- Queen Elizabeth of England granted Sir Humphrey Gilbert a patent to explore and colonize North America. Gilbert died on his second return trip from North America.
- Sir Walter Raleigh founded the Roanoke colony on Roanoke Island. This colony was abandoned in 1586.
- A second attempt to settle a colony on Roanoke Island by 117 people, a dozen, or so were women. This group of people disappeared by 1590.
- The Queen of England granted charters for English companies to establish settlements in North America.
- Three ships carrying about 100 men drop anchor in the James River. These men founded Jamestown, Virginia- the first English settlement. By the end of the first year almost two-thirds of the men died from disease.
- Captain John Smith published his book True Relation of Occurrences in Virginia. This book encouraged colonial immigration.
- 600 English immigrants arrive in Jamestown, Virginia.
- Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River.
- Under the leadership of Lord Delaware, 400 new immigrants arrive in Jamestown, Virginia.
- Dutch settlers establish a fur-trading post near the head of the Hudson River near present day Albany, New York.
- Captain John Smith published his book A Description of New England. This book drew many immigrants to the New World.
- To attract immigrants, The Virginia Company of Jamestown, Virginia started a policy of granting 50 acres per worker or per family unit to those who came to the New World.
- A Dutchman arrived in the New World with 19 Africans. The Africans were indentured servants and had the same rights as white indentured servants.
- The first group of German immigrants arrive in Pennsylvania.
- Due to a war between France and Germany, many Germans flee to the New World.
- Due to the high cost of living in Ireland, many Scotch-Irish peoples immigrate to New England, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
- Carolina is divided into North and South Carolina.
- James Oglethorpe founded Georgia.
- The population of the 13 colonies is estimated to be at 1, 260,000.
- Georgia officially becomes a colony.
- The population of the American colonies is estimated to have reached 2,312,000.
- The Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress.
- The first census of the United States is conducted and reports nearly 4 million inhabitants.
- The Naturalization Act of 1790 is passed by Congress.
- The 1790 Naturalization Act is amended. The residence requirement is extended from 2 years to 5 years.
- Seeking opportunities, a wave of Irish immigrants come to the United States.
All information in this chronology was derived from sources listed in the
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