LEADING EVENTS IN THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE FORM OF PARALLEL OUTLINES
I. PERIOD OF AUTHENTIC DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION, FROM 1492 TO 1607
Preceding this Period there are some legendary accounts of discoveries by Norsemen, Irish missionaries and even Asiatics. Little importance attaches to any except those of the Norse discoverers, chief of which was Lief Ericsson and his brother Thorwald who came upon the mainland of North America about 1000 to 1004. The discoveries of Columbus and Vasco da Gama opened a new era, during which the Spaniards explored and settled the West Indies, Mexico, and the southern part of the present United States; while the English and French explored, claimed, and made unsuccessful attempts at settlement in the North.
| Dates | Spanish Explorers and Rulers | Portuguese Explorers and Rulers | English Explorers and Rulers | European Events | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferdinand and Isabella, 1474-1516. | Emanuel I., the Great, 1469-1521. | Henry VII., 1485-1509 | |||
| 1492 | 1492. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, an Italian, supported by Ferdinand and Isabella, set sail from Palos,Spain (August 3), and discovered America (October 12), landing at one of the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador. During the followingthree months he visited the islands of Cuba and Hayti. | 1492. End of the Moorish dominion in Spain. Death of Lorenzo de Medici, the “Magnificent” atFlorence. | 1492 | ||
| 1494. Beginning of a series of Italian wars, lasting till 1539. | |||||
| 1497. JOHN CABOT, an Italian in the service of Henry VII. of England discovered the coast of NORTH AMERICA,probably at Labrador. He was accompanied by his son, Sebastian. | |||||
| 1498. Columbus made a THIRD voyage, discovering the island of Trinidad and themainland of South America, near the mouth of the Orinoco River. | 1498. Sebastian Cabot, on a SECOND voyage, probably explored the Atlanticcoast from Labrador to Carolina. These voyages were not followed by any attempt at colonization. | ||||
| 1499-1507. Amerigo Vespucci wrote a letter to a friend claiming to have discovered a part of the South Americancoast in 1499, and an account of this voyage was published. The new continent, therefore, was named after him by the German geographerWaldseemüller, who had read the account. | 1499. Vasco Da Gama doubled the Cape of Good Hope and reached India. Another route toIndia was thus revealed. | 1499. The Swiss gain their independence from the Emperor Maximilian. | |||
| 1500 | 1500. Cortereal, a Portuguese, explored the coast from Labrador to Nova Scotia. | 1500 | |||
| 1502. Columbus made a FOURTH voyage. He explored the coast of Central America andPanama, returned to Spain discouraged and died four years later in the belief that he had discovered India by sailing west. | 1502. Outbreak of war between France and Spain in Italy. | ||||
| 1510 | Henry VIII., 1509-1547. | 1510 | |||
| 1512. Ponce De Leon, seeking a legendaryfountain of youth, discovered Florida, so named because he landed on Easter Sunday, the Spanish “Feast ofFlowers.” | 1511. Pope Julius II. forms the Holy League against France and Spain. | ||||
| 1513. Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific, which he took possession of, with its coast and islands, for Spain. Charles I. of Spain and Charles V. of Germany, Emperor. 1516-1556. | French Explorers and Rulers | 1513. James IV. of Scotland invades England, and is killed at battle of Flodden Field. | |||
| Francis I., 1515-1547. | |||||
| 1515. Wolsey appointed Chancellor by Henry VIII. of England. | |||||
| 1519-1521. Cortez conquered Mexico for Spain. This conquest led to the establishmentof Spain’s Empire in the new world. The mines brought great wealth to Spain and formed thebasis of Spanish prosperity in thefollowing years. | 1519. The German Empire, Spain, Netherlands, Two Sicilies and the Spanish Indies united under Charles V. | ||||
| 1520 | 1520. Magellan, a Portuguese in Spain’s service, discovered the strait namedafter him. He reached and named the Pacific Ocean. | 1520 | |||
| 1521. Magellan discovered the Philippine Islands. His followers, after hisdeath, continued westward and completed the first circumnavigation of the globe in 1522. | 1524. Verrazano, sailing inthe service of France, traced the American coast northward from Cape Fear, and discovered New York harbor. | 1521. Beginning of the wars between Charles V. of Germany and Francis I. of France. | |||
| 1527. Captain John Rut explores the coast of North America. | 1527. Expulsion of the Medici from Florence. | ||||
| 1530 | 1539. Coronado and a force of Spaniardsmarched northward from Mexico to Colorado and Kansas and discovered the Grand Canon of the ColoradoRiver. De Soto, at the same time, led an army of about a thousand intonorthwest Florida. He reached the Mississippi in 1541. | 1535. Cartier, in search of a northwest passage, ascended the St.Lawrence to Lachine Rapids and Mont Réal (Montreal). | 1535. Henry VIII. of England assumes the title of supreme head of theChurch in England. | 1530 | |
| 1540 | 1541. Roberval and Cartier made an unsuccessful attempt to establisha French colony on the St. Lawrence. | 1543. England enters into an alliance with Charles V.against France. | 1540 | ||
| 1550 | Philip II., 1556-1598. | Elizabeth 1558-1603. | 1550 | ||
| 1560 | Charles IX., 1560-1574. | 1560 | |||
| 1562. Jean Ribault establishes a Huguenot settlement at Port Royal. | 1562. Beginning of the Huguenot wars. | ||||
| 1565. The Spaniards, under MENENDEZ, founded ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida. | 1565. The Huguenot settlement destroyed by Menendez. | ||||
| 1570 | 1570 | ||||
| 1576-1578. Frobisher, in the interest of England, made three attempts to find anorthwest passage to Asia. | |||||
| 1578. Drake explored the Pacific coast as far north as the state of Washington. He hadpreviously doubled Cape Horn. He claimed the land for England. | |||||
| 1580 | 1582. Spanish monks planted missions in NewMexico and Arizona. | 1581. Declaration of independence by the Dutch. | 1580 | ||
| 1583. Humphrey Gilbert landed at St. John’s, Newfoundland, and took possessionof the country for England. | Queen Elizabeth was financially interested in many of the expeditions whichfollowed, and she knighted most of the men who commanded expeditions. | ||||
| 1584. Sir Walter Raleigh sent out an expedition under Captain Arthur Barlow. Theexpedition landed at Pamlico Sound and the region was named Virginia in honor of Elizabeth. | |||||
| Henry IV., 1589-1610. | 1587. Raleigh despatched another expedition, consisting of two ships with one hundred and fifty menand women, to Roanoke Island. John White was the Governor. Virginia Dare, the first white child born in America, was born here. | 1587. Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. 1588. Battle of the SpanishArmada. | |||
| 1590 | 1598. A Spanish settlement was planted by Oñate near Santa Fe, New Mexico. | 1595. France declares war against Spain. | 1590 | ||
| 1600 | 1602. Gosnold, an English merchant, made asettlement at Buzzard’s Bay, R. I. James I., 1603-1625. | 1600 | |||
| 1603. Champlain entered the St. Lawrence. The French occupation ofCanada began with Champlain. His maps, reports, and settlements stimulated French enterprise. | 1603. Martin Pring enters the present harbor of Plymouth. | 1604. Charles IX. ascends throne of Sweden. | |||
| 1605. Champlain founded Port Royal (Annapolis, N. S.), and sailed in an exploringexpedition as far south as Cape Cod. | 1606. In England there was organized the Virginia Company for the purpose of establishing trading colonies in America. |
| Dates | Spanish Explorers and Rulers | Portuguese Explorers and Rulers | English Explorers and Rulers | European Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferdinand and Isabella, 1474-1516. | Emanuel I., the Great, 1469-1521. | Henry VII., 1485-1509 | ||
| 1492 | 1492. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, an Italian, supported by Ferdinand and Isabella, set sail from Palos, Spain (August 3), and discovered America (October 12), landing at one of the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador. During the following three months he visited the islands of Cuba and Hayti. | 1492. End of the Moorish dominion in Spain. Death of Lorenzo de Medici, the “Magnificent” at Florence. | ||
| 1494. Beginning of a series of Italian wars, lasting till 1539. | ||||
| 1497. JOHN CABOT, an Italian in the service of Henry VII. of England discovered the coast of NORTH AMERICA, probably at Labrador. He was accompanied by his son, Sebastian. | ||||
| 1498. Columbus made a THIRD voyage, discovering the island of Trinidad and the mainland of South America, near the mouth of the Orinoco River. | 1498. Sebastian Cabot, on a SECOND voyage, probably explored the Atlantic coast from Labrador to Carolina. These voyages were not followed by any attempt at colonization. | |||
| 1499-1507. Amerigo Vespucci wrote a letter to a friend claiming to have discovered a part of the South American coast in 1499, and an account of this voyage was published. The new continent, therefore, was named after him by the German geographer Waldseemüller, who had read the account. | 1499. Vasco Da Gama doubled the Cape of Good Hope and reached India. Another route to India was thus revealed. | 1499. The Swiss gain their independence from the Emperor Maximilian. | ||
| 1500 | 1500. Cortereal, a Portuguese, explored the coast from Labrador to Nova Scotia. | |||
| 1502. Columbus made a FOURTH voyage. He explored the coast of Central America and Panama, returned to Spain discouraged and died four years later in the belief that he had discovered India by sailing west. | 1502. Outbreak of war between France and Spain in Italy. | |||
