The Colonial World
Unit 1
1607-1763
1607-1763
Table of contents
c.1000 First Eurpean Contact
1632 Charter of Maryland
1565 Spanish Settle St. Augustine
1636 Settlement of Rhode Island
Unit 1
1639 Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
1607 British Settle Jamestown
1608 French Settle Quebec
1676-1677 Bacon's Rebellion
1619 Virginia House of Burgesses Established
1692-1693 Salem Witch Trials
1619 First Enslaved Africans Arrive in British American Colonies
1730s-1770s The Great Awakening
1754 Albany Plan
1620 Mayflower Compact
1754-1763 French and Indian War
1620 Settlement of Plymouth
1764 End of Salutary Neglect
1624 Dutch Settle New Amsterdam
1630 Settlement of Massachusetts Bay Colony
Timeline Tutorial
Click on each part of the slide to discover more about interacting with the timeline.
1787
The year the event took place, a more specific date if available and the event title will be located here.
Wikimedia Commons contributors. "Norstead - Living History Attraction - 11 September 2023." Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norstead_-_Living_History_Attraction_-_11_September_2023.jpg.
September 17
The Constitution is Accepted
c. 1000
Wikimedia Commons contributors. "Norstead - Living History Attraction - 11 September 2023." Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norstead_-_Living_History_Attraction_-_11_September_2023.jpg.
c. 1000
First European Contact with Native Americans
1565
September 8
Spanish settle St. Augustine
Martí, Francisco de Paula, 1762-1827, engraver https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.09317/
1607
May 14
Map by Captain John Smith, Engraved by William Hole, 1612. URL: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Virginia_map_1606.jpg
British Settle Jamestown
1608
Franquelin, Jean Baptiste Louis. Carte de l'Amerique Septentrionnale. 1910. Map. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3300.ct000668/?r=0.498,0.36,0.613,0.291,0
July 3
French Settle Quebec
1619
July 30-Aug 4
Jones, Alfred, Engraver, and Peter Frederick Rothermel. Patrick Henry before the Virginia House of Burgesses. Williamsburg United States Virginia, 1852. Engraving. https://www.loc.gov/item/2006691555/
Virginia House of Burgesses Established
1619
Late August
First Enslaved Africans Arrive in British American Colonies
Landing Negroes at Jamestown from Dutch man-of-war. Print. Illus. in Harper's Monthly Mag., v. 102, 1901 Jan., p. 172. www.loc.gov/item/2005696251/
1620
Ferris, Jean Leon Gerome, Artist. The Mayflower Compact. 1932. Print. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Mayflower_Compact_1620_cph.3g07155.jpg
November 11
Mayflower Compact
1620
Sarony & Major. The landing of the Pilgrims, on Plymouth Rock, ca. 1846. Print. https://www.loc.gov/item/96504708/
December 16
Settlement of Plymouth
1624
Author unknown. New Amsterdam, ca. 1650. Dutch title on the painting: "De Stadt Nieuw Amsterdam gelegen op het Eyland Manhattans in Nieuw Nederland" (English: The City New Amsterdam located on the Island Manhattan in New Netherland". 1650 – 1654. Drawing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam#/media/File:The_City_New_Amsterdam_on_Manhattan_(De_Stadt_Nieuw_Amsterdam_op_Manhattans)_Drawing_1650-1654.jpg
ca. May
Dutch Settle New Amsterdam
1630
Hinton, John. A new and accurate map of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, in North America, from a late survey. 1781. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2001620337/
Settlement of Massachusetts Bay Colony
1632
March 25
Portrait of Cecil Calvert, circa 1951-1970. Original by Soest. Maryland Historical Society. https://bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/BRI_APUSH_02_03_CalvertMD.jpg
Settlement of Maryland
1636
June
National Biographical Publishing Co., publisher, Roger Williams Statue, 1881. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roger_Williams_Biographicalcycl00prov_0007.jpg
Settlement of Rhode Island
1639
Taylor, John M, and Woodrow Wilson Collection. Roger Ludlow, the colonial lawmaker. New York, London, G.P. Putman's sons, 1900. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/00006110/. https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.rogerludlowcolon02tayl/?sp=10&r=-1.107,-0.394,3.214,1.711,0
January 14
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
1676-1677
Bacon's Rebellion
Pyle, Howard. The Burning of Jamestown. Illustration in Harper's Encyclopædia of United States History: from 458 A.D. to 1905, vol. 5. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1905.
