail Adams in Braintree, Massachusetts. -
Travel to France
When John Quincy was eleven-years-old he traveled with with his father to France where his father, John Adams served as a diplomatic envoy. It took them six weeks to cross the Atlantic on the Boston. JQA enrolled in a private academy in France, L’Ecole de Mathematiques (“Timeline of the life”). He became an accomplished linguist and secretary to his father. He did not return to Boston until 1785 (“John Quincy Adams”). -
Harvard College
In 1785 upon his return to America, JQA enrolled in Harvard College where he pursued a degree in arts. In 1787 he graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Arts. He practiced law with Theophilus Parsons and earned his Master of Art Degree in 1790. In 1791 he was admitted to the bar and began to practice law in Boston, and was later noticed by President Washington (“Timeline of the life”). -
Shays's Rebellion
Shays’s Rebellion was an armed uprising led by Revolutionary War captain Daniel Shays in western Massachusetts between 1786-1787. These protests were in retaliation to high taxes and stringent economic conditions. It was an extreme attempt by debtors to force the government to fix their economic distress by shutting down the courts so that their debts could not be collected (Oakes, 212). -
Constitution
During the summer of 1787 55 delegates met for almost four months and finally ratified the Constitution on September 17, 1787. The Constitution was based off of the Virginia Plan, which was a blueprint for substantial change: a strong central government divided into three branches; a system of federalism that guaranteed every state a republican government; and proposals for admitting new states and amending the Constitution. The Constitution was the product of many compromises (Oakes, 220-222). -
Marriage to Louisa Catherine Johnson
John Quincy married Louisa Catherine Johnson, a British born American merchant, on July 26 1797. When John first wrote to his parents about his friend who he intended to marry they were concerned for his future in politics. After he wrote a letter they were open to the idea and happy to receive her as a daughter appropriate for their son (Unger, 100-101). -
Appointed to U.S. Senate
In August of 1802 John Quincy was appointed to the U.S. Senate. He also switched allegiance from the Federalist party to the Democratic-Republican party. Six years later, President Madison appointed him Minister to Russia (“John Quincy Adams”). -
The War of 1812
President Madison signs a declaration of war against Britain on June 18 after pressures from Congress. England invades the new country, U.S., and attacks in order to reclaim the North American territory. Twice the U.S. wins over Britain and proves that they are there to stay and not giving up their land. -
Treaty of Ghent
John Quincy headed the American delegation that signed the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, which ended the War of 1812. The peace treaty restored relations between the U.S. and Britain, and restoring the borders between the two countries to how the lines were before the war started. The treaty was not in full effect until it was ratified by then Senate in 1815. This initiated two centuries of peace between the countries (Unger, 176-177). -
Secretary of State
John Quincy served under Monroe as one of America’s great Secretaries of State. He arranged for joint occupation of the Oregon country with Britain, and obtaining the area of Florida from Spain. He was elected for two consecutive terms, serving under President James Monroe (“John Quincy Adams”). -
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolutions was the transition from an agrarian, handcraft economy to one dominated by industry and machine manufacture. The main features involved were technological, socioeconomic, and cultural. This process started in Britain in the 18th century and then spread to other parts of the world (“Industrial Revolution"). -
Elected President
John quincy Adams was elected president in 1825 after a challenging election. When he won against Jackson there was much dispute over the election being stolen in a “corrupt bargain”. Adams was furious at these accusations, but continued his plan for federal involvement in the political economy (Oakes, 303-305). -
Loss of Presidency
In 1829 Adams lost the presidential election to Jackson. During the campaign Jackson opponents charged him with public plunder and corruption. After his loss he decided to go back to Massachusetts where he thought he would live the rest of his life enjoying his farm and books (“John Quincy Adams”). -
Britain's Abolition Slavery Act
Britains Abolition slavery Act went into effect in 1834, The British government was prepared to financially compensate for those who lose slaves (“World History Timeline”). In 1783 an anti-slavery movement began throughout the British public to abolish the slave trade. This act was repealed in 1998 (Wikipedia, 2016) -
Death of JQA
On February 21, 1848 John Quincy suffered a stroke . He died two days later on February 23, 1848 in Washington, D.C.. -
Lincoln elected president
Abraham Lincoln was elected the United States 16th President. He initiated the Emancipation Proclamation which declared to free all slaves within the Confederacy in 1863. He was reelected in 1864 before he was assassinated in 1865 while attending the opera (“Abraham Lincoln”). -
Civil War
The start of the Civil War was due to uncompromising differences between free slave states over the power of the national government to prohibit slavery in territories which had not yet become free states (Oakes, 454). On April 12, 1861 Confederated invaded the Union soldiers at Fort Sumter. The war ended in the Spring of 1865 when the last major Confederate army surrendered on April 9, 1865 (Oakes,472).
