Summary of USA History in the 17th Century

1601
Sir Walter Raleigh is imprisoned in the Tower of London for a plot against King James I.

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1602
Captain Bartholomew Gosnold is the first Englishman to land on the New England coast.

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1603
Roger Williams, the future founder of Rhode Island, is born.

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1606
Virginia Company of London is granted a Royal Charter to settle in the New World.

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1607
Jamestown is founded under the patent of the London Company.
Captain John Smith meets Pocahontas.

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1608
Captain John Smith writes A True Relation of Such Occurences and Accidents of Noate(sic) as Hath Hapned(sic) in Virginia Since the First Planting of That Collony(sic).

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1609
Henry Hudson explores the Delaware Bay and Hudson River.

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1610
Thomas West, Lord Delaware, was made Governor of Virginia.
Henry Hudson discovers Hudson Bay.

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1611
Henry Hudson dies.

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1612
Captain John Smith writes A Map of Virginia.
The Dutch use Manhattan as a fur trading center.
Tobacco planted for the first time by English colonists in Virginia.

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1613
English Colonists in Virginia destroy the French settlements at Port Royal, Nova Scotia.

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1614
Sir Walter Raleigh writes The History of the World.
Pocahontas marries John Rolfe.

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1616
Sir Walter Raleigh released from the Tower of London.
John Rolfe and Pocahontas travel to England.
William Baffin discovers Baffin Bay while searching for a Northwest passage.
Captain John Smith writes A Description of New England.
A smallpox epidemic decimates the New England Native American population.

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1617
Sir Walter Raleigh sets sail for Guiana.
Pocahontas dies.

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1618
Sir Walter Raleigh returns to England and is executed.

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1619
The first representative colonial assembly, the House of Burgesses, was formed in Virginia.
First slaves in North America.

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1620
Mayflower Compact was signed.
Plymouth Colony founded in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
John Carver was named the first governor of Plymouth Colony.

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1621
Sir Francis Wyatt becomes the new governor of Virginia.
English attempt to colonize Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.
John Carver dies.
The Dutch West Indies Company is chartered.

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1622
William Bradford became the governor of Plymouth Colony.

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1623
New Netherlands is organized in America.
First English settlement in New Hampshire is founded by David Thomas.

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1624
Virginia Company's charter is revoked.
Virginia becomes a Crown Colony.
Sir Francis Wyatt remains Governor of Virginia.
George Fox is born who will become the founder of the Society of Friends (Quakers).
Captain John Smith writes A General Historie(sic) of Virginia, the Summer Isles and New England.
The Dutch settle in New Amsterdam.
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1625
King James I dies and is succeeded by Charles I.

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1626
Peter Minuit arrives in New Netherland and later buys Manhattan from the Native Americans for items worth approximately $24. He then names the island New Amsterdam.

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1627
Plymouth Colony and New Amsterdam begin trading.
A shipload of approximately 1500 kidnapped children is sent from England to the Virginia colony to increase the number of settlers in the colony.

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1628
A group of settlers led by John Endecott settle at Salem. This begins the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

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1629
The Massachusetts Bay Colony is given a royal charter.
The Dutch West India Company begins to give land grants to patroons who will bring at least 50 settlers to the colonies.
John Winthrop is elected the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
King Charles I grants Sir Robert Heath a territory in North America that is to be called Carolina.

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1630
John Winthrop leads over 900 colonists to settle in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
John Winthrop also begins writing the History of New England
Boston is officially established.
William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth colony, begins writing History of Plymouth Plantation.

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1631
Despite the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter, it is decided that only church members are allowed to become freemen who are allowed to vote for colony officials.
Sir Ferdinando Gorges is given a land grant and begins to settle which will eventually become Maine.

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1632
In the Massachusetts Bay Colony issues such as no taxation without representation and representative government are beginning to be addressed.
King Charles I grants Lord Baltimore a royal charter to found the Maryland Colony. Since Baltimore is Roman Catholic, the right to religious freedom is granted to Maryland.

