US DC History Timeline

  • Sep 8, 1439

    Johann Gutenberg

    He introduced the printing press to Europe. This innovation led to mass sell of published books and further spread of word, and new interpretations of Christianity.
  • Sep 7, 1492

    Reconquista

    This was a series of holy wars between the Muslims and the Christians, which put the Iberian back under Catholic control. This led to Spanish and Portugese imperialistic era.
  • Jun 7, 1494

    Treaty of Torsedillas

    The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement between Spain and Portugal aimed at settling conflicts over lands newly discovered. Thus, giving the two most prominent countries of this discovering age power to colonize.
  • Sep 8, 1497

    Giovanni Caboto

    John Cabot was an Italian explorer whose "discovery" of parts of North America was one of the first European encounters with the mainland of North America since the Norse. He supposedly landed on Newfoundland.
  • Sep 7, 1503

    Encomienda System

    The Spanish government gave Indians to early colonists in exchange for the promise to convert them to Christianity. This degrading of the indians led to further exploitation and dependence upon slave labor in the other colonies.
  • Oct 31, 1513

    Protestant Reformation

    The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval started by King Henry VIII's desire to have a son. He wanted a divorce, which the catholic church would not grant him so he created the Church of England, setting in place the structures and beliefs that reflects the continent the modern era.
  • Sep 8, 1530

    Sebastian Cabot

    He was the son of John Cabot. He sailed to North America and explored its eastern coastline. He also made a voyage to South America, and founded the Muscovy trading company.
  • Sep 8, 1535

    Quebec

    Jacques Cartier was the first European to spend a winter in Quebec. He settled it during his second trip to America. This settlement was costly in human life because of Scurvy. Cartier didn't find gold or treasures, or the road to India. However, he discovered a large river, American Indian culture, tobacco, and furthered to the progress of geography.
  • Sep 8, 1582

    Richard Hakluyt

    He was an English writer. He promoted the settlement of North America by the English by ensuring settlers of wealth not yet secured in the 'new land.'
  • Roanoke

    The Roanoke Colony was financed and organized by Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 16th century to establish a permanent English settlement in the Virginia Colony. Between 1585 and 1587, groups of colonists were left to make the attempt, all of whom either abandoned the colony or disappeared, due to lack of supplies. This shows the turmoil between European countries at the time.
  • Jamestown, VA

    Jamestown, VA
    This was the first permanant English colony, John Smith was appointed leader in 1607.
    House of Burgesses (first representative gov.) was held here.
    Edwin Sandys
  • Slave Labor

    Slaves were a valuable commodity in the New World. They were the reason work got done in the new land, which provided a stuctured settlement.
  • Plymouth

    Plymouth
    Founded by a group of seperatists and anglicans which later became known as Pilgrims. This colony became one of the earliest colnies in Ameroca. This was the first sizable colony in the NE region.
    Mayflower compact
    William Bradford served as govenor for five years.
  • New Hampshire

    New Hampshire
    This was a planned colony. It was a colony that relied on fishing as its main resource. this colony was once part of Mass. until Mass was granted a charter from England.
  • Massachusetts Bay

    Massachusetts Bay
    The Puritans created a colony where they could be free to practice their religion.
    Joinst stock was basically the essence of England financing settlements.
  • Maryland

    Maryland
    The English colony of Maryland was founded by Lord Baltimore who led the first settlers into this area which would soon become one of the few Catholic regions among the English colonies in America. Maryland was one of the most populated destinations of tens of thousands of British convicts, which did not cease until independence.
  • Connecticut

    Connecticut
    Settlers were looking for more freedom and financial opportunities. Pequot indians came to extinction in the pequot war waged by the connecticut settlers.
    Fundamental orders of connecticut.
  • Rhode Island

    Rhode Island
    Roger Williams was banished to England by the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his beliefs in separation of church and state and freedom of religion. He fled and created the first colony with true freedom of worship. Anne Hutchinson was also banished for speaking out against the Church in Massachusetts Bay.
  • North Carolina

    North Carolina
    This was land south of virginia. Later the colony ran into financial problems and was taken over by the crown,
  • South Carolina

    South Carolina
    Because of financial problems, was formed by a royal charter out of south Virginia this was one of the wealthiest colonies. More Revolutionary War battles were fought in this colony than any other colonies.
  • New York

    New York
    The Duke of York, received control of New Netherland which was later changed to New York in his honor.
    The Albany Congress united the colonys for defense against the Iroquois Indians.
  • Bacon's Rebellion

    Bacon was an indetured servant who was ready to become a landowner. However there was no land to grant him. He then decided that it would be a good idea to take it from the indians. When the gov. did not agree, he decide to take it upon himself.
  • Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania
    This land was founded by William Penn on a grant owed to his dead father. He wanted to protect himself and fellow quakers from religious persecution.
    Penn allowed the landowners a representative assembly.
    Freedom of worship and religion was granted to all citizens.
  • English Bill of Rights

