Events with tag - Settlement

January 1, 21001 BC

First Native Americans Migration

Archaeological evidence reveals that the first humans reached North America at least 23,000 years ago, challenging previous theories that suggested arrival around 13,000 years ago. Multiple migration waves occurred, with people crossing from Asia via the Bering Land Bridge and along Pacific coastal routes.

January 1, 12001 BC

First Native American Settlements Along Mississippi River

The first Native American settlements emerged along the Mississippi River around 12,000 BCE, establishing the foundation for complex civilizations that would thrive in the region for thousands of years.

June 1, 1000

Leif Erikson Discovers North America

Viking explorer Leif Erikson becomes the first European to reach North America, establishing settlements in present-day Newfoundland around 1000 CE. His journey predated Christopher Columbus's voyage by nearly 500 years and led to the first documented European-Native American contact.

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, 1602

Discovery of Cape Cod

English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold discovers Cape Cod during his expedition aboard the Concord, naming the peninsula after the abundant cod fish found in its waters. This historic voyage established one of the earliest English connections to what would later become the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

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.

December 16, 1607

Pocahontas and John Smith First Meeting

In December 1607, an 11-year-old Native American girl named Pocahontas allegedly saved the life of English explorer John Smith at Werowocomoco, though the authenticity of this account remains debated by historians.

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.

January 1, 1620

Great Migration to New England

A transformative period in American colonial history when 20,000 English Puritans migrated to New England, establishing settlements and laying the foundation for colonial America. Led by religious persecution and economic hardship, these settlers created thriving communities that shaped American culture.

September 16, 1620

Mayflower's Historic Journey

The Mayflower's voyage from Plymouth, England to North America in 1620 carried 102 passengers seeking religious freedom. After a 66-day journey, they landed at Cape Cod, establishing Plymouth Colony and laying foundations for American democracy.

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.

September 1, 1621

First Thanksgiving Celebration

The first recorded Thanksgiving took place in autumn 1621 when 50 Plymouth colonists and 90 Wampanoag Native Americans gathered for a historic three-day harvest celebration, marking the Pilgrims' first successful corn harvest in the New World.

May 1, 1624

Founding of New Amsterdam

Dutch West India Company established New Amsterdam by sending 30 families to Manhattan Island, marking the beginning of what would later become New York City. The settlement was strategically positioned at the Hudson River mouth for trade.

June 20, 1675

King Philip's War

A devastating conflict between New England colonists and Native Americans led by Metacom (King Philip) that resulted in massive casualties and reshaped colonial America's future.

October 27, 1682

Founding of Philadelphia

William Penn establishes Philadelphia as a planned city and haven for religious freedom, marking the beginning of one of America's most significant colonial settlements

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.

June 9, 1732

Establishment of Georgia Colony

Georgia was established as the last of the original 13 British colonies through a royal charter granted by King George II to James Oglethorpe, serving both as a humanitarian refuge and strategic buffer zone.

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.

August 1, 1819

Fort Snelling Establishment

Fort Snelling, established in 1819, was a strategic military outpost built at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers, serving as the first permanent U.S. government presence in the Minnesota Territory.

December 1, 1929

First Hooverville Emerges in Seattle

The first documented Hooverville appeared in Seattle's Harbor Island in late 1929, marking the beginning of widespread makeshift settlements during the Great Depression. These settlements, named to criticize President Herbert Hoover, housed thousands of homeless Americans who lost everything in the economic crisis.