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Nov 10, 1492
Columbus Lands in the New World
Columbus landed in modern day Bahamas thinking it was the Indies. He came looking for spices and gold and he claimed this land for Spain. -
Nov 11, 1492
The Spanish Empire
Many Spanish conquerers such as Christopher Columbus, Hernan Cortes, Francisco Pizzaro claimed land in parts of North and South America. They wated to gain a lot of gold and wealth and by doing so, they tortured and killed thousands of Native Americans. This was also when the Columbian exchange began. Europe and America transfered people, plants, animals, and diseases back and forth. -
Nov 11, 1534
New France
As Spain was getting wealthier each year, France sent Jacques Cartier to explore the atlantic coastline of North America to find a northwest passage of water through North America to the Pacific ocean. He failed to find one so instead he claimed the land we know know as Canada for France. He called it New France. The first settlement was made by Samuel de Champlain. The French were very interested in the fur trade and became buisness partners with the Huron indians. They gave them protection. -
Nov 27, 1540
Seven Cities of Cibola
An old European tale told that these cities were so fabulously rich that the streets and houses were decorated with gold and jewels. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado set out from New Mexico with de Niza as his guide to find these cities. He did not find the seven golden cities but instead he founf seven small villages. Although, his explorations opened a new area for spanish settlements. -
The Lost Colony of Raonoke
Sir Walter Raleigh tried to start a colony in Raonoke Island. The first group failed as their supplied ran out so Raleigh sent another group of Colonists. Unfortunately, they arived late and missed the season to plant crops. Their Captain went back to England for more supplies. When he was in England, a fight between Spain and England had started, which delayed him 3 years to get back. When he finally got back, the colonists had disappeared and carved on a door post was the word "CROATOAN". -
Jamestown
"Discovered" in 1497 by John Cabot who put a flag for England in land he mistakenly thought was Asia. Jamestown was a swamp, swarming with disease-carrying mosquitoes. A large Native American group surrounded them as well. The settlers ran out of food and the natives did not want to trade with them. Many people started dying so in 1608, Captain John Smith took over and had the people working. He was almost killed by the Natives but their Chief's daughter, Pocahontas, saved him.They bought peace. -
New Netherland
Henry Hudson discovered a river full of fish and followed it, thinking it would take him all the way across the continent. It didn't so instead he claimed the land along it's banks for Netherland. It was later called New Netherland. In 1621, Dutch colonists settled along the upper hudson river and found it was a great place to make profit from fur. In 1626, Peter Minuit gave the natives goods worth $24 in exchange for their land. They also helped the Iroqois fight the Hurons. -
New Amsterdam
As the fur-tade was expanding, the Dutch settlement in Manhattan grew to over a thousand people. Peter Stuyvesant to be the the governor. As he arrived, he declared the settlement to be called New Amsterdam. He had lost his leg at battle and had wooden leg decorated with silver nails. He had governed for 17 years. By 1660, he nearly had 8000 people living there. Though he surrendered to the British without a fight as he was outnumberred and outgunned. -
Proclamation of 1763
The proclamation stated that the colonists settle on the east of the Appalachian Mountains and the natives stay west. This would keep them from killing eachother. To Americans, the King's order suggested tyranny. They argued that the east had already been mostly settled and the west was the only place farmers could find new land. The proclamation was too late as settlers were already crossing the mountains. These arguements were ignored and the British army in America was expanded to 7500 men. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was establshed because there was a large debt to pay off from the French and Indian War. This law required colonists to buy a stamp for every piece of paper they used. This includes newspapers, wills, licenses, playing cards, etc. This was later repealed for violence from the colonists. They were upset they didn't have someone to represent them in the Parliament. They argued, protested, formed gangs like the sons of liberty to beat up tax collectors. They almost buried one alive. -
The Quartering Act.