    This document was enacted due to then glorious revolution and abuse of written documents.
  • First great awakening

    Whitefield and Edwards were the leaders of this movement. THis created the "new lights"-- people who converted to a more expressive attitude. This gave religion a more personal perspective.
  • Georgia

    Georgia
    Georgia was created to keep the Spanish from expanding and it also served as an alternative of debtor's prison.
  • Seven Years War

    Britain, the colonies, and Native Ameican rallied against the French, their colonies, and their native american allies.
    The Treaty of Paris ended this war.
  • Sugar act

    Revised dutes on sugar, coffee, tea, wine, other imports. The significance ws that sugar got cheaper for the colonists but it also raised concern on british inent.
  • Parliamentary Supremacy

    The colonists felt that they had no representation in Parliment because they could not vote for anyone. The significance is that they felt that they were being unfairly taxed because they weren't being fairly represented.
  • Stamp Act

    Printed documents issued only on special stamped paper purchased from stamp distributors. This lead to outrage over taxation.
  • Stamp Act Congress

    It was a metting held in New York City in which some representatives spoke about what had to be done about the Stamp Act. The significance was that the colonists went into a boycott in which they stopped buying British goods.
  • Declaratory Act

    Parliment declares it sovereignty over the colonies "in all cases whatsoever" This lead to anger by the colonists.
  • Townshend Revenue Acts

    26 Jun 1767 New duties on glass, paper, lead, paints, tea, customs collections tightned in America. This lead to the colonists protesting, the nonimportation of British goods, and attacks on British policy published in newspapers.
  • Boston Masscre

    A mob gathered around British soldiers, who in confusion, killed 5 Americans. This lead to outrage in the colonists. Propoganda showed up in the newspapers. The victims were seen as martyrs.
  • Tea Act

    Parliment gives East India Company right to sell ta directly to some Americans; some duties on tea reduced. This lead to the Boston Tea Party in which the Sons of Liberty destroyed a shipment of tea sent from the Eas India Company.
  • Boston Tea Party

    Political protest lead by the Sons of Liberty in which they dress up as Indians and destroyed a shipment of tea sent by the East India Company. The significance is that other protesters followed the example in 3 other colonies. The Coercive Acts came into place and the colonists came up with the Continental Congress.
  • Intolerable Acts

    Closes ports of Boston, restructures Massachusetts government, restricts town meetings, troops quartered in Boston, British officials accused of crimes and sent back to England or Canada for trial. The significance of this event is that it lead to the First Continental Congress.
  • First Continetal Congress

    A gathering of 55 electives from 12 colonies, gathered around Philedelphia to discuss what had to be done about the intolerable acts. The significance was that people were shunned due to buying British goods because they were violating the assiciation.
  • Common Sense

    A pamphlet that spoke about theological and historical justification an was written by Thomas Paine. This esulted in the persuasion of many American colonits to have a seperate independent nation.
  • Shot Heard Around the World

    British troops crossing over from Concord came across an American militia in which 8 Americans were shot dead. The significance is that more militias were formed and gathered around British troops when they would cross over through the colonies.
  • Lexington

    British troops were trying to cross over to Concord, when a group of unexperieced American militia confronted them. In a confusion. shots were fired and 8 died. The significance of this even was that it motivated some of the colonists to join the fight.
  • Concord

    The British saw no threat at Concord, so they decided to retreat. This is significant because this is the turning pont in which the British no longer saw the colonists as just a mob. They started seeing them as a more organized mitlitia.
  • Second Continental Congress

    Representatives met and made the Continental Army and appointed George Washington to be the sepreme commander.The significance is that the colonists joined the fight and joined the army.
  • Prohibitory Act

    Declares British intention to coerce Americans into submission;embargo on British goods;American shipments siezed. The significance is that this only lead the Continental Congress to strive more for independence.
  • Quartering Act

    Colonists must supply British troops with housing/food ect... This lead to outrage in the colonists who viewed it as unfair.
  • Trenton

    The Americans won this battle. The Americans started using different war tactics on them. This gave the American troops the motivation that they so badly needed.
  • Germantown/Valley Forge

    The Americans lost this battle due to confusion. The Americans felt defeated after this loss. Thousands of Americans died at Valley Forge because of disease.
  • Second Battle at Saratoga

    This was an American win. The British surrendered to the Americans. This is the significant event in which the French decided to form an alliance with the Americans.
  • Kings Mountain

    This is when British general, Cornwallis was killed during battle. It was significant because the British retreated and did not continue his plans of invading the Americans.
  • Yorktown

    The British finally surrender. It is significant because the Americans finally gained their indpendence and it was the last battle that was fought.