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HISTORY TIMELINE (1700-1799) By Gerald Murphy
DATE EVENT
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1701 Cadillac establishes trading post; calls it "Ponchartrain" on de Troit
1701 Elihu Yale donates 800 Pounds to the third college in the colonies
1701 Delaware gets government separate from Pennsylvania
1702 East Jersey and West Jersey unite to form royal province of New Jrrsey
1702 Queen Anne begins reign; dies 1714. Annapolis is named for her
1703 Benjamin Franklin born in Boston
1704 First organ built in the colonies, in Philadelphia
1707 Scotland and England join to become Great Britain
1709 First Copyright Act, in Britain
1711 War with Tuscarora Indians in Carolinas, they head north
1712 North Carolina gets own governor, separates from South Carolina
1713 Treaty of Utrecht;French Acadians(Cajuns) driven from Nova Scotia to LA
1714 Shawnee establish themselves in western Ohio, driven there from MD
1715 Tuscarora Indians join League of Five Nations, making it Six Nations
1716 First theater in the colonies is at Williamsburg
1717 Mother Goose appears in print, in Boston
1718 New Orleans founded by Le Page du Pratz, for Bienville
1720 Birth of Ottawa Indian war chief Pontiac, near Detroit
1720 First settlements in Vermont
1721 Dr. Zabdiel Boylston imports smallpox vaccine, in Boston
1723 Benjamin Franklin leaves Boston for Philadelphia
1727 First British fort on Great Lakes is Fort Oswego, NY
1728 Vitus J. Bering, a Dane, explores strait which now bears his name
1728 First American steel made in Hartford, CT
1732 Benjamin Franklin begins to publish Poor Richard's Almanac
1732 George Washington born in Virginia on February 22; dies in 1799
1732 Hat Act forbade manufacture in colonies of hats made with local fur
1732 First stagecoach route connects Burlington to Perth Amboy, NJ
1733 Sugar Act, aka Molasses Act, a revenue enhancement scheme for Britain
1733 Georgia becomes 13th colony; founded by James Oglethorpe
1734 Hamilton defends Zenger in freedom of the press landmark case
1735 John Adams, 2nd President born October 30; dies July 4, 1826
1736 Patrick Henry born May 29
1736 Franklin begins Fire Department in Philadelphia
1737 John Hancock born January 23
1738 The Great Awakening in full swing reshaping religious policies everywh.
1738 British traders begin working shores of Lake Erie, compete with French
1738 Future King George III born. Declaration of Independence mentions him
1739 In North Carolina, there is large insurrection by blacks
1739 War of Jenkin's Ear begins
1740 English Parliament allows naturalization of colonists after 7 years
1740 Invention of the Franklin stove, his most famous invention
1740 Philadelphia is largest city in America. Population 13,000
1741 Vitus Bering claims Alaska for his (now) homeland Russia
1743 Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President, born April 13; dies July 4, 1826
1743 American Philosophical Society founded by Benjamin Franklin
1744 King George's War begins. France joins war effort against England
1746 College of New Jersey, now called Princeton Univ., founded
1747 New York State Bar Association is first in this continent
1748 "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" appears in New England Primer
1748 Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle ends King George's War
1749 England recognizes slavery and plantation system in the south
1749 George Washington becomes land surveyor at age 17, for an Ohio company
1749 Halifax, Nova Scotia founded
1750 Cumberland Gap discovered, named by Thomas Walker. Westward ho begins
1750 First American coal mine opens in Virginia
1750 Iron Act encourages colonial pig iron, forbids colonial steel tools
1751 James Madison, father of our Constitution & 4th President, born. d.1836
1751 Liberty Bell ordered from England. 50th anniversary Charter of Privs
1752 Benjamin Franklin goes out to "fly a kite". A shocking experience!
1752 Franklin invents the lightning rod based on his electrical experiments
1752 First general hospital opens in Philadelphia
1753 George Washington explores western Pa; delivers ultimatum to French
1754 Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan of Union remarks on Iroquoian League