1692-1693
Thomkins H. Matteson, Trial of George Jacobs, 1855. Painting. https://bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/BRI_APUSH_02_03_GJacobs.jpg
February 1692 -May 1693
Salem Witch Trials
1730s-1770s
Dr. Squintum's exaltation or the reformation. England, 1763. Print. https://www.loc.gov/item/93509794/
The Great Awakening
1754
Franklin, Benjamin. Join or Die. United States, 1754. Cartoon. https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3a12149/
July 10
Albany Plan
1754-1763
Washington the Soldier., ca. 1834. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2003677702/
French and Indian War
1764
Eman Bowen, a new and accurate map of all the known world, 1764. Map. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_historical_and_chronological_deduction_of_the_origin_of_commerce_-_from_the_earliest_accounts_to_the_present_time._Containing,_an_history_of_the_great_commercial_interests_of_the_British_empire._To_(14804767343).jpg
September 29
End of Salutary Neglect
Description Paragraph
The first documented European contact with the Americas occurred in North America, when the Vikings established a settlement in Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada around 1000 A.D. Norse legends, or sagas, recount a relationship between Vikings and Native Americans defined by violence and frequent attacks. The reason the Vikings eventually abandoned their Newfoundland settlement is the subject of much scholarly debate. Regardless, it appears the Vikings did not have any lasting impact on Native American societies, and the Americas had little impact on Europeans.
Photo Caption
The oldest permanent European settlement in the United States was founded in late summer of 1565 by Spanish soldier Pedro Menéndez de Avilés.
Photo Caption
Jamestown was established in 1607 and became the first permanent English settlement in America, founded to seek economic opportunities and expand England’s claims to lands in what was referred to as the New World.
Photo Caption
The first enslaved Africans were brought to the English colonies at Jamestown, Virginia, marking the beginning of a brutal system of forced labor that would become central to the economy and society of colonial America.
Photo Caption
The Mayflower Compact was an agreement Pilgrims made to create and follow fair laws, laying the foundation for self-government in America.
Primary Source
Rhode Island's Royal Charter, on display at the Rhode Island State House, Providence, Rhode Island.
Description Paragraph
The Salem Witch Trials were a series of trials and executions that took place in Salem, Massachusetts, after a group of young girls claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. Fear and superstition spread quickly, leading to accusations against dozens of people, many of whom were women. The trials were fueled by religious beliefs in supernatural forces, local rivalries, and a fear of the unknown, creating a climate of hysteria. Twenty people were executed, and others were imprisoned, often based on little or no evidence. The Salem Witch Trials are now seen as a tragic example of mass panic and injustice in early American history.
Photo Caption
The signature of Roger Ludlowe, one of the writers of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.
Primary Source
St. Augustine and its environs. 1782. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/73691561/
Photo Caption
First documented European contact with the Americas occurs on the coast of Canada.
Description Paragraph
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1630 by a group of Puritans seeking to purify the Church of England, though they did not separate from the Church of England like the Pilgrims. Led by John Winthrop, the Puritans established the colony with the goal of creating a "city upon a hill"—a model Christian society. They settled in present-day Massachusetts near Plymouth Colony, establishing the city of Boston as the colony’s main center. Unlike earlier colonies, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was governed by the Puritans themselves, and its strict religious laws emphasized the importance of Puritan beliefs and community. The colony quickly grew as more Puritans arrived, making it one of the most successful and influential colonies in New England.
Photo Caption
The Dutch established New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island as a trading post, which grew quickly due to its strategic location and diverse settlers.
Description Paragraph
During the reign of Elizabeth I, England started to challenge the dominance of the Spanish Empire in the New World. When Elizabeth died in 1603, James I became king and continued her mission. In 1606, James agreed to let the Virginia Company establish a colony in Virginia as a private joint-stock company that would keep most of the profits earned. The Crown would receive a portion of the wealth and glory. The journey to and first months in the new colony proved to be very difficult. Storms, food shortages, and sickness troubled the men. Eventually, the British colonists were able to establish Jamestown as a valuable colony.
Description Paragraph
The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first representative law-making body established in the English colonies. It was a government where colonists could make their own laws and decisions about taxes and other issues. This was important because it gave people a voice in how they were ruled, instead of just following orders from England. It’s seen as one of the first steps toward self-government in America. Before the House of Burgesses, Virginia was ruled by a military government led by a governor chosen by the king and a group of advisors called the Council.
Description Paragraph
Under orders from the Spanish crown, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés led an expedition to claim land for the Spanish that would stop the nearby French and control shipping routes. He established St. Augustine as a defensive base. St. Augustine’s location on the Florida coast made it a key site for controlling shipping routes. Also, Spain aimed to spread Catholicism among the Native American populations. Missionary efforts were an important part of Spanish colonization, and St. Augustine became a base for the Catholic Church to expand its influence in the region. By founding St. Augustine, Spain set its claim to Florida and the surrounding territories. St. Augustine became the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States, making it a symbol of Spanish influence and a critical foothold for Spain in the region.
Photo Caption
In 1855, Thomkins H. Matteson painted Trial of George Jacobs, August 5, 1692. Jacobs was one of the colonists the court convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death.
Photo Caption
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded by Puritans seeking religious freedom, with the goal of creating a model Christian society, and it became one of the most successful and influential colonies in New England.
