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Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus Discovering the New World
When Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, he unknowingly set off the chain reaction that would end up with the creation of the United States of America. With his groundbreaking and dumbfounding discovery of the new continent to the Old World, countries such as Spain, Portugal, England, France, and Holland set out and colonized the New World. This event belongs on this list because without this discovery, no country would have exhausted supplies to explored and colonized the Americas. -
Jamestown
Through the investment of the Virginia Company of London, Jamestown became the first permanent settlement in the Americas. Based solely on the economic success of tobacco, Jamestown showed England that the Americas could be a profitable location and as a result England colonized most of the East coast of America. -
House of Burgesses
Located in early Virginia, the House of Burgesses was a first model of the modern democratic system of the United States. This was the site where white landowners could congregate once a year to decide how to allocate taxations and which laws should be adopted. This also served as a breeding ground of Americans practicing democracy, and by the time of the American Revolution, they were quite excellent at it. -
The French & Indian War
Lasting from 1754-1763 and contrary to its name, The Seven Year's War or The French and Indian War was the first step towards the American colonies declaring independence from Britain. The resource-depleting war forced Britain to end their 'salutary neglect' policy on the colonies and began to enact taxes, laws, and proclamations. The colonists were enraged by having no representation and thus began the avalanche towards the American Revolution and Declaration of Independence. -
Proclamation of 1763
Following soon after the French and Indian War, the Proclamation of 1763 stated that American colonists could not settle west of the Appalachians. Though it was meant for good intentions to prevent Indian confrontation, the colonists were outraged that they could not settle in the land they fought over to obtain. This was one of the first recorded incidents of obedience to the British and began to draw bad blood between Britain and America. -
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was the convention held to appeal Britain’s absurd law of requiring most printed materials to be produced from England and carry a revenue stamp. It was an assembly of elected officials from most of the Thirteen Colonies and met in New York City Hall. This was the first unified protest from the American colonies towards a British taxation law and was succeeded with the First Continental Convention. -
Townshend Acts
Also known as the Revenue Act of 1767, the Townshend Acts included many taxes on the imports of glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. The colonies, especially Boston, protested and boycotted these laws and these tensions led to the infamous Boston Massacre. These taxes towards the American colonists further widened the gap of alliance they had with the British. -
Boston Tea Party
As a result to the British failure to repeal the tax on tea in their Townshend Act, Boston residents dressed as Indians and threw over numerous boxes of tea in the Boston Harbor in defiance to British’s monopoly on tea. The response of the British with the Intolerable Acts increased colonists’ hatred to the British and started towards freedom. -
American Revolution
Spanning from 1775 to 1783, the American Revolution was the only means to establish independence from Britain. The bloody battle wore out both sides, but with the British people not supporting the war, the American colonies were ultimately the winners. This is one of, if not the most important event because it is the actually physical means of instituting independence from Britain. -
Declaration of Independence
In the midst of the American Revolution, elected officials, led by John Adams, wrote up a document that formally separated the Thirteen Colonies from Britain’s rule and declared themselves a new nation. With no more of Britain’s rule, the colonies could now draft their own means of government, eventually leading to the U.S. Constitution.
