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Sep 1, 1295
Marco Polo returns to Europe
He does this because when he completes his journey of traveling all of China, so he returns back to Europe to tell his tale. -
Sep 2, 1400
Spain becomes united!
A modern national state is forming with unity, wealth and power to go follow the formidable tasks of discovery, conquest and colonization. -
Sep 3, 1488
Dias rounds southern tip of Africa
Bartolomeu Dias became the first Portuguese explorer to round the southern tip of Africa by opening the way for sea route from Europe to Asia. -
Oct 4, 1492
Colombus lands in the Bahamas
Basically on Colombus' voyage to discover America wasn't as successful as he thinks, because in reality he landed in the Carribean, specifically the Bahamas. So he really discovered the Bahamas and not America. -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Toresdillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas of 1494 was a treaty that divided all the newly discovered lands outside of Europe, this was between Spain and Portugal. -
May 20, 1498
Da Gama reaches India
This Portuguese explorer was the first to reach India by using the Atlantic Ocean when he arrives at Calicut on the Malabar Coast. -
Apr 2, 1513
Ponce de Lean Explores Flordia
In late March, his ships landed on Florida's east coast near present day St. Augustine. He claims this land for Spain and he then named it "La Florida" meaning place of flowers. -
Sep 7, 1513
Balboa's Claim
Balboa basically claims all lands touched by the Pacific Ocean for Spain. -
Oct 31, 1517
Martin Luther begins protestant reformation
This movement initially targetted to reform the beliefs and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. -
Aug 21, 1521
Cortes Conquers Mexico
The Spanish conquest of the Aztecs was led by Cortes. This was a landmark victory for the European settlers. But then a battle occured between the army of Cortes and the Aztec people under the rule of Montezuma. -
Sep 10, 1522
Magellan's vessel completes circumnavigation of the world
Magellan and his crew were sailing for the King of Spain, so he set out with the objective of finding a route to the Orient by sailing westward around the southern tip of South America. -
Feb 24, 1524
Verrazano explores eastern seaboard of North America for France
He went on this voyage for King François I and discovered the New York Bay. -
Sep 12, 1532
Pizarro dominates the Incas!
Basically Pizarro went into Peru with a small army180 men and 30 horses. Taking advantage a the civil war, him and his crew overthrew the ruler which was Atahualpa. -
Apr 20, 1534
Cartier's Journey
Jacques Cartier left France by boat on a mission to find gold, spices and a water way from France to Asia. This was orders from the King ofcourse. -
Mar 1, 1536
John Calvin of Geneva publishes Institutes of Christian Religion
Institutes of the Christian Religion was defending his faith and a statement of the doctrinal position of the reformers. -
May 8, 1540
De Soto's discovery of Mississippi River
Him and his crew were basically like any other explorer; they wanted to find riches meaning gold and silver. On the way they sailed down the Mississippi River in seven boats, hence De Soto was the firstEuropean to document the river. -
Jun 27, 1542
Cabrillo explores Southwest
He arrived at Catalina Island, then within a week or so his ships landed in Point Conception. Cabrillo visited San Pedro, Santa Monica, Ventura, and the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. -
Nov 17, 1558
Elizabeth I becomes queen of England
Elizabeth I steps up to the thrown on the death of her half- sister Mary. -
Sep 15, 1565
Spanish build fortress at St. Augustine
The Spanish built nine wooden forts for the defense of their town in various locations. They needed forts because of the attack by by Sir Francis Drake and his 20 ships. -
Dec 20, 1577
Drake circumnavigates the globe
He sailed from Plymouth in 1577 to find riches just like other explorers. -
Raleigh founds lost colony at Roanoke
Sir Walter Raleigh's men first land on Roanoke Island and find it suitable for settlement. A year later 108 soldiers went to Roanoke to establish first colony. -
English defeats Spanish Armada
England had a small but powerful army while the Spainsh had a bigger army which made it harder (overcrowded) Also iEngland was much faster than the Spanish making it easier for them to defeat the Spanish. -
Spanish under Onate conquer pueblo people's of Rio Grande
Onate helps the Spanish conquer the pueblo people's. -
James I becomes King of England
James became King of England in 1603. -
Spain and England sign peace treaty
The terms of this treaty were:
Spain cannot restore Catholicism in England
End of English wartime to Spanish trans-atlantic shipping and colonial expansion
English Channel is opened to Spanish shipping
End of English intervention withthe Dutch Revolt; England withdraws military and financial support to the Dutch rebels -
Virginia colony founded at Jamestown
About 100 English colonists arrive along the James River in Virginia to found Jamestown, this was the first permanent English settlement in North America. -
Spanish found New Mexico
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado assembled an expedition at Compostela, Mexico to explore and find the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola. -
Rolfe starts tobacco culture in VA
He arrived in Virginia with tobacco seeds from a voyage to Trinidad, and in 1612 he harvested his inaugural crop for sale on the European market. -
Anglo-Powhatan War ends
A peace settlement ended the first Anglo-Powhatan War, sealed by the marrige of Pocahontas to John Rolfe. -
First Africans arrived in Virginia
"20 and Odd" blacks that arrived in Jamestown, Virginia were not known to have been immediately enslaved. -
First Africans arrived in Jamestown
The arrival of African captives aboard a Dutch ship marks the early roots of the American slave trade. -
Pilgrims sail on the Mayflower to Plymouth Bay
The Pilgrims settled in Plymouth but there was no form of government to follow. While aboard the Mayflower they decided that they would write a plan of government for their colony. When they stepped foot on land they stepped foot on land it was November and it was difficult to find food/ shelter. Hence half of the colonists have died. -
Virginia became royal colony
King James I revoked the charter of the bankrupt Virginia Company. He felt threatened House of Burgesses. -
Dutch found New Netherland