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1633
The first town government is organized in the city of Dorchester within the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The first school in America is founded in New Amsterdam.

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1634
The first settlers for the new Maryland colony arrive in North America.

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1635
Confrontations occur between Virginia and Maryland based on boundary disputes between the two colonies.
The charter for the Massachusetts Bay Company is revoked. The colony refuses to yield to this, however.
Roger Williams is ordered banished from Massachusetts after critizing the colony and promoting the idea of separation of church and state.

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1636
The Twonship Act is passed in the Massachusetts Bay general court giving towns the ability to govern themselves to some extent.
Thomas Hooker arrive in Hartford Connecticut and founds the first church of the territory.
Roger Williams founds the present-day city of Providence, Rhode Island.
Open warfare begins with Pequot Indians after the death of New England trader John Oldham.
Harvard University is founded.

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1637
After numerous encounters, the Pequot Indians are massacred by a force of Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, and Plymouth colonists. The tribe is virtually eliminated.
Anne Hutchinson is banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

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1638
Anne Hutchinson leaves for Rhode Island and founds Portsmouth with William Coddington.
Peter Minuit dies in a shipwreck.

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1639
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut are enacted.
Sir Ferdinando Gorges is named the governor of Maine by royal charter.
New Hampshire Colony settlers sign the Exeter Compact.

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1640
Dutch colonists settle in the Delaware River area.

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1641
Massachusetts Bay Colony takes over the jurisdiction of New Hampshire.

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1642
New Netherland fights against the Hudson River Valley Indians who have been making raids against the colony. Both sides will later sign a truce that will last a year.

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1643
The New England Confederation, also known as the United Colonies of New England, a confederation of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Plymouth, and New Hampshire, is formed.
Anne Hutchinson is murdered by Indians on Long Island.

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1644
Roger Williams is granted a royal charter for Rhode Island.

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1645
The Dutch and the Hudson River Valley Indians conclude peace after four years of warfare.
The New England Confederation sign a peace treaty with the Naragansett Indians.

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1646
Massachusetts becomes increasingly intolerant as they pass a law making heresy punishable by death.

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1647
Peter Stuyvesant assumes the leadership of New Netherland.
Rhode Island General Assembly drafts a constitution allowing for separation of church and state.

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1648
The Dutch and the Swedes compete for the land around present-day Philadelphia on the Schuylkill River. They each build forts and the Swedes burn down the Dutch fort twice.

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1649
King Charles I of the House of Stuart is excommunicated in England. Virginia sides with the house of Stuart.
Toleration Act is passed in Maryland allowing for religious freedom.
Maine also passes legislation allowing for religious freedom.
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1650
Maryland is allowed to have a bicameral legislature by order of Lord Baltimore.
Virginia is blockaded by England after declaring allegiance to the House of Stuart.

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1651
England passes the Navigation Act that forbid goods to be imported from the colonies to England in non-English ships or from locations other than where they were produced. This action causes supply shortages hurting colonies and eventually leads to the Anglo-Dutch War which lasts from 1652-1654.

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1652
New Amsterdam is given permission to form its own city government.
Rhode Island passes the first law in America which prohibits slavery.
Maine is included within the boundaries of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The Anglo-Dutch War begins in July.
In defiance of England, Massachusetts Bay declares itself independent.

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1653
Massachusetts Bay does not support the New England Confederation in declaring war against the Dutch colonists.


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1654
The first Jewish immigrants arrive in America when they settle in New Amsterdam.
The new governor of Maryland, William Fuller, does away with the Toleration Act which gave Catholics the right to practice their religion and removes Lord Baltimore from authority.

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1655
A civil war between Catholic and Puritan factions after the revocation of the Toleration Act in
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1654 results in a Puritan victory.
The Dutch, after years of conflict with New Sweden, are able to defeat the Swedes and end royal rule by Sweden in America.

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1656
Lord Baltimore is returned to power in Maryland and Josias Fendell is named its governor.
Quakers who arrive in Massachusetts Bay are treated horribly and banished which is supported by the New England federation. Later in the year, Connecticut and Massachusetts pass laws to allow for the banishment of Quakers.

