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Aug 14, 1492
Columbus Lands in the New World
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who landed in the Americas, trying to find a new route to the Indies. Mistaking the new land for the Indies, he claimed it for Spain. -
Dec 14, 1519
Spain Starts An Empire
After Columbus's voyage, Spain sent other Spanish Conquistadors to explore the North and South Americas. In 1519, Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán with the help of the Natives living there who despised their Aztec rulers, and because of smallpox which wiped out a number of Aztec warriors. -
Nov 14, 1543
New France
Jacques Cartier found land known as Canada and claimed it as New France when he was actually trying to find a Northwest Passage through North America to the Pacific Ocean. The French Settlers became business partners with the Huron Indians living there. -
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
Sir Walter Raleigh attempted to start a colony on Roanoke Island. -
Jamestown: The First English Colony
John Cabot went to new found land off the coast of Canda, and planted a large cross and flag of England. The island was infected with mosquitos that brought in diseases and killed the settlers when they first came though. -
New Netherlands
A Dutch sailor named Henry Hudson explored the coastline and claimed a river that was later known as the Hudson River. Later, Peter Minuit was sent to be the governer of the new colony. -
The Starving Time
Thee island was infected with mosquitoes that brought diseases and killed settlers. Food ran out and it was so bad that the time was known as the "Starving Time." -
Claiming Louisiana
Robert de La Salle explored the entire length of the Missisippi River and claimed everything to the west of it. He named that huge area Louisiana for the French monarch, King Louis XIV. -
Gerogia: Southern Colony
This colony was founded to help poor people stay out of debtor's prison, however, not many poor people wanted to move to North America. So adventurers from other colonies, Protestants, Catholics, and Jews came instead of them and spread various their various faiths in the peaceful non-alcohol and non-slave colony. -
Proclamation of 1763
King Goeore III divided the Appalachian Mountains and told the colonists of America to stay east of it, while the Indians were to stay west of it. Colonists were angry and thought that the king's order was tyranny, so the British Government expanded their army in America to 7,500 men. -
The Quartering Act
Colonists had to provide housing and some items to soldiers , because they had to pay for the troops that "took care of them". Colonists noticed they were being taxed and the New York Assembly, who decided not vote any funds for: salt, vinegar, and liqour, were not allowed to meet and tempers began to rise and boths sides of the Atlantic. -
The Stamp Act
The British Government had a huge debt over the French-Indian war and needed money so they decided that the colonists should pay to buy a stamp for each piece of paper they used. Colonists protested against this act and months later, the parliament finally repealed it. -
The Townshend Acts
Due to the bad behaviour of the colonists, keeping an army was important, so for the money, colonists had to pay taxes for popular goods imported from Britain. Colonists were furious and told eachother to boycott these goods, and as a result, the law was repealed due to the bankrupcy of the items. -
The Tea Act
The British East India Company, were suffering losses, and to help them out, the British Government established a new set of laws known as the Tea Acts, in which the colonists had to buy tea that was made cheap from the company. Colonists were angry as they didn't like being told where to buy their tea from, so patriots disguised as Native Americans and threw chests of tea overboard from British ships. This incident was known as The Tea Party. -
The Intolerable Acts
King George enforced a new series of harsh and unacceptable laws as a punishment for the Tea Party, but the colonists still didn't give up. The colonies united to support Boston and the delegates sent respectful letters to King George, organized boycotts and kept militias in case it didn't work. -
Lexington & Concord
King George III didn't consider the complaints of the colonists' written in the letters, thought they were being rebellious, and sent troops to sieze their hidden weapons and gunpowder. The colonists were warned of their arrival, and even though the troops didn't find the weapons, they heard a gunshot and fired at the colonists leaving a few dead. -
The Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress had met after the start of the revolutionary war and had made a "continental army" that consisted of troops from all the colonies. The commander-in-chief that was chosen by the delegates to lead the army, was George Washington of Virginia. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
The fort dug by the American Militiamen worried the British, which caused them to march up the hill with fresh troops. The militiamen shot at the redlines formed by the British, but at the third time couldn't due to the lack of gunpowder although a war had begun. -
The Siege of Boston
The Americans needed some heavy guns so they got cannons and bullets onto huge sleds in Winter from Fort Ticonderaga and aimed them on the city of Boston. This frightened the British and made them leave the city along with their troops and loyalists. -
