The Colonial Period

• 1497: John Cabot lands in North America.
• 1513: Ponce de Leon claims Florida for Spain.
• 1524: Verrazano explores North American Coast.
• 1539-1542: Hernando de Soto explores the Mississippi River Valley.
• 1540-1542: Coronado explores what will be the Southwestern United States.
• 1565: Spanish found the city of St. Augustine in Florida.
• 1579: Sir Francis Drake explores the coast of California.
• 1607: British establish Jamestown Colony.
• 1608: French establish colony at Quebec.
• 1609: United Provinces establish claims in North America.
• 1612: Tobacco cultivation introduced in Virginia.
• 1619: First African slaves brought to British America.
  • Virginia begins a representative assembly.
• 1620: Plymouth Colony is founded.
• 1636: Rhode Island is founded.
  • Harvard College is founded.
• 1650-1696: The Navigation Acts are enacted by Parliament.
• 1663: Charles II grants charter for Carolina colonies.
• 1682: Pennsylvania is founded by William Penn.
• 1689-1713: King William's War (The War of the League of Augsburg).
• 1692: The Salem Witchcraft Trials.
• 1696: Parliamentary Act.
• 1699-1750: Restrictions on colonial manufacturing.
• 1702-1713: Queen Anne's War (War of the Spanish Succession).
• 1733: Georgia Colony is founded.
• 1740-1748: King George's War (War of the Austrian Succession).
• 1740s: The Great Awakening.
• 1754-1763: The French and Indian War
• 1763: Treaty of Paris ends the French and Indian War.

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources