Category: Timeline of United States History

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1776 – The Events of January 18 – 24

On January 18, officials from the Georgia Provincial Congress arrested Georgia’s Royal Governor James Wright. Wright had been the governor of Georgia since 1760, having previously served as South Carolina’s representative to the Crown and as South Carolina’s attorney. His problems began with the Stamp Act, passed by Parliament in 1765. He managed to be the only royal official to successfully import and sell the stamps despite the efforts of the local Sons of Liberty to stop him. On January 12 a small British fleet had arrived in Savannah’s harbor. The fleet had intentions of purchasing a load of rice to take to Boston’s besieged troops. Delegates for the Georgia Provincial Congress had arrived and decided they did not want Wright to purchase the rice and had him arrested. Continue reading 1776 – The Events of January 18 – 24

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First Execution for Witchcraft – Margaret Jones Hanged

The General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony condemned Margaret Jones to hang for the crime of witchcraft on June 13, 1648. Mrs. Jones was the first victim executed for this crime in Massachusetts. She was probably not the first ever accused. But Witch Finder General, Matthew Hopkins’ methods provided a framework of gathering evidence. Accusers used his methods to gather the evidence used to convict her. The accounts of her trial and execution come from Governor John Winthrop, who presided over the trial, and John Hale. Authorities also charged her husband with witchcraft. He was not convicted. Continue reading First Execution for Witchcraft – Margaret Jones Hanged

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The New England Earthquake of 1638 – Like Elvis, the Pilgrims Were All Shook Up

The Earthquake
It was a sunny, warm and pleasant day in New England. The colonists were involved in their normal, everyday activities. In Plymouth, some of the settlers had adjourned a meeting to discuss a proposed migration to another area. In Newberry, Massachusetts, the town residents were attending a town meeting. Farmers worked in their fields and wives tended their chores. Sometime between one and two o’clock a curious, low rumble began in the north. The rumble increased, like low thunder as it approached. People paused in their tracks, wondering at the sound. Continue reading The New England Earthquake of 1638 – Like Elvis, the Pilgrims Were All Shook Up

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Representative Government Birthed in Colonial America

The charter granted by the Crown on March 3, 1629 stated that the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s General Court had to meet on an annual basis. This General Court admitted new freemen, chose officers, and made laws and ordinances for the good and welfare of the company. These laws could not conflict with Britain’s laws. The first meeting of this General Court at Boston occurred on October 19, 1630. The main order of business was to admit freemen to the colony. Continue reading Representative Government Birthed in Colonial America

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Podcast – King Charles I Grants 2nd Lord Baltimore Rights To Chesapeake Bay Area

The Province of Maryland began life as a propriety colony of Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. In theory, all land in the British Empire belonged to the King. He could divide it amongst his subjects any way he saw fit. The king used this type of colony to reward loyal supporters. The proprietor became, in effect, the supreme ruler of the colony. Of course, the proprietor was ultimately subject to the King. Lord Baltimore established the colony in 1632 as a refuge for Catholics. Religious wars in Europe caused many Catholics to face persecution. This was especially true in England during this time. Continue reading Podcast – King Charles I Grants 2nd Lord Baltimore Rights To Chesapeake Bay Area

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Before the Table Fork, there were Fingers and Knives

Governor John Winthrop turned many heads with his use of a “split spoon” as he sat at his meal. During this time, Winthrop likely owned the only fork in North America as the clergy considered split spoons evil. Opposed to the use of the new eating utensil they considered that the only thing worthy of touching “God’s food” were fingers. Many considered them effeminate since Thomas Coryate introduced them to England. Continue reading Before the Table Fork, there were Fingers and Knives

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Podcast – Charles I grants Royal Assent to the Petition of Rights

In a pinch for money, English King Charles I ratifies the Petition of Right. This document is still in force in England and many historians give it equal standing with the Magna Carta in terms of importance. Approved by both Houses of Parliament, Charles I agree to it so Parliament would provide funds for his Thirty Years War effort. It provided precedent for the 1641 Massachusetts Body of Liberties. Several amendments in the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution also have roots in the Petition. Continue reading Podcast – Charles I grants Royal Assent to the Petition of Rights

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Podcast – The Beginnings of New Netherlands

After Hudson’s brief foray into the Hudson Bay in 1609, the next Dutchman to enter the Bay was merchant Arnout Vogels, who went on a secret mission to the Hudson Bay in 1611. His success on that trip caused him to make two more trips, in 1612 and 1613. These trips he did not keep secret resulting in competition from other merchants seeking to cash in. The Netherlands formed the New Netherlands Company on October 11, 1614, which received a three-year monopoly from the Netherlands’s government to establish a trading post. This post proved successful, however they did not get a renewal of the monopoly and they abandoned the post. The Dutch decided they needed a permanent presence in the area to ward off threats from the Spanish, French and English, thus they created the Dutch West India Company in 1621. Continue reading Podcast – The Beginnings of New Netherlands