The Olive Branch Petition
The Americans hoped that the war would be over with peace, so the congress sent a petetion to King George III asking him to end the quarrel. Although, the King had already announced them as traitors and that they were in a rebellion. -
The Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in which he explained why he the colonie wanted to seperate from Britain. In it, he also wrote about how everyone deserved to be equal and King George's abuses. -
Battle for New York
After leaving Boston, Germain came up with a plan of winning the war, so General William was ordered to capture New York City. The Americans were no match for the British with their greater numbers and experienced training. The Battle of New York City was the first of many defeats for the Americans. -
Ratification of the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States. It gave more power to individual states rather than a national government. It served as a loose union in which the 13 states cooperated for common purposes. -
Trenton
The Americans made their way towards Trenton with guns and many troops. They found the Hessians sleeping after their Christmas dinner. Completely surprised, the mercenaries surrendered. -
Saratoga
At Saratoga Springs, Burgoyne saw many militias but they attacked anyway. Surprisingly the Americans won, with an outnumbered army. -
Yorktown
Cornwallis and his army settled into Yorktown, but they didn’t know that the French had sent 5000 troops to join Washington’s army. Cornwallis saw that Yorktown was in a mess, and he finally agreed to surrender. -
Shay's Rebellion
A farmers' rebellion, as their land and property had been taken away. Govenment buildings, courthouses, and arsenals were destroyed. This eventually led to a new constitution though. -
Constitutional Convention
After Shay's Rebellion, a convention was needed. This was so that the congress would consider the situation of the United States. They revised the Articles of Confederation. -
The Louisiana Purchase
The immensely large territory of Louisiana belonged to the French, who would have lost it to the British as they were on the brink of a war. Napolean decided to sell Louisiana to the United States, and James Monroe signed a treaty giving Louisiana to the United States in exchange for $15 million on April 30, 1803. -
Spain gives Florida to the U.S.
The US wanted to have Florida as part of their land, but at that time, Spain was in control and had said "no deal", when the Americans had tried to convince them. After that, Andrew Jackson had marched into Spain with 1,700 troops, capturing military posts, and replacing the Spanish governer with an American. Spain was highly upset, and demanded for an apology but in fear of a war, they gave Florida to the US in exchange for $5 million and a long-time claim in Texas. -
The Indian Removal Act
Wealthy planters really looked towards the west, at the Indian homelands, deciding that the Indians including "The Five Civilized Tribes", had to go. Hence, congress passed on the Indian Removal Act where the president made treaties in which Native Americans in the East traded their lands for new territory in the Great Plains. -
The "Trail of Tears"
The Indians were forced to move out of their homes and walk a long journey to the new Indian Territory taking clothes they were only wearing. Four thousand died during the long walk, but those who survived, remembered the pain they suffered and reffered to this as their "Trail of Tears". -
Slavery in Washinton DC
Abolotionists wanted to stop slavery in Washington D.C., but Congress refused to listen to them. This upset the Northerners, because they believed that Lord's work included the abolition of slavery, and Congress would silence their debates over slavery, and table their petitions. -
Texas is annexed
After Texas became an independent country, and although Americans wanted it to be a part of the US, Texas remained independent for 10 years. But after, Polk (a man who believed in Manifest Destiny) was elected, congress voted to annex Texas. -
The Fugitive Law
The Fugitive Law was enforced and it said that any person arrested as a runaway slave had almost no legal rights. It upset the Northerners because they were not allowed to help fugitives. -
The Novel - Uncle Tom's Cabin
"Uncle Tom's Cabin", the book that told the story of a slave and his master was published and had a great influence on people. It was unpopular in the South, and upset people there because it was promoting anti-slavery and millions of people were starting to be against it. -
Abraham Lincoln's Election
Abraham Lincoln was elected president as he won with with 40% of the votes. The election made the Southerners unhappy because they knew that he would ban slavery throughout the country, since he was against it himself. -
The Civil War
The Civil War started when 11 southern states seceeded from the Union & became the Confederate States of America in 1860-1861. Slavery was one of the reasons due to the war that started between the Union and the Confederacy. The first attack was, when the Confederacy took Fort Sumter for its own leaving the 24 states in the Union and 11 in the Confederacy. People fought, although the South won more battles. General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union on April 9, 1865; the Civil War was over.
