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Timespan 1
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Founding of Jamestown
The first permanent English colony in the "New World." Jamestown was founded by the New Virginia Company, named in honor of the Virgin Queen. -
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses assembled in Virginia and was the first representative assembly in America. This assembly is the start of what the governments around the colonies will be shaped like. Also, the first slave was just bought in Jamestown. -
Mayflower arrives in America
102 Pilgrims and 30 crew members from England arrive in Plymouth, Massachusetts on the Mayflower and developed the city of Plymouth after surviving the harsh winter that was waiting for them when they landed. -
The Dutch arrive
The Dutch colonized the area of New Amsterdam, modern-day New York. They established this colony in New Netherlands in search of economic gain. They created a Fur trade empire that operated out of this colony later on. And it would later become America's first capital. -
The Navigation Act
The Navigation Act is passed by the British Parliament to control the amount of commerce coming into the American Colonies. The act was put in place to expand the British Mercantilist agenda and expand the wealth that could be extracted from the colonies. -
English Seize New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam, a city and colony, was taken from the Dutch by the English. The town was surrounded by a blockade led by Colonel Richard Nicolls. This led to the capture of the colony and then after treaties with the Dutch its assimilation into the English colonies. The town is renamed, New York after the Duke of York. -
King Phillip's War
This war was a last-ditch effort for the Native Americans to take back their land from the ever-encroaching European immigrants. It was also a way for the Native Americans to not recognize the authority of the European colonists. However, the natives were quickly dealt with and the war was short-lived, but also extremely costly for both sides. The war's end was brought about by King Phillip's death, and while the war officially ended in 1676, fighting continued until 1678. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was fought in Virginia by local colonists fighting against the control of the mercantilist British assigned government and their laws. This rebellion was started by colonists in the interest of ridding the restrictions on foreign goods due to the overly priced British goods. -
Pennsylvania is Established
The frame of the government of Pennsylvania is established and the colony is officially a part of the English colonies. -
The First Newspaper is Published
Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick is the first newspapers to be published and printed in the colonies, and though not widely accepted at the time, it paved the way for newspapers in the colonies. The importance of spreading information is starting to be realized by the colonists and they are finding ways to distribute information about the world and their home. -
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Timespan 2
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The War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European conflict triggered by the death of Charles II of Spain in November 1701. -
Seven Year's War
Britain and Prussia defeated France, Spain, Austria, and Russia. France lost North American colonies, and Spain gave Florida to Britain in exchange for Cuba. -
The beginning of the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution began when agricultural societies became more industrialized and urban. The railroad, the cotton gin, electricity, and other inventions permanently changed society. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a riot that occurred on March 5, 1770. It took place on King Street in Boston. It began as a street brawl between American colonists and a British soldier. It quickly escalated to a bloody slaughter. The conflict energized anti-Britain sentiment and paved the way for the American Revolution. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest that occurred on December 16, 1773, at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. The American colonists were very frustrated and angry at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” therefore they dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. This event was the first major act of opposition to British rule over the colonists. -
The First Continental Congress
United by their common sense of injustice against the British laws imposed upon them, the thirteen colonies rallied together and sent representatives to discuss the Coercive Acts, which were Parliament’s response to the colonists’ retaliation. This gathering was the first Continental Congress, and they composed a “Declaration of Rights and Grievances.” This argued for all of their rights as British citizens. They also wrote the “Continental Association,” which banned all trade with Britain. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence. It was written by Jefferson in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence. -
The Battle of Saratoga
This battle took place in New York, and the colonial forces managed to surround and come out victorious over the British forces led by General John Burgoyne. It proved to be a pivotal moment because the American victory led Spain, France, and the Netherlands to support the colonies’ cause. -
The U.S. Constitution
This document created the foundation of the American government. It established certain natural rights for every citizen, a centralized federal government with more power, and foundational laws. It also created the three branches of government: judicial, legislative, and executive. It was signed on September 17 at the Constitutional Convention. -
The French Revolution begins
The French Revolution was a turning point in modern European history that began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. -
Thomas Jefferson is Elected President
Thomas Jefferson was the author of the declaration of independence and the third U.S. president. Jefferson ran against John Adams in 1796 and came in second place, making him vice president by law. Then he ran again in 1800, with the election ending in a tie between Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The vote then went to the House of Representatives where Jefferson was then declared the victor and, furthermore, the third president of the U.S. -
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Timespan 3
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Congress Declares War on England
The beginning of the War of 1812 was caused due to the British Royal Navy restricting trade routes to the U.S., impressing U.S. sailors, and the U.S.'s desire to expand its borders. -
English Forces Burn the White House
British forces stormed into the Chesapeake Bay and burned multiple government buildings including the Capitol building, and the White House. The British forces pulled their forces only because they had achieved their war goals and were moving down to New Orleans to capture it as well. -
Florida is Purchase from Spain
Spanish minister Do Luis de Onis and U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams came together to sign the document that would transfer control of Florida to the U.S. The Florida Peace Treaty was created to hand over the last Spanish-American colony to the U.S. because of numerous boundary disputes. The U.S. gave Spain $5 million to cede Florida into the newly formed nation. -
Monroe Doctrine
President James Monroe gave his annual presidential speech warning European powers not to interfere in the western hemisphere or else the U.S. would step in and stop them. This speech stood against what George Washington wanted for the country. He wanted the country to stay out of foreign affairs and keep to themselves, however, the Monroe Doctrine declared the U.S. as the policing force of the Western hemisphere. -
U.S.-Mexican War
The U.S.-Mexican War lasted from 1846-1848 and was the first U.S. conflict fought on foreign soil. It was a war that was disputing the independence of Texas and the border of the Rio Grande. At the end of the war, Mexico lost about a third of its territory to the expansion-minded U.S., who claimed nearly all of present-day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. -
Abraham Lincoln is Elected President
Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th president of the U.S. When entering office Abraham Lincoln was tasked with dealing with an incredibly divided nation dealing with the issue of states' rights about slavery. Lincoln received only 40 percent of the popular vote, however, he still handily defeated the three other candidates. Lincoln was formally a Whig representative to Congress and gained popularity after his series of public speeches that addressed many political issues of the time. -
Civil War Begins
The tension between the Northern and Southern states over states' rights and slavery finally got to the point where war broke out. The election of Abraham Lincoln caused 7 southern states to leave the Union and create the Confederate States of America. 4 more states soon joined these rebel states. -
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln's Speech at Gettysburg was done in order to address the war that was occurring. He wanted to dedicate the field to the fallen soldiers on both sides, and he wanted the soldiers to know what they were fighting for. He claimed that they were fighting to see if the new nation, and nations that had declared their freedoms from the European countries, could in fact survive without the aid of their previous owners. -
First Transcontinental Railroad is Completed
On the day of completion, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah. The last spike of the railroad was ceremoniously placed to connect the two railroad lines together. This railroad made it possible to travel from the eastern side of the continent to the western side by utilizing nearly 2000 miles of railroad track. The work began in 1866 after many plans had been made and the Pacific Railroad Act (1862) was passed.