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Jan 1, 1517
Martin Luther Begins Protestant Reformation
When Martin Luther nailed his protests on the door of the Wittenburg Cathedral, he was shaping a new doctrine. By igniting this new protestant reform against the Catholic church, Luther was inevitably shaping millions of people across Europe, some of whom would eventually found young America. -
Period: Jan 1, 1517 to
Settling the Northern Colonies
When Colombus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, little did he know just how influential his discovery was for the New World. This is the tale of the Northern Colonies, one area of many that the peoples of Europe settled. -
Jan 1, 1536
John Calvin of Geneva Publishes Institutes of the Christian Religion
John Calvin ingited teachings of predestination, the sovereignty of God, the supreme authority of the Scriptures, and the irrisitability of grace. Calvin gained numerous followers in the Northern Colonies with these, at the time, radical ideas. -
Pilgrims Sail on the Mayflower to Plymouth Bay
Escaping religious persecution from Europe and being accussed of being seperatists, a group of Pilgrims took a huge risk and sailed into the unknown on a small ship called the Mayflower. They successfully landed at Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts to begin their new life in 1620. Although life would not be as they had expected... -
Dutch found New Netherland
Four years after the Pilgrims settle at Plymouth, the Dutch found their own colony called New Amsterdam. This colony would later become the colony of New York. -
Charles I Dismisses Parliment and Persecutes Puritans
When Charles I dismisses parliment, he effectively secures his own power over his people. However, masses of Puritans begin to move to America because of this. Eventually, Charles' own people execute him on January 30, 1649 after being found guilty of high treason against the people of Europe. -
Puritans Found Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Puritans found their own colony near the original site where the Pilgrims landed. -
Roger Williams Convicted of Heresy and Founds Rhode Island Colony
Roger Williams founds the "Rogues' Island", or Rhode Island Colony, as a place where pepole who are not welcome anywhere else are welcome. People such as Ann Hutchinson made this colony home. This colony was the first to be somewhat "religiously free". -
Pequot War
The Pequot War was an armed conflict between the Pequot tribe and an alliance of the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Saybrook colonies with American Indian allies (the Narragansett and Mohegan tribes). -
Anne Hutchinson Banished from Massahusetts Bay Colony
Anne Hutchinson's unorthodoxed views challenged the clergy and the authority of the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. So, the Puritans banished her from the colony. She would go to Rhode Island, for a time, before settling in New York. -
Connecticut and New Haven Colonies Founded
Connecticut Colony and New Haven Colonies are founded by Puritans who wanted a much closer connection between church and state. -
Connecticut's Fundamental Orders Drafted
The very first "constitution" in early America, the Fundamental Orders established a loose form of governement that was democratically controlled by the peoples of the colony. Many of the ideas from the fundamental Orders were later placed in Connecticut's State Constitution. -
English Civil War
Also known as the "Uncivil War" (hence the picture), the English Civil War was a major distraction for England at the time. The armed conflict pitted Parliamentarians (Roundheads) against Royalists (Cavaliers). The war established a new cultural rule: that an monarch cannot govern without the people's consent. This concept was only written down in law with the Glorious Revolution later. -
New England Confederation Formed
Was an Puritan alliance between the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, New Haven, and Connecticut colonies against the local Native American tribes (Mohegan and Narrangansetts). The charter for the alliance also granted the colonies powers to return fugitives and indentured servants. -
William Bradford Completes "Of Plymouth Plantation"
William Bradford, the leader of the Plymouth pilgrims, writes about life in the early pilgrim colony. -
New Netherland conquers New Sweden
When New Sweden arose just south of New Netherland, the people of New Netherland attacked and successfully conquered the smaller colony, making New Netherland a bigger colony. -
England Siezes New Netherland from Dutch; East and West Jersey Colonies Founded
England purchases the colony of New Netherland. Because of the downfall at Fort Amsterdam, East and West Jerseys were founded, becoming proprietary colonies of England. -
King Philip's War
Was an armed conflict between Native Americans against the English colonies and their Native American allies -
William Penn Founds Pennsylvania Colony
In 1681, James Duke of York handed over a large piece of his American land to William Penn. This land included present-day Pennsylvania and Delaware. There, Penn founded the Pennsylvania Colony and the city of Philadelphia. -
Royal Authority Creates Dominion of New England
England takes royal dominion of the colonies of New England which include Massachusetts Bay Colony, Connecticut Colony, Colony of Rhode Island, and Province of New Hampshire. -
Glorious Revolution Overthrows Stuarts and Dominion of New England
Was an overtrow of King James II of England by English Parliamentarians led by William of Orange. As a result, William accended to the English throne and instituted new religious tolerant laws.
