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Date |
Event(s) |
| 1 | 1629 | - 4 Oct 1629: Massachusetts Bay Colony chartered
King Charles I granted a royal charter to the Massachusetts Bay Company, leading to a large Puritan migration to the New World.
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| 2 | 1630 | - 1 Sep 1630: Founding of Boston
Puritan colonists led by John Winthrop founded the city of Boston, which became the capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
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| 3 | 1636 | - 18 Sep 1636: Harvard College founded
The General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony established Harvard College, the first institution of higher learning in the United States.
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| 4 | 1639 | - 14 Jan 1639: Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The settlements of Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield adopted the "Fundamental Orders," considered to be the first written constitution in America.
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| 5 | 1643 | - 25 Sep 1643: New England Confederation formed
The colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven formed a military alliance for mutual defense against Native Americans.
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| 6 | 1652 | - 30 May 1652: Rhode Island outlawed slavery
Rhode Island passed a law prohibiting slavery, though it was largely ignored and later repealed.
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| 7 | 1663 | - 24 Mar 1663: Carolina Charter granted
King Charles II granted a charter to eight proprietors to establish the Carolina colony.
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| 8 | 1664 | - 2 Sep 1664: English seize New Netherland
The English fleet seized the Dutch colony of New Netherland without a fight, renaming it New York.
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| 9 | 1675 | - 19 Oct 1675: King Philip's War begins
A major conflict between Native Americans and New England colonists began, resulting in widespread destruction and significant loss of life.
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| 10 | 1676 | - 10 Jun 1676: Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon led a rebellion of Virginia colonists against Governor William Berkeley, protesting his failure to protect them from Native American attacks.
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| 11 | 1681 | - 16 Jan 1681: Pennsylvania granted to William Penn
King Charles II granted a large tract of land to William Penn, a Quaker, to found the colony of Pennsylvania.
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| 12 | 1683 | - 10 Apr 1683: New York City Charter
The Dongan Charter established the government of New York City.
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| 13 | 1686 | - 1 Jan 1686: Dominion of New England formed
King James II merged the New England colonies into a single administrative unit, revoking their colonial charters.
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| 14 | 1689 | - 16 Apr 1689: Boston Revolt
Bostonians arrested the royal governor of the Dominion of New England, Sir Edmund Andros, in a popular uprising.
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| 15 | 1690 | - 8 Feb 1690: Schenectady Massacre
French forces and their Native American allies attacked the settlement of Schenectady, New York, killing over 60 people.
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| 16 | 1692 | - 1 Mar 1692: Salem Witch Trials begin
The first arrests for witchcraft were made in Salem Village, Massachusetts, leading to a series of trials and executions.
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| 17 | 1701 | - 27 May 1701: Charter of Privileges
William Penn granted a new constitution to the Pennsylvania colony, giving more power to the colonial assembly.
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| 18 | 1704 | - 20 May 1704: Boston News-Letter published
The first successful, continuously published newspaper in the colonies was published in Boston.
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| 19 | 1718 | - 3 Jan 1718: New Orleans founded
The French founded the city of New Orleans, which became a key port on the Mississippi River.
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| 20 | 1733 | - 12 Feb 1733: Georgia founded
James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia, the last of the original 13 colonies, as a haven for debtors.
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| 21 | 1735 | - 19 Mar 1735: Zenger Trial
John Peter Zenger was acquitted of seditious libel, a landmark case that established a precedent for freedom of the press in America.
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Abt 1625 - 
