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Period: Jan 1, 1400 to
Early Colonization of the Americas
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Oct 11, 1492
Christopher Columbus reaches the Americas
In the future, the Americas became the United States of America. After Christopher Columbus, other people from Europe came to the Americas for gold and land. Native Americans were kicked out of their land, became slaves, and died from diseases. -
Jan 1, 1512
The Spanish take the first African Slaves to Hispaniola
This was the beginning of using Africans as slaves in the Americas. Having slaves helped Europeans to create large plantations and make lots of money. -
Nov 8, 1519
Cortés arrives in Tenochtitlan
Cortés sees the gold and decides to attack the Aztecs. -
Aug 13, 1521
Cortés defeats the Aztecs
After the war, the Aztecs were defeated and became slaves. Tenochtitlan became Mexico City in the colony of New Spain. -
Jan 1, 1527
Bartoleme de las Casas argues against the enslavement of Native Americans
The native peoples on his encomienda were free people. He thought the Spanish should work for their own wealth and not force other people to work for them. -
Jan 15, 1535
Pizarro founds a new capital in Lima, Peru, after defeating the Incas
The Spanish wanted more land and gold so they made more colonies. The Incas lost their land and their society. -
John White returns to Roanoke settlement to find the colony has disappeared
They needed to learn the skills of planting, growing their own food, build shelters and survive on their own. Colonists need to be organized before they establish a colony. -
The English found Jamestown
The English built Jamestown in swampy land. The English got diseases and they couldn't drink the water so they started dying one by one. John Smith made them all organized and work together. The colony flourished after they learned how to grow tobacco and send it to England as a cash crop. -
Champlain founds Quebec
Champlain was looking for the Northwest Passage. When the French came there were millions of beavers. The Huron Indians trapped the beavers and traded to the French who sold them for huge profits in Europe. Quebec became part of the colony of New France. -
House of Burgesses Formed
The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first law-making assembly in the English colonies. -
Pilgrims Arrive at Plymouth
They wanted religious freedom. The pilgrims arrived at Plymouth in December. Many of them died because they couldn't grow food. Squanto and the Wampanoag people helped the pilgrims learn survival skills. We still celebrate Thanksgiving today in honor of the pilgrims and the Wampanoag that helped them. -
Mathias de Sousa, an indentured servant of African decent, arrives in Maryland aboard the Ark
He was a free man that worked to pay off debts. He was the first African-American man to sit in a legislative assembly. He voted in the Maryland Colonial General Assembly in 1642. -
William Penn establishes Pennsylvania
William Penn wanted people from different nations and all religions to live together in peace. He built a colony based on Quaker beliefs. -
Georgia, the 13th English colony, is founded
Debtors from English jails went to Georgia to start a new colony. Georgia helped protect the other colonies from the Spanish attacks. -
President Lincoln declares Thanksgiving a National Holiday
Years pass and people still celebrate Thanksgiving.
