Events with tag - Colonization

June 24, 1497

John Cabot Discovers North America

Italian-born explorer John Cabot became the first European since the Vikings to reach mainland North America in 1497, sailing under English sponsorship. His landing at Newfoundland established England's first territorial claims in the New World and laid the foundation for British colonial expansion.

April 2, 1513

Discovery of Florida

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León discovered Florida on April 2, 1513, marking the first documented European contact with the region. He named it 'La Florida' due to its flowering vegetation and the Easter season.

September 7, 1535

Discovery of St. Lawrence River

French explorer Jacques Cartier becomes the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, establishing a crucial waterway that would shape North American colonial development and connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

February 23, 1540

Coronado's Expedition to the American Southwest

In 1540, Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led a massive expedition of over 1,000 people through the American Southwest, searching for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. While the legendary cities were never found, the two-year journey resulted in the first detailed European documentation of the region's geography, indigenous peoples, and natural resources.

May 8, 1541

Discovery of the Mississippi River

Hernando de Soto became the first European to officially document the discovery of the Mississippi River, leading to a series of explorations that established crucial trade routes and shaped North American development.

May 8, 1541

Discovery of Mississippi River

Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto became the first European to discover and document the Mississippi River, which he named 'Río del Espíritu Santo' (River of the Holy Spirit), marking a pivotal moment in North American exploration history.

September 8, 1565

Founding of St. Augustine

Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés established St. Augustine, Florida, marking the first permanent European settlement in what would become the United States. The settlement was founded on September 8, 1565, predating Jamestown by 42 years.

July 22, 1587

Lost Colony of Roanoke Disappearance

In 1587, 117 English settlers established a colony on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. When Governor John White returned in 1590 after a supply mission to England, he found the settlement completely abandoned with only the word 'CROATOAN' carved into a fence post.

May 14, 1607

Founding of Jamestown

The establishment of Jamestown in 1607 marked the first successful permanent English settlement in North America, setting the foundation for colonial America and future United States.

May 14, 1607

Jamestown Settlement Establishment

The Virginia Company established Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, with 104 colonists arriving on the banks of Virginia's James River. This historic venture marked the beginning of successful English colonization in the New World.

July 3, 1608

Founding of Quebec City

Samuel de Champlain establishes Quebec City at a strategic location along the St. Lawrence River, marking the beginning of permanent French colonization in North America. The settlement, built with three main structures, became the foundation of New France.

September 3, 1609

Hudson River Discovery

Henry Hudson, an English explorer commissioned by the Dutch East India Company, conducted a historic 23-day exploration of the Hudson River in 1609, becoming the first European to extensively navigate and document this major waterway. His journey laid the foundation for Dutch colonization and the establishment of New York.

August 1619

First African Slaves Arrive in Colonial America

In August 1619, the Dutch warship White Lion arrived at Point Comfort, Virginia, carrying '20 and odd' Africans who were traded for food and supplies, marking the beginning of slavery in colonial America. This pivotal moment transformed the nation's history and established a system that would persist for 246 years.

December 21, 1620

Mayflower Pilgrims Land at Plymouth Rock

After a 66-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean, the Mayflower Pilgrims made their historic landing at Plymouth Rock, establishing the first permanent English settlement in New England. This momentous event marked the beginning of European colonization in the region.

May 17, 1673

Marquette and Joliet Mississippi River Expedition

French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet led a historic expedition along the Mississippi River, becoming the first Europeans to systematically explore and document the upper Mississippi. Starting from St. Ignace Mission on May 17, 1673, they traveled over 2,500 miles through present-day Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas.

February 1, 1682

La Salle's Mississippi River Expedition

In February 1682, French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle led a historic expedition down the Mississippi River, becoming the first European to travel from its upper reaches to the Gulf of Mexico. This journey established French claims to the vast Louisiana Territory and transformed North American colonial development.

April 9, 1682

La Salle Claims Mississippi River

French explorer René-Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle led a historic expedition down the Mississippi River, culminating in claiming the entire river basin for France on April 9, 1682. This bold declaration established French control over vast territory later known as Louisiana.

April 1, 1699

First European Settlement on Mississippi River

In 1699, Fort de la Boulaye became the first permanent European settlement along the Mississippi River, following Robert de La Salle's historic 1682 expedition that claimed the territory for France. This establishment marked a crucial turning point in North American colonial history.

January 1717

First Mississippi River Levee Built

In 1717, the first levee on the Mississippi River was constructed near New Orleans under the supervision of French engineer Pierre Le Blond de La Tour. This three-foot-high, one-mile-long structure marked the beginning of what would become one of North America's most extensive flood control systems.

September 6, 1717

Mississippi Company

A French colonial trading company founded by John Law in 1717, granted exclusive trading rights in Louisiana Territory by King Louis XV. It experienced rapid growth before collapsing in 1720 during the Mississippi Bubble crisis.

May 7, 1718

Founding of New Orleans

New Orleans was established as a strategic French colonial port city on the Mississippi River, marking a pivotal moment in North American colonial history. The settlement quickly developed into a vital trading hub and cultural melting pot.

November 3, 1762

Mississippi River Transfer to Spanish Control

In a pivotal moment of colonial history, France ceded control of the Mississippi River and Louisiana Territory to Spain through the Treaty of Fontainebleau. This secret agreement, signed on November 3, 1762, transferred 828,000 square miles of territory and marked a significant shift in North American colonial power dynamics.

October 1, 1800

Spain Returns Mississippi River to France

Through the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso, Spain returned control of the Mississippi River and Louisiana Territory to France, marking the end of 38 years of Spanish dominance in the region. This secret agreement set the stage for the Louisiana Purchase.