Photo Caption
(a) Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, founded Maryland as a place for Catholics to worship freely. He is shown here in a seventeenth-century Dutch portrait. (b) Today, the Maryland state flag includes the black and yellow Calvert coat of arms, which you can also see in the center right of the document in Calvert’s hand.
Primary Source
The Declaration of the People (1676) condemned Governor Berkeley for corruption and failure to protect settlers from American Indian attacks. This unrest fueled Bacon’s Rebellion, as Nathaniel Bacon led landless colonists against Berkeley, demanding military action. The conflict escalated into civil war, with Jamestown burned before English troops restored order after Bacon’s death.
Description Paragraph
Bacon's Rebellion was a significant uprising in 1676 in Virginia, led by Nathaniel Bacon, a colonist who opposed the policies of Governor William Berkeley. The rebellion was fueled by tensions between wealthy planters and poor settlers, who were frustrated over the government's restrictions on expansion and its refusal to protect frontier settlements from Native American attacks. Bacon and his followers, including both black and white indentured servants and landless farmers, demanded more opportunities for land and harsher policies against Native Americans. The rebellion escalated when Bacon and his forces burned Jamestown to the ground. Although the rebellion collapsed after Bacon’s death from illness, it highlighted deep divisions in colonial society and helped stop indentured servants from migrating and increased dependence on race-based slavery to reduce the risk of future uprisings.
Photo Caption
The end of salutary neglect, or the loose enforcement of rule over the colonies, came after the French and Indian War, as Britain tightened control and imposed taxes on the colonies to pay off war debt, sparking colonial resentment.
Description Paragraph
The period known as the Great Awakening was a transformative time in colonial American history. Preachers such as George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards emphasized that being baptized or attending church was not enough—individuals needed a personal, life-changing conversion through the Holy Spirit. This religious revival also reshaped the colonies’ approach to religious liberty. Evangelicals pushed back against government-supported denominations, paving the way for the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment. Some evangelicals began to denounce slavery as sinful, further fueling debates about morality and justice. The Great Awakening stands as one of the most significant religious and cultural shifts in colonial America, laying the groundwork for the civil and religious freedoms that would later define the American Revolution and United States.
Description Paragraph
The French and Indian War was a conflict between Britain and France over control of North America, fought as part of a larger global struggle known as the Seven Years' War. The war began when tensions escalated over territorial claims in the Ohio River Valley, with both European powers seeking to expand their influence. Native American tribes were deeply involved, aligning with either the French or British based on their own interests. The British ultimately won the war, gaining control of French territories in Canada and lands east of the Mississippi River. However, the war was costly, leading Britain to impose taxes on its American colonies, which planted the seeds of colonial anger and eventually the American Revolution.
Primary Source
A letter written by George Washington during the French and Indian War.
Description Paragraph
In 1619, a group of Africans arrived in Virginia after a terrible journey from West Central Africa. These people were first caught and made to walk 100-200 miles to the sea coast. Then, they were put on a Portuguese ship called the San Juan Bautista. During their journey, two English ships, the White Lion and the Treasurer, attacked the San Juan Bautista in the Gulf of Mexico. The English ships took between 50 and 60 of the captive Africans. The White Lion reached Virginia first and brought about 20 Africans. The Treasurer came soon after with 7-9 more people. At that time, Virginia did not have clear laws about slavery. This left these Africans in a difficult situation, because no one knew if they should be treated as slaves or as workers who would be freed after a certain time. It wasn't until many years later that new laws made it clear they would be slaves.
Description Paragraph
Salutary neglect was an unofficial policy of leaving the colonies to govern themselves, so long as the colonies were trading raw material with Britain and sending taxes. The British government therefore didn’t enforce its laws regulating imperial trade very strictly. This allowed the colonies to develop their own governments and ways of doing things. Over time, the colonies got used to this freedom, which made them upset when Britain later tried to take more control and enforce stricter rules following the end of the French and Indian War. Once the war was over, Britain had a large debt and needed money to pay it off. To raise funds, the British government began enforcing taxes and trade laws more strictly in the American colonies. This began with the Sugar Act of 1764.
Photo Caption
Bacon’s Rebellion was an armed uprising of Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the colonial royal government, driven by tensions over land, Native American policies, and economic inequality.
Description Paragraph
Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams, a Puritan minister who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony due to his beliefs about religious freedom and opposition to government interference in religion. Williams believed that the government should not interfere with people's religious beliefs, which was controversial because it was revolutionary at the time. He settled in what is now Rhode Island and established Providence as a place where people of all faiths could practice religion freely. Williams' idea of religious tolerance attracted other settlers, including people seeking refuge from religious persecution. In 1663, Rhode Island was granted a charter by King Charles I, giving it the right to self-govern and becoming one of the first places in America to offer religious freedom and limits on government interference with religion.
