Timeline for Discovery and Colonization
1000.
Leif Ericson discovers Vinland (New England).
1492.
October 12. Columbus discovers the New World.
1497.
The Cabots discover the continent of North America.
1498.
Columbus on third voyage discovers South America.
1506.
Columbus dies at Valladolid.
1507.
New World named after Americus Vespucius.
1513.
Balboa discovers the Pacific Ocean and Ponce de Leon discovers Florida.
1519-1521.
Cortez conquers Mexico. Magellan sails round the world.
1524.
Verrazano and Gomez explore New England coast.
1528.
Cabeza do Vaca explores southern United States.
1533.
Pizarro conquers Peru.
1534.
Cartier sails to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
1541.
Do Soto discovers the Mississippi River.
1565.
Founding of St. Augustine.
1576.
Frobisher discovers northwest passage, Frobisher Strait.
1579.
Drake explores coast of California.
1584.
Raleigh sends first expedition to America.
1588.
Defeat of the Spanish Armada.
1604.
Acadia settled by the French.
1607.
May 12. Founding of Jamestown, Virginia.
1608.
Founding of Quebec by Champlain.
1609.
Hudson discovers the Hudson River.
1619.
First assembly meets at Jamestown. Slaves first sold in Virginia.
1620.
Coming of the Pilgrims in the Mayflower.
1623.
Settlements at New Amsterdam. First settlements in New Hampshire.
1630.
The great emigration to Massachusetts. The founding of Boston.
1634.
Maryland first settled by Calvert.
1635.
Connecticut settled by emigrants from Massachusetts.
1636.
Founding of Providence by Roger Williams. Harvard College founded.
1637.
War with Pequot Indians. First negro slaves in New England
1638.
Swedes first settle in Delaware.
1639.
First constitution in America adopted by Connecticut.
1643.
May 30. New England Confederation formed.
Timeline for Discovery and Colonization
1649.
Toleration Act in Maryland.
1655.
Stuyvesant conquers the Swedes in Delaware.
1656.
Quakers expelled from Massachusetts.
1662.
Connecticut charter granted.
1663.
Charter granted to Rhode Island.
Charter for the Carolinas granted.
1664.
September 8. The English conquer New Amsterdam. New Jersey given by
King Charles II to his brother, the Duke of York.
1667.
Fundamental Constitutions drawn up for the Carolinas.
1673.
Marquette explores the Mississippi.
1676.
Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia. King Philip's War in New England.
1681.
Penn receives charter for Pennsylvania.
1682.
Penn founds Philadelphia and makes treaty with the Indians. La Salle
explores Louisiana and takes possession for France.
1686.
Edmund Andros made governor of all New England.
1689.
Rebellion against Andros; his fall and arrest.
1692.
Salem witchcraft delusion.
1700.
Iberville plants colony in Louisiana.
1713.
Treaty of Utrecht, ending Queen Anne's War, which began in 1702.
1733.
Georgia settled by Oglethorpe.
1748.
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, ending King George's War, which began in 1744.
1754.
Colonial Congress at Albany; Franklin's plan of union.
1755.
Braddock's defeat.
1756.
French and Indian War formally begun.
1759.
Wolfe captures Quebec.
1763.
Treaty of Paris; end of the war. Proclamation of 1763