1754 French and Indian War begins; ends formally in 1763 in Treaty of Paris
1754 King's College, now Columbia University, founded
1754 Major Washington loses battle of Fort Necessity
1755 Braddock's defeat at Pittsburgh; Washington makes Lt Colonel
1755 Irish immigrant, Jackson, born at sea, will become 7th President
1757 Franklin goes to London for 17 year mission for the colonies
1757 D. P. Custis dies, leaves "The White House" plantation to wife Martha
1758 James Monroe, 5th President, born in Virginia; dies in 1831
1759 George Washington weds Martha Custis, honeymoons at The White House
1759 General Wolfe v. Marquis de Montcalm on Plains of Abraham; both die
1760 Final subjugation of Canada by England
1760 George III becomes King of England. Colonial population 1.6 million
1761 Writs of Assistance case tried in Boston
1762 Benjamin Franklin re-designs the harmonica, makes it a musical instru.
1762 Spain acquires Louisiana from France
1763 Illinois passed from France to Britain
1763 Pontiac begins seige of Detroit, now a British fort; incites other wars
1763 French and Indian War ends with Treaty of Paris signed Sept 3
1763 Treaty of Paris important because borders of United States established
1763 Also / Treaty of Paris, England gains Canada and French land east of MS
1763 Vigilantes known as Paxton Boys massacre peaceful Conestoga village
1763 John Jacob Astor born in Waldorf, Germany
1764 Mozart writes his first symphony, at age eight
1764 Saint Louis founded
1764 Molasses Act modified to produce revenue, in concert with Revenue Act
1764 Revenue Act. Taxation without representation introduced in Boston
1764 Committee of Correspondence formed in Boston
1765 Britain tries to raise funds with The Stamp Act; Bostonians riot
1765 Stamp Act Congress meets in Albany, NY; first inter-colony Congress
1765 Quartering Act requires housing British troops in private homes
1765 Non-importation agreements arranged in principal colonies
1766 Stamp Act repealed by England in response to Colonial boycotts
1766 Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon draw the line at MD & PA border