Description Paragraph
Sitting high atop the banks of the St. Lawrence River, this settlement gave the French a fortified city and port. A safe distance from the Atlantic Ocean, it became an important base for controlling travel and trade between the Atlantic and the rivers and lakes that were essential to the French empire in North America. France aimed to expand its empire and strengthen its presence in the New World to compete with other European powers like England and Spain.
Description Paragraph
The Dutch established the colony of New Amsterdam on the southern tip of Manhattan Island, primarily as a trading post to expand their fur trade in North America. New Amsterdam grew quickly due to its strategic location and its thriving trade, attracting settlers from various backgrounds, including Dutch, Africans, and other Europeans. The Dutch allowed religious freedom and a degree of self-government.
Description Paragraph
In a meeting known as the Albany Congress, seven of the thirteen colonies agreed to meet to discuss a plan to unite the colonies under one government. Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire sent representatives to discuss the need for unification, especially in matters dealing with Native Americans. The Albany Plan would have also given the power to tax. Assuming that their individual colony's authority would be at risk under a national government, the plan never came to reality.
Primary Source
The text of Benjamin Franklin’s Albany Plan (1754) set above text from the Preamble to the Constitution (1788).
Primary Source
This image shows the frontispiece of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, A Sermon Preached at Enfield, July 8, 1741,by Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was an evangelical preacher who led a Protestant revival in New England. This was his most famous sermon, the text of which was reprinted often and distributed widely.
Description Paragraph
The Fundamental Orders were created to establish a unified government for their new colony which was created due to religious differences with Puritans in Massachusetts. The document outlined a system of self-government, including the election of leaders and establishing rules to maintain order. Unlike other colonial charters, it did not reference England or require approval from the British Crown, making it a groundbreaking step toward independent governance. The Fundamental Orders also emphasized the idea that government should be based on the consent of the people, laying the foundation for principles later included in the Constitution.
Photo Caption
The French established Quebec in what is today Canada. Founded by Samuel de Champlain, it was a French settlement that served as a fur trade hub and strengthened France's presence in North America.
Description Paragraph
The men and women of the Mayflower landed in what would be known as Massachusetts and named their settlement Plymouth. They believed that the Church of England had lost its way and was no longer worshiping God as it should. They believed the Church of England was too corrupt to reform. Instead, the Separatists or Pilgrims as they came to be known, wished to create an entirely new, pure church. In 1607, the Pilgrims faced persecution in England for practicing their religion and decided to secretly flee to Holland for freedom. The Pilgrims left Holland partly due to cultural challenges and political instability, and their move to North America was supported by English authorities through a land grant. Thus began the journey to the New World as a place to preserve their heritage and way of life. In 1620, the Pilgrims made a tough journey across the Atlantic Ocean to North America. They faced many challenges, like sickness, hunger, cold weather, and fear of the unknown.
Primary Source
This diagram depicts the layout of a slave ship.
Primary Source
The first written constitution in the colonies.
Photo Caption
The House of Burgesses was the first group of elected leaders in the English colonies.
Photo Caption
The Great Awakening was a religious revival in the 1730s and 1740s spreading through the American colonies, emphasizing personal faith, emotional worship, and the need for salvation. This cartoon uses humor to criticize how emotional and dramatic some religious revivals had become—and how some preachers made money from their fame.
Primary Source
Broadsides were large sheets of paper that were plastered onto walls to display advertisements, political proclamations, and other information. This broadside was circulated in 1649, when Maryland’s assembly passed the Toleration Act, which decreed that no Christians should be persecuted for their faith.
Primary Source
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written and signed aboard the ship in 1620, and no original drafts survive. This copy from about 1645 was transcribed by William Bradford, who served as governor of the Plymouth Colony on and off for about thirty years between 1621 and 1657.
Photo Caption
The French and Indian War was the climactic struggle between Great Britain and France for control of North America.
Photo Caption
Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams. It was founded as a place for religious freedom and tolerance, where people could practice their faith without government interference, and became one of the first colonies to grant religious liberty.
Description Paragraph
Maryland was chartered in 1632 by Cecil Calvert, also known as Lord Baltimore, as a safe place for English Catholics facing persecution in England. Settlers arrived in 1634. The colony was established with a charter from King Charles I and was designed to be a place where Catholics and Protestants could live together in peace. Maryland’s early government was based on religious tolerance, and in 1649, the colony passed the Act of Toleration, which granted religious freedom to all Christians. This helped Maryland grow as a religiously diverse colony, though tensions between Catholics and Protestants eventually led to conflicts.
Description Paragraph
The Mayflower Compact was an agreement made by Pilgrim men in 1620 before they got off their ship, the Mayflower. Originally, the voyage was headed for Virgina but landed much further north in present-day Massachusetts due to horrible storms and navigation issues. They decided they would work together to make fair rules and laws for their new colony and promised to follow them. It was important because it was one of the first times in America that people made their own government and displayed the idea of working together for the good of everyone.