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Podcast – The Earliest Possible Date for the First Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving feasts were a common practice for the European settlers and their native neighbors. It was tradition for the Europeans to set aside days of thanksgiving. They celebrated for a bountiful harvest, drought-ending rains or other providential events. These events did not have any connection with their worship service. They were set during week and commonly involved fasting beforehand. After the fasting, they would have one or several days of celebratory feasting. The Indians had similar traditions. They had thanksgiving celebrations sporadically throughout the year for special events. Thus, both peoples had traditions of this type of celebration. Continue reading Podcast – The Earliest Possible Date for the First Thanksgiving Day

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Podcast – Ill Fated Treasure Ship Nuestra Señora de Atocha Departs

By the early Seventeenth Century, Spanish settlement delved deep into the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. The Bolivian city of Potosi, Mexico City and Lima, Peru all had larger populations than any city in the parent nation, Spain. The colonists grew coffee, sugar, tobacco and other agricultural products for export to Europe. The silver and gold mines of the regions also supplied a vast quantity of wealth for Spain. The ship Nuestra Señora de Atocha carried a large quantity of this treasure in its holds when a hurricane sank it off the coast of Florida. Continue reading Podcast – Ill Fated Treasure Ship Nuestra Señora de Atocha Departs

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Podcast – First Report of European Honeybees in the Colonies

The earliest evidence of the European Honeybee in America comes from a letter drafted by the Council of the Virginia Company, dispatched to Governor and Council in Virginia. The letter noted that the colonists had ordered seeds, apple trees, pigeons, mastiff dogs and beehives. The shipment of bees arrived in Virginia sometime in March 1622 to serve as pollinators for the European crops. The bees would also produce honey and beeswax, which the native bees did not produce. Continue reading Podcast – First Report of European Honeybees in the Colonies

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Podcast – The Pilgrims – Part 3

Pilgrim women gave birth to two children on board the Mayflower. The first, Oceanus Hopkins, was born during the voyage. His parents, Stephen Hopkins and his wife, Elizabeth, named him Oceanus because he was born on the ocean. Peregrine’s parents, William White and wife Susanna named him Peregrine because he came into the world during the peregrination, or journey. The word “peregrinus” means “pilgrim” in Latin. Naming children for important events was common in the Seventeenth Century. Continue reading Podcast – The Pilgrims – Part 3

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The Pilgrims – Part 2

The Pilgrims arrived in Southampton on the Speedwell from their refuge in Leiden, Holland. In Southampton, they were to rendezvous with the Mayflower and some other settlers. The Pilgrims planned to sail to the New World on the two ships. These two ships departed Southampton, England around August 5. The Speedwell created the first of what were many problems by springing a leak. The ships put in at Dartmouth to repair the ship. Continue reading The Pilgrims – Part 2

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Podcast – The Pilgrims – Part 1

The first charter granted to the Pilgrims was the First Pierce Patent on February 02, 1620. This patent granted by the Virginia Company of London to John Pierce never took effect. The Pilgrims sailed in September 1620 and reached the New World by early November. However bad weather and bad luck forced them to land in an area outside the land granted to them by the charter. Continue reading Podcast – The Pilgrims – Part 1

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Podcast – First Blacks Land at Jamestown Virginia

First Blacks Land at Jamestown Virginia
Sometime in late August, 1619 a ship docked at Jamestown bearing a cargo of blacks. The probable origin of these people was Angola, Africa. Thus, the first blacks had arrived in the New World. The status of these people is unknown. The institution of slavery did not exist yet. Many historians feel that these blacks served as indentured servants for a period. There are records that blacks received awards of land in later years, lending credence to that theory. Continue reading Podcast – First Blacks Land at Jamestown Virginia

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The Explorations of Henry Hudson – Part 2

Henry Hudson, on his fourth and final voyage, sailed his ship Discovery through the turbulent waters of the Labrador Sea and Davis Strait. On August 2, 1610, Hudson’s ship entered the bay that would bear his name, Hudson’s Bay. After three month’s at sea, Hudson was confident he had found the elusive Northwest Passage. Hudson and his crew would spend the next two months sailing around the Bay, looking for a route through, until ice closed in on the ship in late October. Continue reading The Explorations of Henry Hudson – Part 2