Soon after the Stamp Act was repealed, a new law was passed by the Parliament. This law ordered the colonial assemblies to provide British troops with quarters or housing This includes candles, firing bedding, cooking utencils, salt, vinegar, and beer or cider. Colonists saw this as much an act for laying taxes on colonsts as the Stamp Act. New Yorkers said all they did was take up space and not do anything. In 1767, they decided not to vote any funds for salt, vinegar, and liquor. -
The Townshend Acts
A man named Charles Townshend believed that the colonists' bad behaviour made it important to keep an army in America. He promised the Parliament that he will make the colonists pay for that army. The new law placed duty on certain goods the colonies imported from Britain. Such as glass, paint, tea, and paper. Samual Adams wrote a letter saying that these new duties violated their rights as British citizens. They decided to boycott British goods. 1770, the acts were repealed except for tea. -
The Tea Act
Tp rescue the British East India Company from going broke, Lord North had to sell 17 million pounds of tea that were sitting in the London Warehouses. The tea act lowered the cost of tea in the colonies. This also gave the company a monopoly and only chosen merchants could sell this tea.The colonists saw this as another attempt to tax them without their consent. This led to the Boston Tea Party. The sons of liberty poured 90000 pounds of tea overboard in the Boston Harbor on December 16, 1773. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were designed to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. The first law closed the Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for. The second placed the government totally under Britain control and the third said the British soldiers who were accused of murder would be tried in England.They did not give in. Other colonies helped them by food and money to them. In case boycotts didn't work, colonies started forming militias. These Acts brought the 2 sides to the brink of war. -
Lexington & Concord
Even after the colonists sent letters to the King. The British decided to attack Concord when they heard that the colonists were stashing gun powder. The colonist were informed that they were coming and minutemen gathered to attack. To this day, no one knows who was the first to fire in Lexington but a shot was fired and then all the shooting started. The British lost this attack -
The second continental congress
John Adams proposed the congress to create a "continental army" made up of troops from all the colonies.The Second Continental Congress put George Washington as Commander in Chief for their Continental Army. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The militiamen digged a fort on top of Breed's hill. William Howe ordered an immediete attack as he was worried. 2000 british soldiers marched up the hill and when they were almost to the top, the colonists attacked. The British fell back in confusion. This was repeated the second time. The colonists lost the hill on the third attack but only because they were out of gun powder. It was misnamed the battle of bunker hill and more than 1000 british soldiers were killed and half as many colonists. -
The Olive Branch Petition
The Congress sent a letter of peace to King George, asking to end all fights. But by the time the letter reached King George, he already decided tand declared the colonies to be in "open and avowed rebellion." he ordered his ministers "to bring the traitors to justice" This convinced the general that independane was the only was out. -
The Siege of Boston
Washington tricked the British into thinking they had 1,800 barrels of gurnpowder, when in fact, they only had 36. He sent a bookseller called Henry Knox to Fort Ticonderoga to get cannons. He brought back 59 cannons by dragging them 300 miles on sleds. He also brought back 2300 pounds of lead for future bullets. They aimed the cannons on the city from the ridges of Dorchester Heights. This led general Howe to leave with 9000 soldiers and 1100 loyalist to Canada. -
The Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson was selected to write tthe Declaration of Independence. He included the long list of the King's abuses and declared that these united colonies are free and independent states. It was then edited by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. On July 4th, delgates approved the final version and signed it. They knew by signing it that if they failed to win, the will be hung. -
The Battle of New York
The battle of New York for a decisive battle where the armies met in Brooklyn, New York. The inexperienced Americans lost to the British. Only 377 of the British men while 1407 Americans died. The Americans didn't surrender but retreated. -
Trenton
Washington led his army and crossed the Delaware River and made their way through Trenton. Whe they reacher there, they found the Hessians sleeping after a big Christmas feast. They caught them by surprise and caught 868 prisoners. -
Saratoga
On June, 1777, General John Burgoyne left Canada to take control of tNew York's Hudson River Valley. When he finally reached Saragoto sprngs on the Hudson River, it was swarming with militia. Though they were outnumbered by the Americans, the fought. The were beaten again and again until General John Burgoyne finally surrendered on October 17, 1777. -
Yorktown
As Lord Charles Cornwallis and his troops were settling into Yorktown to rest, France sent 8000 troops to join Washington's army. He secretly moved his now 16,0000 men to Virginia and surrounded Yorktown. The French warships blocked the entrance to Chesapeake Bay so the British won't be able to be rescued by sea. They made two lines more than a mile along the road to Yorktown. When the British did not send the navy to help, Cornwallis surrendered. -
Treaty of Paris