Photo Caption
A plan to place the thirteen British colonies under one united government.
Photo Caption
English settlers known as Pilgrims or Separatists landed in Massachusetts to form their version of a “perfect” community where they could practice their religion freely.
Unit 1 Colonial Timeline
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Transcript
The Colonial World
Unit 1
1607-1763
1607-1763
Table of contents
c.1000 First Eurpean Contact
1632 Charter of Maryland
1565 Spanish Settle St. Augustine
1636 Settlement of Rhode Island
Unit 1
1639 Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
1607 British Settle Jamestown
1608 French Settle Quebec
1676-1677 Bacon's Rebellion
1619 Virginia House of Burgesses Established
1692-1693 Salem Witch Trials
1619 First Enslaved Africans Arrive in British American Colonies
1730s-1770s The Great Awakening
1754 Albany Plan
1620 Mayflower Compact
1754-1763 French and Indian War
1620 Settlement of Plymouth
1764 End of Salutary Neglect
1624 Dutch Settle New Amsterdam
1630 Settlement of Massachusetts Bay Colony
Timeline Tutorial
Click on each part of the slide to discover more about interacting with the timeline.
1787
The year the event took place, a more specific date if available and the event title will be located here.
Wikimedia Commons contributors. "Norstead - Living History Attraction - 11 September 2023." Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norstead_-_Living_History_Attraction_-_11_September_2023.jpg.
September 17
The Constitution is Accepted
c. 1000
Wikimedia Commons contributors. "Norstead - Living History Attraction - 11 September 2023." Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norstead_-_Living_History_Attraction_-_11_September_2023.jpg.
c. 1000
First European Contact with Native Americans
1565
September 8
Spanish settle St. Augustine
Martí, Francisco de Paula, 1762-1827, engraver https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.09317/
1607
May 14
Map by Captain John Smith, Engraved by William Hole, 1612. URL: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Virginia_map_1606.jpg
British Settle Jamestown
1608
Franquelin, Jean Baptiste Louis. Carte de l'Amerique Septentrionnale. 1910. Map. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3300.ct000668/?r=0.498,0.36,0.613,0.291,0
July 3
French Settle Quebec
1619
July 30-Aug 4
Jones, Alfred, Engraver, and Peter Frederick Rothermel. Patrick Henry before the Virginia House of Burgesses. Williamsburg United States Virginia, 1852. Engraving. https://www.loc.gov/item/2006691555/
Virginia House of Burgesses Established
1619
Late August
First Enslaved Africans Arrive in British American Colonies
Landing Negroes at Jamestown from Dutch man-of-war. Print. Illus. in Harper's Monthly Mag., v. 102, 1901 Jan., p. 172. www.loc.gov/item/2005696251/
1620
Ferris, Jean Leon Gerome, Artist. The Mayflower Compact. 1932. Print. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Mayflower_Compact_1620_cph.3g07155.jpg
November 11
Mayflower Compact
1620
Sarony & Major. The landing of the Pilgrims, on Plymouth Rock, ca. 1846. Print. https://www.loc.gov/item/96504708/
December 16
Settlement of Plymouth
1624
Author unknown. New Amsterdam, ca. 1650. Dutch title on the painting: "De Stadt Nieuw Amsterdam gelegen op het Eyland Manhattans in Nieuw Nederland" (English: The City New Amsterdam located on the Island Manhattan in New Netherland". 1650 – 1654. Drawing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam#/media/File:The_City_New_Amsterdam_on_Manhattan_(De_Stadt_Nieuw_Amsterdam_op_Manhattans)_Drawing_1650-1654.jpg
ca. May
Dutch Settle New Amsterdam
1630
Hinton, John. A new and accurate map of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, in North America, from a late survey. 1781. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2001620337/
Settlement of Massachusetts Bay Colony
1632
March 25
Portrait of Cecil Calvert, circa 1951-1970. Original by Soest. Maryland Historical Society. https://bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/BRI_APUSH_02_03_CalvertMD.jpg
Settlement of Maryland
1636
June
National Biographical Publishing Co., publisher, Roger Williams Statue, 1881. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roger_Williams_Biographicalcycl00prov_0007.jpg
Settlement of Rhode Island
1639
Taylor, John M, and Woodrow Wilson Collection. Roger Ludlow, the colonial lawmaker. New York, London, G.P. Putman's sons, 1900. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/00006110/. https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcmassbookdig.rogerludlowcolon02tayl/?sp=10&r=-1.107,-0.394,3.214,1.711,0
January 14
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
1676-1677
Bacon's Rebellion
Pyle, Howard. The Burning of Jamestown. Illustration in Harper's Encyclopædia of United States History: from 458 A.D. to 1905, vol. 5. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1905.