1767 John Quincy Adams, 6th President, born July 11; dies 1848
1767 Daniel Boone crosses Appalachians, keeps heading west
1767 Townshend Duties pile it on higher and deeper, create Customs Office
1768 Colonies circulate letter complaining of taxation; Assemblies dissolved
1768 Birth of Tecumseh, near Dayton, OH
1768 New York Chamber of Commerce established
1768 British troops begin occupation of Boston
1769 David Rittenhouse begins astronomy studies
1769 Pontiac murdered by another Indian, near St. Louis
1770 Francisco de Ortega names discovery on west coast for his patron saint
1770 Ludwig van Beethoven born; dies in 1827
1770 Boston Massacre. Five dead, six wounded on March 5
1770 Townshend Acts repealed, except for that on tea
1771 Battle of Alamance fought in North Carolina
1772 Samuel Adams at Boston Town Hall Meeting publishes list of rights
1772 Customs schooner "Gaspee" burned off Namquit Point in Rhode Island
1772 John Sevier organizes independent republic of Watauga in Tennessee
1773 To save nearly bankrupt East India Company, Parliament tries a Tea Act
1773 Boston Tea Party. 342 chests of tea go into the drink December 16
1773 Wm. H. Harrison, 9th President, born Dec 5 in VA, moves to OH; d. 1841
1773 Perez at Nootka Sound, on Vancouver Island as we now know it
1774 Birth of John Chapman, to be known as Johnny Appleseed; dies 1845
1774 Intolerable Acts include the Coercive Acts
1774 British close the port of Boston in retaliation for tea party
1774 Virginia Conventions begin. Lead to First Continental Congress
1774 First Continental Congress convenes, in Philadelphia, Sept 5
1774 Declaration and Resolves of First Continental Congress Oct 14
1774 The Quebec Act nullifies all colonial rights west of Ohio River
1775 Of the 3,500 pysicians in the colonies, only 400 are MD by degree
1775 Patrick Henry says "Give me liberty or give me death!"
1775 Fights at Lexington and Concord follow "the 18th of April, in '75"
1775 Battle of Breed's Hill mistakenly named after nearby Bunker Hill
1775 Postal system created. Benjamin Franklin is first Director
1775 Second Continental Congress, again in Philadelphia
1775 Washington accepts promotion to General & Commander In Chief June 16
1775 Declaration on Taking Up of Arms issued by Continental Congress, July 6
1775 Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia, declares Martial Law November 7
1775 Virginians defeat British at Great Bridge; British bombard Norfolk
1776 General Court of Massachusetts fires Governor, requests he leave
1776 Common Sense written by Thomas Paine
1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights on June 12; written by George Mason
1776 Virginia State Constitution adopted June 29,becomes model for states
1776 Declaration of Independence drafted by Tom Jefferson, with John Adams
1776 Nathan Hale regrets having "but one life to lose", September 22
1776 Christmas present for Washington at Trenton: 918 German prisoners
1777 General Gates defeats General Burgoyne at Saratoga, NY
1777 Congress adopts the American flag with thirteen stars and stripes
1777 Washington's Continental Army winters at Valley Forge
1778 France declares war on England, becomes ally of America
1778 Englishman Capt. James Cook explores west coast of North America
1779 Captain Cook explores Sandwich Islands until Hawaiians murder him
1779 British surrender to Americans at Vincennes
1779 John Paul Jones, in Bon Homme Richard, defeats Pearson, in Serapis
1780 Death of John Logan, Cayuga Indian Chief. Who will mourn for Logan?
1780 Benedict Arnold attempts to betray West Point
1781 Articles of Confederation go into effect; were drafted in 1777
1781 Cornwallis surrenders to Washington and the allies at Yorktown, VA
1782 Ninety-six Moravian Christian Indians massacred at Gnaddenhutton, OH
1782 First U. S. President born in "The United States" is Van Buren, Dec 5
1783 First daily newspaper is Pennsylvania Evening Post
1784 Benjamin Franklin invents bifocals
1784 Treaty of Ft. Stanwix; Iroquois cede rights north and west of Ohio R.
1784 Taylor, 12th President, born; dies 1850
1786 Shays's Rebellion in Massachusetts forcibly closes court systems
1786 Annapolis Convention concludes September 14, suggests Phila convention
1787 Constitutional Convention opens May 25; concludes business Sept 17
1787 Northwest Ordinance adopted July 13 by Continental Congress
1787 United States Constitution framed, sent to Congress and states
1787 Federalist Papers begin publication in newspapers
1788 New Hampshire is 9th state to ratify Constitution. It is now the law
1789 Mackenzie reaches Arctic Ocean via Mackenzie River in W. Canada
1789 French Revolution. Bastille falls Jul 14. Declar. of Rights Aug 26th
1789 George Washington & John Adams elected as first President & VP
1789 The Judiciary Act specifies numbers of Federal courts and judges
1789 Mutiny on the H.M.S. Bounty; survivors establish Pitcairn Is. colony
1790 Tyler, 10th President, born; dies 1862
1790 Death of Benjamin Franklin April 17
1790 First national census finds 3,929,214 persons eligible to be counted
1790 Supreme Court meets for the first time; John Jay is Chief Justice
1791 John Carroll of Baltimore made first Roman Catholic Bishop in U.S.A.
1791 Federal capital to be established in swamplands on the Potomac
1791 First ten Amendments are Bill of Rights that go into effect this year
1792 Captain Robert Gray names newly found river for his ship, Columbia
1792 Congress names the Dollar as our unit of currency; proposer: Jefferson
1792 Post Office established by Congress as a separate entity
1792 New York Stock Exchange organized
1792 Political parties formed; Republicans (to be Democrats) & Federalists
1793 Cotton gin invented by Eli Whitney
1793 General Anthony Wayne begins campaign against Indians in SW Ohio
1793 John Hancock dies October 8
1793 War between England and France. U.S.A. declares neutrality
1793 Mackenzie reaches Pacific via Fraser River in western Canada
1794 Jay's Treaty requires withdrawal of British troops from U.S.A.
1794 Whiskey Rebellion over excise tax in western Pennsylvania
1795 11th Amendment limits some Federal Judicial power somewhat
1795 Pinckney's Treaty with Spain opens navigation on Mississippi River
1795 Washington poses for Stuart's portrait, which is now on our dollar bill
1795 Polk, 11th President, born; dies 1849
1796 Washington retires, gives Farewell Address to the nation
1796 John Adams President, Tom Jefferson Vice President, 71-68 vote margin
1796 E Pluribus Unum: "Out of Many, One"; added to American coins
1798 Alien and Sedition Acts. Soon to be repealed
1798 Department of the Navy established after 4 years of having a Navy
1798 Washington comes out of retirement to be Commander In Chief of Army
1798 XYZ Affair, so named after three anonymous French trouble makers
1799 French Revolution ends. Napolean becomes ruler of France
1799 Patrick Henry dies June 6
1799 George Washington dies in Mount Vernon December 14, from quinsy
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