The Dutch settled in New Netherlands due to the region's trade abilities. They wanted to expand their network even further. -
Charles I dismisses Parliament
Charles I dissolved parliament because he was being criticized by Parliament and he didn't need them, he just wanted to avoid war. -
Puritans found Massachusets Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony was one of the original English settlements in Massachusetts. In 1630 about 1,000 Puritan refugees from England under Governor John Winthrop settled here. -
Maryland colony founded
Maryland was founded by Lord Baltimore. -
Roger Williams covicted of Heresy and founds Rhode Island Colony
Roger Williams was banished for being a supporter towards religious toleration. He then established Providence, Rhode Island which was purchased from the Indians. -
Harvard University founded
Harvard was founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature and soon it was named after John Harvard. -
Pequot War
This war was between the Pequot tribe and the English colonistsof Massachusets Bay Colony. This war was caused by a dispute between the English and Dutch traders over the fur trade. The Peqout tribe allied themselves with the Dutch and the Mohegen tribe were allied with the English. -
Anne Hutchinson banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony
She was banished because of her criticisms towards some ministers and her interpretations of Christian doctrine. -
Connecticuts fundamental orders drafted
This established Connecticut as a self-ruled being. -
Slave Labor system established in English West Indies
There was a large-scale slave labor system established in English West Indies. -
English Civil War
This war was between Parliamentarians and Royalists because of armed conflicts and political problems between the two. -
New England Confederation formed
The New England Confederation was a group assembled between Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven. It was created to have a defense against the Dutch, French and Native Americans. -
Second Anglo-Powhatan War
This was the last effort by the Indians to dislodge the Virginian settlers, but they were defeated once again. -
Act of Toleration in Maryland; Charles I beheaded; Cromwell rules England
The Maryland Toleration Act, was a law mandating religious tolerance for all trinitarian Christians. (April 21, 1649) King Charles I was beheaded for treason. (January 30, 1649) Cromwell helped make England a republic and then ruled as lord protector from 1653 to 1658. (April 20, 1653) -
New Netherland conquers New Sweden
New Sweden was conquered by the Dutch, during the Second Northern War and then incorporated into New Netherland. -
Charles II restored to English throne
After Oliver Cromwell's death in 1658, Charles II was restored to throne. -
Barbados Slave Code
The Barbados Slave Code of 1661 was a law passed by the colonial English legislature which stripped slaves of any rights or freedom they had and gave their owners the right to do whatever they want with them. -
Half-way Covenant for Congregational Church Membership established
The "Half-Way Covenant" was a move designed to liberalize membership rules and the church's position in the community. -
England siezes New Netherland from Dutch
The Anglo-Dutch war was ended by the Treaty of Westminster. As part of the peace arrangements, the territory went back to Britain. -
Virginia Assembly disfranchises landless freeman
Virginia assembly disfranchises landless freeman because of a new constitution which disinfranchised most blacks. -
Carolina Colony created
The Carolina Colony was established by the English in 1670. -
King Phillip's War
This war was between Native American's and English colonist because of an armed conflict between the two. -
Bacon's Rebllion
Nathaniel Bacon rebelled against the governor Sir Berkley because he promised him a commission which he did not give Bacon. -
Mass expansion of slavery in colonies
Black slaves were outnumbering the white servants. -
French exploration down Mississippi River lead by La Salle
Rene Robert La Salle was a French explorer who traveled the Mississippi River, in hope that it might lead to a Western passage to China. -
William Penn founds Pennsylvania Colony
William Penn founded Pennsylvania with a land grant that was owed his deceased Father. His goal was to create a colony that allowed freedom of religion due to protect Quakers from persecution. -
Royal authority creates dominion of New England
The Dominion of New England was an administrative union of English colonies in the New England region of North America. -
Glorious Revolution overthrows Stuarts and Dominion of New England
The people of New England overthrew the Catholic James II, and enthroned the Protestant rulers of the Netherlands. -
Leisler's Rebellion in New York
Leisler's Rebellion was a rebellion in New York, which resented against the policies of King James II. -
Salem Witch Trials in Massachussett's
A group of girls claimed they were bewitched by older women. This lead up to the legal lynching of 20 women. -
College of William and Mary founded
This college was founded by the King William III and Queen Mary II of England, -
Royal African Company slave trade monopoly ends
The Royal African Company lost its monopoly but it continued to engage in the slave trade until 1731. It was replaced by the Company of Merchants Trading to Africa. -
Tuscarora War in North Carolina
The Tuscarora War was fought in North Carolina during the fall of 1711 until February 1715. It was between the British, Dutch, German settlers and the Tuscarora Native Americans. A treaty was also signed in 1715. -
New York Slave Revolt
This was a revolt which 25 blacks killed 9 whites and wounded some. This occured due to harsh treatment by owners. -
North Carolina separates from South Carolina
They split because of general cultural differences and there was a dispute with the Proprietors. -
Yamasee War in South Carolina
The Yamasee War was a conflict between colonial South Carolina and various Indian tribes including the Yamasee,along with many others. -
Georgia Colony founded
James Oglethorpe and other settlers crossed the Atlantic Ocean to begin the settlement of the colony of Georgia. -
South Carolina Slave Revolt
Slaves marched down the road protesting for liberty, this was led by an Angolan named Jemmy. It was the largest slave uprising in the British mainland colonies. -
Serra founded first California mission at San Diego
On Presidio Hill, which was where Serra planted the cross and dedicated the first mission in Alta California.