1692-1693
Thomkins H. Matteson, Trial of George Jacobs, 1855. Painting. https://bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/BRI_APUSH_02_03_GJacobs.jpg
February 1692 -May 1693
Salem Witch Trials
1730s-1770s
Dr. Squintum's exaltation or the reformation. England, 1763. Print. https://www.loc.gov/item/93509794/
The Great Awakening
1754
Franklin, Benjamin. Join or Die. United States, 1754. Cartoon. https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3a12149/
July 10
Albany Plan
1754-1763
Washington the Soldier., ca. 1834. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2003677702/
French and Indian War
1764
Eman Bowen, a new and accurate map of all the known world, 1764. Map. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_historical_and_chronological_deduction_of_the_origin_of_commerce_-_from_the_earliest_accounts_to_the_present_time._Containing,_an_history_of_the_great_commercial_interests_of_the_British_empire._To_(14804767343).jpg
September 29
End of Salutary Neglect
Description Paragraph
The first documented European contact with the Americas occurred in North America, when the Vikings established a settlement in Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada around 1000 A.D. Norse legends, or sagas, recount a relationship between Vikings and Native Americans defined by violence and frequent attacks. The reason the Vikings eventually abandoned their Newfoundland settlement is the subject of much scholarly debate. Regardless, it appears the Vikings did not have any lasting impact on Native American societies, and the Americas had little impact on Europeans.
Photo Caption
The oldest permanent European settlement in the United States was founded in late summer of 1565 by Spanish soldier Pedro Menéndez de Avilés.
Photo Caption
Jamestown was established in 1607 and became the first permanent English settlement in America, founded to seek economic opportunities and expand England’s claims to lands in what was referred to as the New World.
Photo Caption
The first enslaved Africans were brought to the English colonies at Jamestown, Virginia, marking the beginning of a brutal system of forced labor that would become central to the economy and society of colonial America.
Photo Caption
The Mayflower Compact was an agreement Pilgrims made to create and follow fair laws, laying the foundation for self-government in America.
Primary Source
Rhode Island's Royal Charter, on display at the Rhode Island State House, Providence, Rhode Island.
Description Paragraph
The Salem Witch Trials were a series of trials and executions that took place in Salem, Massachusetts, after a group of young girls claimed to be afflicted by witchcraft. Fear and superstition spread quickly, leading to accusations against dozens of people, many of whom were women. The trials were fueled by religious beliefs in supernatural forces, local rivalries, and a fear of the unknown, creating a climate of hysteria. Twenty people were executed, and others were imprisoned, often based on little or no evidence. The Salem Witch Trials are now seen as a tragic example of mass panic and injustice in early American history.
Photo Caption
The signature of Roger Ludlowe, one of the writers of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.
Primary Source
St. Augustine and its environs. 1782. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/73691561/
Photo Caption
First documented European contact with the Americas occurs on the coast of Canada.
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The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1630 by a group of Puritans seeking to purify the Church of England, though they did not separate from the Church of England like the Pilgrims. Led by John Winthrop, the Puritans established the colony with the goal of creating a "city upon a hill"—a model Christian society. They settled in present-day Massachusetts near Plymouth Colony, establishing the city of Boston as the colony’s main center. Unlike earlier colonies, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was governed by the Puritans themselves, and its strict religious laws emphasized the importance of Puritan beliefs and community. The colony quickly grew as more Puritans arrived, making it one of the most successful and influential colonies in New England.
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The Dutch established New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island as a trading post, which grew quickly due to its strategic location and diverse settlers.
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During the reign of Elizabeth I, England started to challenge the dominance of the Spanish Empire in the New World. When Elizabeth died in 1603, James I became king and continued her mission. In 1606, James agreed to let the Virginia Company establish a colony in Virginia as a private joint-stock company that would keep most of the profits earned. The Crown would receive a portion of the wealth and glory. The journey to and first months in the new colony proved to be very difficult. Storms, food shortages, and sickness troubled the men. Eventually, the British colonists were able to establish Jamestown as a valuable colony.
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The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first representative law-making body established in the English colonies. It was a government where colonists could make their own laws and decisions about taxes and other issues. This was important because it gave people a voice in how they were ruled, instead of just following orders from England. It’s seen as one of the first steps toward self-government in America. Before the House of Burgesses, Virginia was ruled by a military government led by a governor chosen by the king and a group of advisors called the Council.
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Under orders from the Spanish crown, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés led an expedition to claim land for the Spanish that would stop the nearby French and control shipping routes. He established St. Augustine as a defensive base. St. Augustine’s location on the Florida coast made it a key site for controlling shipping routes. Also, Spain aimed to spread Catholicism among the Native American populations. Missionary efforts were an important part of Spanish colonization, and St. Augustine became a base for the Catholic Church to expand its influence in the region. By founding St. Augustine, Spain set its claim to Florida and the surrounding territories. St. Augustine became the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States, making it a symbol of Spanish influence and a critical foothold for Spain in the region.