The representitives of the United States and Britain signed a peace treaty in Paris. It had 3 important parts. First, Britain agreed to recognize the United States as an independent nation, second, Britain gave up its claims to all lands between the Atlantic Coast and Mississippi River. Third, the United States agrred to return all rights and property taken from loyalists during the war. -
Constitutional Convention
Delegates met in Philedalphia up to see if they could make a few changes to the Articles of Confederation . nstead they ended up writing a whole new document called the Constituion. -
Ratification of the US constitution
The U.S. Constitutiion stated how the government would be set upa House of Representation which had a number of representatives depending on the population..For representation there were two sides: Senate which was 2 drepresentatives for each states and It was split into 3 branches: legeslative (Senate and House of Representatives), Executive (the President), and Judicial (court). -
Shay's Rebellion
During the war, farmers were told to take out loans so they could buy more land to feed the soldiers. However, they were put in jail when they couldn't pay back their loans.They burned courthouses to destroy the loan records and protested. -
Ratification of Articles of Confederation
After the Revolutionary War ended, the states met to decide how they would form their government. They decided against a central government lest what happened with King George happen again. They decided to opt for a state-powered government called the Articled of Confederation. -
The Louisiana Purchase
The French owned Lousiana once the Spanish gave it back . Since New Orleans is part of Louisiana the American farmers were worried that the French would stop them from trading and making money on their crops. So in 1800 the President, Thomas Jefferson, sent James Monroe to France to offer 7.5 million dollars for Louisana. So when Monroe got there other things were going on. The French were at war with the British and didnt want them to take it so instead they sold it to the US for $15 million. -
Spain gives Florida to the US
In 1818, Spain was in control of Florida. In Florida there were Seminole (NA) and runaway slaves. Both groups liked to raid Georgia as revenge. So the President, now James Monroe, sent Andrew Jackson to Florida to ask the Spanish would sell them Florida. the Spanish declined which made Jackson angry. He led 1,700 troops to Florida and attcked. The Spanish wanted Jackson imprisoed, intsead Monroe threatened to attack if they didnt leave. They didn't want a war so they left after signing a treaty -
Missouri applied for statehood as a slave state.
This issue upet the Northerners because they were afraid that slavery might spread to the Northern Territory as a part of Missouri was above the Mississippi river. It would also mean that the Southerners would get more representation in congress as the balance would be changed. -
Indian Removal Act
In 1830, the Indian Removal Act was passed by Congress. This act forced many native american tribes to move west, into new territory on the Great Plains. Some tribes went willingly, but others refused. For example, the Sac and Fox, led by Black Hawk. -
The Trail Of Tears
The Cherokee was one of the tribes that did not go willingly. They were forced from their homes and made to walk over 3,000 km barefoot, without their belongings. Many became ill and died on the way to the Indian Territory. This devestating walk was known as the "Trail of Tears". -
Congress refused to consider anti-slavery petitions to stop slavery in Washington, D.C.
During the 1830's, abolitionists flooded the nation's capital with anti-slavery petitions. The Northerners were upset about this issue because they knew that the Congress had the power to ban slavery in the nation's capital but they wouldn't as they decided to table all anti-slavery petitions in 1836. -
Some Northerners assisted fugitve slaves
The Southerners were upset about this because a slave was a valuable piece of property and the Northerners helping them was just as bad a robbing a bank to them. They demanded that Congress come up with a law that helped them get their slaves back. -
Texas is annexed
The Spanish held Texas until 1827 when it became an independent country from Spain: Mexico. Americans were not aloud to live there, only one. As the year passed there were 25,000 Americans in Texas illegally. This started war. In the end the Americans won bu tTexas was its own country for 10 years before James K. Polk became President and added Texas as its 28th state. -
Oregon Treaty
In 1819, 4 nations all had claims in Oregon, Russia, Spain, Britain, and the United States. By 1825, only Britain and the US had claims on it. Many settlers had rushed to Oregon and lived peacfully with each other. President James Polk decided that he wanted a bigger claim to Oregon. In 1846, a treaty passed splitting Oregon roughly in half with Britain. -
The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso stated that slavery would not be allowed in the Mexican Cession.The Southerners were upset because they felt that the Congress had no right to tdecide where slaveholders could take their property. -
War with Mexico
After President James Polk offered to buy areas of Mexico from the mexican government and was denied, mexican soldiers shot and killed/wounded 16 americans. This gave Polk an excuse to start a war. After 2 years of fighting, Americans had gained control over Callifornia, New Mexico, and other land. In 1848, Mexico and the US agreed to sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, giving the US texas and a large chunk of mexican land. In return, the US gave the mexican government $15 million. -
Civil War
The Civil started in 1861 after Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. The Civil war started because the Southerners feared that Abraham Lincoln would abolish slavery as he was against it and didn't want it to spread. Abe Lincoln could not let them secede as it might lead other states to secede in the future. It ended in 1865 after the South surrendered. Slavery was abolished.
