1605 The French settled Port Royal, Nova Scotia. 1607 May 23. The English settled Jamestown, Virginia. 1608 July 3. The French under Champlain settled Quebec. 1609 Sept. 21. Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River. 1614 The Dutch settled New York. 1616 Tobacco first cultivated in Virginia. 1620 Aug. Negro slavery commenced in the English Colonies, at Jamestown, Va. Dec. 21. Massachusetts settled at Plymouth. 1622 April 1. First Indian massacre in Virginia. 1623 New Hampshire settled at Dover. 1633 Oct. Connecticut settled at Windsor. 1634 April 6. Maryland settled at St. Mary's. 1636 Rhode Island settled at Providence by Roger Williams. Harvard College founded. 1637 The Pequod War.-Caused by the murderous depredations of this tribe against the Colonists of Connecticut. They were totally defeated, and those not slain were sold into captivity or joined other tribes. 1664 Sept. 8. 1638 April. Delaware settled near Wilmington by Swedes. New York became an English Province. New Jersey settled at Elizabethtown. 1675 July 4. King Phillip's War commenced.Caused by a combination of the New England tribes of Indians, with a view to exterminate the Whites. The most shocking barbarities were perpetrated until the death of their leaderPhilip by one of his own tribe in 1676. 1676 Bacon's Rebellion.-Caused by the tyranny of Governor Berkeley, of Va., and his refusal to protect the lives and property of the Colonists from the Indian depredations. Public indignation was aroused, and, led by Nathaniel Bacon, were successful in securing the ends sought. 1680 Charlestown settled. 1682 Pennsylvania settled at Philadelphia. Aug. 31. Delaware granted to Wm. Penn by the 1686 Dec. 30. Andros arrived at Boston as Governor of New England. 1689 July 7. King William's War commenced.— Cause. Upon the ascension of William and Mary to the throne of England, the Protestants of Maryland demanded the Colonial management of the Territory. The Roman Catholics, after repeated struggles, were overthrown in the province which they had planted, and the Established Church of England became the religion of the province in 1692. 1690 Feb. 8. Schenectady burned by French and Indians. 1692"Salem Witchcraft." 1697 Sept. 20. Close of King William's War, by the Spain was in alliance with France against England. The troubles between England and Spain induced hostilities between the English Colony of South Carolina and the Spanish Province of Florida. The English were victorious and gained possession of the territory by the treaty of Utrecht in 1713. 1710 Oct. 13. Port Royal, Nova Scotia, taken by the English. 1732 Feb. 22. Washington born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. 1741 "The Negro Plot" in New York. 1744 King George's War commenced in America. Cause-England under George II. was arrayed against France. In America, the struggle was carried on between the English and French Colonists for rights of territorial possession. Nothing definite was gained by the devastating land and naval warfare of four years. Peace was concluded by treaty at Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748. 1745 June 28. 1748 Oct. 18. The English captured Louisburg. Close of King George's War by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. 1753 Oct. 31. Washington sent with a letter from Gov. Dinwiddie, of Va. 1754 The French and Indian War commenced. -The alleged cause was the encroachments and hostile acts of the French, which resulted in the settlement of a long-disputed question between England and France for colonial supremacy in America. England claimed the territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific by virtue of the discovery of the Atlantic Coast under Cabot. The French claimed the interior from the St. Lawrence, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and their tributaries to the Gulf of Mexico, from their discovery by La Salle and other navigators. The English were victorious. 1755 June. The French expelled from Nova Scotia by Monckton. July 9. gahela. Braddock defeated at the battle of Monon 1756 May 17. War declared against France by Great Britain. Aug. 14. Oswego taken by the French under 1757 Aug. 9. Fort Wm. Henry surrendered to Montcalm. 1758 July 6. Lord Howe killed in a skirmish near Ticonderoga. July 26. Amherst and Wolfe take Louisburg. 1759 The French abandoned Ticonderoga and Crown Point. July 25. Niagara surrendered to the English under Sept. 18. 1760 April 28. Sept. 8. 1763 Feb. 10. 1765 March 8. Oct. 7. 1766 March 18. 1770 March 5. 1773 Dec. 16. Quebec surrendered to the English. A Tea thrown overboard at Boston. Parliament passed the " Boston Port Bill." "The First Continental Congress " met at 1774 March. 1776 July 4. The Independence of the United States of America declared. For list of battles, see Ta ble of Contents. 1778 Feb. 6. France acknowledges the Independence of America. Treaty of Alliance of the United States with France. 1779 Sept. 23. Paul Jones' naval battle off the coast of England. 1781 July 10. French fleet arrived at Newport, R.I. Oct. 2. Execution of Major André at Tappan, N.Y. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. 1781 Oct. 19. 1782 Nov. 30. Preliminary articles of peace signed at Paris. 1783 April 19. Cessation of hostilities proclaimed in the American army. July 11. British evacuated Savannah, Georgia. Sept. 3. Nov. 3. Definitive treaty of peace signed at Paris. Nov. 25. British evacuated New York. Dec. 23. Washington resigns his commission. 1784 The Tenth Continental Congress met at Trenton. 1785 John Adams first Minister to England. 1786 Shay's Rebellion in Massachusetts. 1787 Sept. 11. Constitution of the United States adopted by the Convention of Delegates at Philadelphia. 1788 Cotton first planted in Virginia. For the leading events of each succeeding year, see each administration. |