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In 1855, Thomkins H. Matteson painted Trial of George Jacobs, August 5, 1692. Jacobs was one of the colonists the court convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death.
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The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded by Puritans seeking religious freedom, with the goal of creating a model Christian society, and it became one of the most successful and influential colonies in New England.
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(a) Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, founded Maryland as a place for Catholics to worship freely. He is shown here in a seventeenth-century Dutch portrait. (b) Today, the Maryland state flag includes the black and yellow Calvert coat of arms, which you can also see in the center right of the document in Calvert’s hand.
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The Declaration of the People (1676) condemned Governor Berkeley for corruption and failure to protect settlers from American Indian attacks. This unrest fueled Bacon’s Rebellion, as Nathaniel Bacon led landless colonists against Berkeley, demanding military action. The conflict escalated into civil war, with Jamestown burned before English troops restored order after Bacon’s death.
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Bacon's Rebellion was a significant uprising in 1676 in Virginia, led by Nathaniel Bacon, a colonist who opposed the policies of Governor William Berkeley. The rebellion was fueled by tensions between wealthy planters and poor settlers, who were frustrated over the government's restrictions on expansion and its refusal to protect frontier settlements from Native American attacks. Bacon and his followers, including both black and white indentured servants and landless farmers, demanded more opportunities for land and harsher policies against Native Americans. The rebellion escalated when Bacon and his forces burned Jamestown to the ground. Although the rebellion collapsed after Bacon’s death from illness, it highlighted deep divisions in colonial society and helped stop indentured servants from migrating and increased dependence on race-based slavery to reduce the risk of future uprisings.
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The end of salutary neglect, or the loose enforcement of rule over the colonies, came after the French and Indian War, as Britain tightened control and imposed taxes on the colonies to pay off war debt, sparking colonial resentment.
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The period known as the Great Awakening was a transformative time in colonial American history. Preachers such as George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards emphasized that being baptized or attending church was not enough—individuals needed a personal, life-changing conversion through the Holy Spirit. This religious revival also reshaped the colonies’ approach to religious liberty. Evangelicals pushed back against government-supported denominations, paving the way for the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment. Some evangelicals began to denounce slavery as sinful, further fueling debates about morality and justice. The Great Awakening stands as one of the most significant religious and cultural shifts in colonial America, laying the groundwork for the civil and religious freedoms that would later define the American Revolution and United States.
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The French and Indian War was a conflict between Britain and France over control of North America, fought as part of a larger global struggle known as the Seven Years' War. The war began when tensions escalated over territorial claims in the Ohio River Valley, with both European powers seeking to expand their influence. Native American tribes were deeply involved, aligning with either the French or British based on their own interests. The British ultimately won the war, gaining control of French territories in Canada and lands east of the Mississippi River. However, the war was costly, leading Britain to impose taxes on its American colonies, which planted the seeds of colonial anger and eventually the American Revolution.
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A letter written by George Washington during the French and Indian War.
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In 1619, a group of Africans arrived in Virginia after a terrible journey from West Central Africa. These people were first caught and made to walk 100-200 miles to the sea coast. Then, they were put on a Portuguese ship called the San Juan Bautista. During their journey, two English ships, the White Lion and the Treasurer, attacked the San Juan Bautista in the Gulf of Mexico. The English ships took between 50 and 60 of the captive Africans. The White Lion reached Virginia first and brought about 20 Africans. The Treasurer came soon after with 7-9 more people. At that time, Virginia did not have clear laws about slavery. This left these Africans in a difficult situation, because no one knew if they should be treated as slaves or as workers who would be freed after a certain time. It wasn't until many years later that new laws made it clear they would be slaves.
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Salutary neglect was an unofficial policy of leaving the colonies to govern themselves, so long as the colonies were trading raw material with Britain and sending taxes. The British government therefore didn’t enforce its laws regulating imperial trade very strictly. This allowed the colonies to develop their own governments and ways of doing things. Over time, the colonies got used to this freedom, which made them upset when Britain later tried to take more control and enforce stricter rules following the end of the French and Indian War. Once the war was over, Britain had a large debt and needed money to pay it off. To raise funds, the British government began enforcing taxes and trade laws more strictly in the American colonies. This began with the Sugar Act of 1764.
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Bacon’s Rebellion was an armed uprising of Virginia settlers led by Nathaniel Bacon against the colonial royal government, driven by tensions over land, Native American policies, and economic inequality.
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Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams, a Puritan minister who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony due to his beliefs about religious freedom and opposition to government interference in religion. Williams believed that the government should not interfere with people's religious beliefs, which was controversial because it was revolutionary at the time. He settled in what is now Rhode Island and established Providence as a place where people of all faiths could practice religion freely. Williams' idea of religious tolerance attracted other settlers, including people seeking refuge from religious persecution. In 1663, Rhode Island was granted a charter by King Charles I, giving it the right to self-govern and becoming one of the first places in America to offer religious freedom and limits on government interference with religion.