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1657
Quakers who arrive in New Amsterdam are punished and then banished to Rhode Island by Governor Peter Stuyvesant.

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1658
Massachusetts colony passes laws that do not allow for religious freedom of Quakers including the holding of their meetings.

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1659
Two Quakers are punished by hanging when they return to Massachusetts Bay after being banished.

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1660
Lord Baltimore is removed from power by the Maryland assembly.
The Navigation Act of
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1660 is passed requiring only English ships with a three-quarters English crew be allowed to be used for trade. Certain goods including sugar and tobacco could only be shipped to England or English colonies.

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1661
The English crown, in protest to the rules against Quakers, orders them released and returned to England. They are later forced to stop the harsh penalties against Quakers.
The first bible to be printed in America was published in the Algonquin language.

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1662
Connecticut is given a royal charter.
The Massachusetts Bay Colony's charter was accepted by England as long as they extended the vote to all landowners and allows for freedom of worship for Anglicans.

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1663
The Carolina colony is created by King Charles II and has numerous proprietors.
Rhode Island is given a royal charter.
All imports to the American colonies are required to come from England on English vessels with the second Navigation Act.

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1664
The Hudson River valley Indians surrender part of their territory to the Dutch.
The Duke of York is given a charter to control lands that include the Dutch area of New Netherland. By the end of the year a naval blockade by the English of the area causes Governor Peter Stuyvesant to surrender New Netherland to the English. New Amsterdam is renamed New York.
The Duke of York grants land called New Jersey to Sir George Carteret and John, Lord Berkeley.
Maryland and later New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia pass laws that do not allow for the freeing of black slaves.

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1665
New Haven is annexed by Connecticut.
The King's Commissioner's arrive in New England to oversee what is occurring in the colonies. They demand that colonies must comply by swearing allegiance to the King and allowing for the freedom of religion. Plymouth, Connecticut, and Rhode Island comply. Massachusetts does not comply and when representatives are called to London to answer to the King, they refuse to go.
The territory of Carolina is extended to include Florida.


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1666
Maryland prohibits the growing of tobacco for a year due to a glut of tobacco on the market.

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1667
The Peace of Breda officially ends the Anglo-Dutch War and gives England formal control over New Netherland.

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1668
Massachusetts annexes Maine.

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1669
The Fundamental Constitutions are issued in Carolina which provides for religious tolerance.

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1670
Charles Town (present-day Charleston) is established by Joseph West.
The Treaty of Madrid is completed between England and Spain. Both parties agree that they will respect each other's rights in America.
The Virginia Assembly only allows landowners the right to vote.

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1671
Plymouth forces King Philip (Metacomet), chief of the Wampanoag Indians, to surrender his weapons.
French explorers claim the interior of North America for King Louis XIV.

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1672
First copyright law is passed in the colonies by Massachusetts.
The Royal Africa Company is given a monopoly for the English slave trade.

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1673
Virginia is granted by the English crown to Lord Arlington and Lord Culpepper.
French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet travel down the Mississippi River exploring down to the Arkansas River.
The Dutch launch a naval attack against Manhattan to try and win back New Netherland during the third Anglo-Dutch War. Manhattan is surrendered. They capture other towns and rename New York to New Orange.

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1674
The Treaty of Westminster ends the third Anglo-Dutch War with the American Dutch colonies reverting back to England.
Father Jacques Marquette establishes a mission at present-day Chicago.

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1675
Quaker William Penn is granted rights to portions of New Jersey.
King Philip's War begins with retaliations for the execution of three Wampanoag Indians. Boston and Plymouth unite to fight against the Indians. Nipmuck Indians unite with the Wampanoags to attack settlements in Massachusetts. The New England Confederation then reacts by officially declaring war on King Philip and raising an army. The Wampanoags are able to defeat settlers near Deerfield on September 18th and Deerfield is abandoned.