| 1510 | ||||
| 1512. Ponce De Leon, seeking a legendary fountain of youth, discovered Florida, so named because he landed on Easter Sunday, the Spanish “Feast of Flowers.” | 1511. Pope Julius II. forms the Holy League against France and Spain. | |||
| 1513. Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific, which he took possession of, with its coast and islands, for Spain. Charles I. of Spain and Charles V. of Germany, Emperor. 1516-1556. | French Explorers and Rulers | 1513. James IV. of Scotland invades England, and is killed at battle of Flodden Field. | ||
| Francis I., 1515-1547. | ||||
| 1515. Wolsey appointed Chancellor by Henry VIII. of England. | ||||
| 1519-1521. Cortez conquered Mexico for Spain. This conquest led to the establishment of Spain’s Empire in the new world. The mines brought great wealth to Spain and formed thebasis of Spanish prosperity in the following years. | 1519. The German Empire, Spain, Netherlands, Two Sicilies and the Spanish Indies united under Charles V. | |||
| 1520 | 1520. Magellan, a Portuguese in Spain’s service, discovered the strait named after him. He reached and named the Pacific Ocean. | |||
| 1521. Magellan discovered the Philippine Islands. His followers, after his death, continued westward and completed the first circumnavigation of the globe in 1522. | 1524. Verrazano, sailing in the service of France, traced the American coast northward from Cape Fear, and discovered New York harbor. | Henry VIII., 1509-1547. | 1521. Beginning of the wars between Charles V. of Germany and Francis I. of France. | |
| 1527. Captain John Rut explores the coast of North America. | 1527. Expulsion of the Medici from Florence. | |||
| 1530 | 1539. Coronado and a force of Spaniards marched northward from Mexico to Colorado and Kansas and discovered the Grand Canon of the Colorado River. De Soto, at the same time, led an army of about a thousand into northwest Florida. He reached the Mississippi in 1541. | 1535. Cartier, in search of a northwest passage, ascended the St. Lawrence to Lachine Rapids and Mont Réal (Montreal). | 1535. Henry VIII. of England assumes the title of supreme head of the Church in England. | |
| 1540 | 1541. Roberval and Cartier made an unsuccessful attempt to establish a French colony on the St. Lawrence. | 1543. England enters into an alliance with Charles V. against France. | ||
| 1550 | Philip II., 1556-1598. | Elizabeth 1558-1603. | ||
| 1560 | Charles IX., 1560-1574. | |||
| 1562. Jean Ribault establishes a Huguenot settlement at Port Royal. | 1562. Beginning of the Huguenot wars. | |||
| 1565. The Spaniards, under MENENDEZ, founded ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida. | 1565. The Huguenot settlement destroyed by Menendez. | |||
| 1570 | ||||
| 1576-1578. Frobisher, in the interest of England, made three attempts to find a northwest passage to Asia. | ||||
| 1578. Drake explored the Pacific coast as far north as the state of Washington. He had previously doubled Cape Horn. He claimed the land for England. | ||||
| 1580 | 1582. Spanish monks planted missions in New Mexico and Arizona. | 1581. Declaration of independence by the Dutch. | ||
| 1583. Humphrey Gilbert landed at St. John’s, Newfoundland, and took possession of the country for England. | Queen Elizabeth was financially interested in many of the expeditions which followed, and she knighted most of the men who commanded expeditions. | |||
| 1584. Sir Walter Raleigh sent out an expedition under Captain Arthur Barlow. The expedition landed at Pamlico Sound and the region was named Virginia in honor of Elizabeth. | ||||
| Henry IV., 1589-1610. | 1587. Raleigh despatched another expedition, consisting of two ships with one hundred and fifty men and women, to Roanoke Island. John White was the Governor. Virginia Dare, the first white child born in America, was born here. | 1587. Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. 1588. Battle of the Spanish Armada. | ||
| 1590 | 1598. A Spanish settlement was planted by Oñate near Santa Fe, New Mexico. | 1595. France declares war against Spain. | ||
| 1600 | 1602. Gosnold, an English merchant, made a settlement at Buzzard’s Bay, R. I. James I., 1603-1625. | |||
| 1603. Champlain entered the St. Lawrence. The French occupation of Canada began with Champlain. His maps, reports, and settlements stimulated French enterprise. | 1603. Martin Pring enters the present harbor of Plymouth. | 1604. Charles IX. ascends throne of Sweden. | ||
| 1605. Champlain founded Port Royal (Annapolis, N. S.), and sailed in an exploring expedition as far south as Cape Cod. | 1606. In England there was organized the Virginia Company for the purpose of establishing trading colonies in America. |
II. THE COLONIAL PERIOD OF UNITED STATES HISTORY, INCLUDING ITS SETTLEMENT (1607 TO 1689); AND ITS CONSOLIDATION (1689 TO 1763)