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Three ships land in Jamestown
The three ships land in Jamestown and establish the first English settlement. -
John Smith takes command
John Smith took control of the colony and let the colonists know that if they wanted to eat, they had to work. He was saved by Pocohontos, the daughter of the Powhatan. The Powhatan tribe helped the colonists survive their first winter in the new country. -
Wide spread death
Lack of supplies, lack of knowledge of basic survival skills, and worsening relations with the native Americans, all but 60 settlers died by the summer of 1610. The remaining colonists had been forced to eat boiled leather, dogs, cats, rats, mice and digging up the bodies of their neighbors to eat them for their survival. One man was executed for killing and eating his wife to survive. -
John Rolfe marries Pocahontas
This marriage led to eight years of peace between the colonists and Indians. -
Tobacco planted
John Rolfe raised tobacco as the first successful crop in Virginia. -
Headright Policy established
Any person who would migrate to Virginia would be given 50 acres of land. Any person who sponsored immigrants to migrate would be given 50 acres per immigrant. -
First slaves sold in Virgina
The first African slaves were sold to Virginia by a Dutch slave ship. -
House of Burgesses established
The Virginia Company established the House of Burgesses. These were white landowners that first met in Jamestown. -
Smallpox decimates the Native Americans
Smallpox kills 90% of the Native Americans in the Massachusetts Bay area from 1618-1619. -
Religious motives cause further expansion
The expansion further inland was based on Puritan goals and beliefs. Though not all of the new settlers were Puritans, the majority of the rhetoric and politics were established on these beliefs -
Puritans establish Plymouth
The Puritans establish a settlement on Plymouth and for the Mayflower Compact that sets up their government. -
First Thanksgiving
The settlers in Plymouth, Pilgrims, celebrate for three days with the Wampanoag tribe who helped them plant the land. -
Powhatan dies, Opechancanough attacks settlers
Powhatan dies and his brother Opechancanough launched a surprise attack to stop the land-hungry colonists, killing over 350 of them. The governor of Virginia retaliated and declared it policy to kill the Native Americans. War and disease decimated the Chesapeake Indians. -
Charles I establishes Maryland
Charles I claimed 12,000,000 acres of land and named it Maryland for the new monarch's queen. -
Maryland is founded
Maryland is founded as a Catholic colony promoting religious tolerance. -
Rhode Island is founded
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Witchcraft and slavery laws established
Witchcraft is made a capital crime. Massachusetts legalizes slavery. -
Charles executed
The execution of Charles challenged the American claim of neutrality during fighting over power and beliefs in England. -
Connecticut legalizes slavery
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Rhode Island first state to restrict slavery
This law made slavery illegal in Rhode Island for ten years. -
Further expansion
Expansion continued inland despite interference from England and others. -
New laws for black men and women
New laws in the colonies defined the difference between skin color in society. -
Carolina established as a new colony
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Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon led this rebellion that burned Jamestown in rebellion against Governor Berkeley. Bacon would die and 23 other were executed. -
Pennsylvania established
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England restricts the colonies more
James II worked to tighten England's control over the colonies and created the Dominion of New England. Colonists strongly resented this interference. -
Salem Witch Hunts
February 1692 - May 1693 Salem Witch Hunts cause the arrests of over 150 people and the death of 19. -
Jamestown abandoned
After the statehouse is burned the colonial government moved to Middle Plantation and renamed it Williamsburg.