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Sitting high atop the banks of the St. Lawrence River, this settlement gave the French a fortified city and port. A safe distance from the Atlantic Ocean, it became an important base for controlling travel and trade between the Atlantic and the rivers and lakes that were essential to the French empire in North America. France aimed to expand its empire and strengthen its presence in the New World to compete with other European powers like England and Spain.
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The Dutch established the colony of New Amsterdam on the southern tip of Manhattan Island, primarily as a trading post to expand their fur trade in North America. New Amsterdam grew quickly due to its strategic location and its thriving trade, attracting settlers from various backgrounds, including Dutch, Africans, and other Europeans. The Dutch allowed religious freedom and a degree of self-government.
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In a meeting known as the Albany Congress, seven of the thirteen colonies agreed to meet to discuss a plan to unite the colonies under one government. Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire sent representatives to discuss the need for unification, especially in matters dealing with Native Americans. The Albany Plan would have also given the power to tax. Assuming that their individual colony's authority would be at risk under a national government, the plan never came to reality.
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The text of Benjamin Franklin’s Albany Plan (1754) set above text from the Preamble to the Constitution (1788).
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This image shows the frontispiece of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, A Sermon Preached at Enfield, July 8, 1741,by Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was an evangelical preacher who led a Protestant revival in New England. This was his most famous sermon, the text of which was reprinted often and distributed widely.
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The Fundamental Orders were created to establish a unified government for their new colony which was created due to religious differences with Puritans in Massachusetts. The document outlined a system of self-government, including the election of leaders and establishing rules to maintain order. Unlike other colonial charters, it did not reference England or require approval from the British Crown, making it a groundbreaking step toward independent governance. The Fundamental Orders also emphasized the idea that government should be based on the consent of the people, laying the foundation for principles later included in the Constitution.
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The French established Quebec in what is today Canada. Founded by Samuel de Champlain, it was a French settlement that served as a fur trade hub and strengthened France's presence in North America.
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The men and women of the Mayflower landed in what would be known as Massachusetts and named their settlement Plymouth. They believed that the Church of England had lost its way and was no longer worshiping God as it should. They believed the Church of England was too corrupt to reform. Instead, the Separatists or Pilgrims as they came to be known, wished to create an entirely new, pure church. In 1607, the Pilgrims faced persecution in England for practicing their religion and decided to secretly flee to Holland for freedom. The Pilgrims left Holland partly due to cultural challenges and political instability, and their move to North America was supported by English authorities through a land grant. Thus began the journey to the New World as a place to preserve their heritage and way of life. In 1620, the Pilgrims made a tough journey across the Atlantic Ocean to North America. They faced many challenges, like sickness, hunger, cold weather, and fear of the unknown.
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This diagram depicts the layout of a slave ship.
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The first written constitution in the colonies.
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The House of Burgesses was the first group of elected leaders in the English colonies.
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The Great Awakening was a religious revival in the 1730s and 1740s spreading through the American colonies, emphasizing personal faith, emotional worship, and the need for salvation. This cartoon uses humor to criticize how emotional and dramatic some religious revivals had become—and how some preachers made money from their fame.
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Broadsides were large sheets of paper that were plastered onto walls to display advertisements, political proclamations, and other information. This broadside was circulated in 1649, when Maryland’s assembly passed the Toleration Act, which decreed that no Christians should be persecuted for their faith.
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The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written and signed aboard the ship in 1620, and no original drafts survive. This copy from about 1645 was transcribed by William Bradford, who served as governor of the Plymouth Colony on and off for about thirty years between 1621 and 1657.
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The French and Indian War was the climactic struggle between Great Britain and France for control of North America.
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Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams. It was founded as a place for religious freedom and tolerance, where people could practice their faith without government interference, and became one of the first colonies to grant religious liberty.
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Maryland was chartered in 1632 by Cecil Calvert, also known as Lord Baltimore, as a safe place for English Catholics facing persecution in England. Settlers arrived in 1634. The colony was established with a charter from King Charles I and was designed to be a place where Catholics and Protestants could live together in peace. Maryland’s early government was based on religious tolerance, and in 1649, the colony passed the Act of Toleration, which granted religious freedom to all Christians. This helped Maryland grow as a religiously diverse colony, though tensions between Catholics and Protestants eventually led to conflicts.
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The Mayflower Compact was an agreement made by Pilgrim men in 1620 before they got off their ship, the Mayflower. Originally, the voyage was headed for Virgina but landed much further north in present-day Massachusetts due to horrible storms and navigation issues. They decided they would work together to make fair rules and laws for their new colony and promised to follow them. It was important because it was one of the first times in America that people made their own government and displayed the idea of working together for the good of everyone.
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A plan to place the thirteen British colonies under one united government.
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English settlers known as Pilgrims or Separatists landed in Massachusetts to form their version of a “perfect” community where they could practice their religion freely.