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1675
King Philip's War begins when King Philips leads the Wampanoag Indians against Swansea.
The New England Confederation declares war on King Philip and each colony is required to provide men for a combined force.
King Philip achieves a decisive victory at Bloody Brook on September 18.

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1676
In March, the Indians attack Plymouth, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island.
Nathaniel Bacon is declared a traitor and is arrested. He is later pardoned for this when he admits his guilt.
In June, the colonists with the Mohegan Indians defeat King Philip's men at Hadley.
Nathaniel Bacon writes the "Declaration of the People of Virginia."
In June, Nathaniel Bacon assembles a group of 500 men leading them to Jamestown in what comes to be known as Bacon's Rebellion.
Virginia planters agree to support Nathaniel Bacon.
King Philip's War ends on August 22 when the Indians surrender.
Bacon burns Jamestown on September 19.
On October, 18, Nathaniel Bacon dies. The rebel army surrenders when promised amnesty.

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1677
Virginia Governor Berkeley executes 23 of the rebels from Bacon's Rebellion in direct defiance of the crown. He is later replaced by Colonel Jeffreys as the head of Virginia.

Increase Mather writes "The Troubles That Have Happened in New England."

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1678
King Philip's War is formally brought to an end.
The French (Rene Robert Cavalier, Sieur de la Salle, and Father Louis Hennepin) find Niagara Falls while exploring Canada.
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1680
New Hampshire is separated from Massachusetts by royal decree.

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1681
William Penn receives a royal charter to set up Pennsylvania.

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1682
Frenchman Sieur de la Salle claims the land at the mouth of the Mississippi for France and calls it Louisiana.
William Penn writes "Frame for Government" that provides for a precursor of a bicameral government.

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1684
The charter for Massachusetts Bay Colony is revoked.

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1685
The Duke of York becomes King James II and makes New York a royal province.
William Penn is given jurisdiction over Delaware.
The number of French Huguenot settlers in America increases after King Louis XIV revokes the Edict of Nantes that protected their religious freedom.
Increase Mather is named President of Harvard College.

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1686
King James II creates the Dominion of New England and names Sir Edmund Andros as governor general.

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1687
William Penn publishes "The Excellent Privilege of Liberty and Property".

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1688
Governor Edmund Andros places the militia of New England under his direct control.
The earliest known antislavery tract is released in the colonies by the Quakers at Germantown, Pennsylvania.
The Glorious Revolution occurs in which King James II (Catholic) flees to France and is replaced by William and Mary of Orange (Protestant).
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1689
William and Mary of Orange are officially named King and Queen of England.

Governor Andros surrenders to colonial rebels and is put in jail.

New England colonies begin reinstituting their own governments after Governor Andros is removed from power.

The Toleration Acts are passed by Parliament which gives limited Freedom of Religion to citizens.
A Bill of Rights is passed by Parliament as a statue.

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1690
King William's War begins when the combined forces of the French and the Indians attack towns in New York, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

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1691
William Penn makes Delaware a seperate government from Pennsylvania.
Maryland is declared a Royal province removing Lord Baltimore from political power.
Plymouth Colony becomes part of Massachusetts.

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1692
William III takes the throne.
Pennsylvania is named a royal colony.

Salem Witchcraft trials occur. 20 persons are executed before the trials end.

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1693
College of William and Mary is founded in Williamsburg, Virginia.
North Carolina is designated.

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1694
Colonists sign a peace treaty with the Iroquois to keep them from allying with the French in the future.
Pennsylvania is once again named a Proprietary Colony.

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1696
Navigation Acts of 1696 are passed by Parliament that limit all colonial trade to English-built vessels among other things.

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1697
The Treaty of Ryswick ends King William's War and restores all colonial possessions to pre-war ownership.

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1699
Pirate Captain Kidd is captured and sent to England where he will be executed in 1701.
Wool Act is passed by Parliament to protect the British wool industry. It forbids the export of wool from the American colonies.[/font]

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Source:
The Almanac of American History) By Schlesinger, Jr., Arthur M