Timeline

Jump To Time Period

Back to Top Pre 1600 1600-1620 1620-1640 1640-1660 1660-1680 1680-1700 1700-1720 1720-1740 1740-1760 1760-1775

Under Construction

Pre 1600

Early European and French Exploration of North America – 1492 to 1534

Origins of New France 1523-1541

1600-1620

14 May: The English established the Jamestown, VA colony

Jamestown is Resupplied January 1608

The Dutch Establish the New Netherlands Colony

August 1609: Henry Hudson sails the Half Moon into Delaware Bay

September 1609 The First Anglo-Powhatan War

Plymouth Colony is established December 1620

1620-1640

Plymouth Colony is established December 1620

The Dutch establish a colony, which later became Albany, on the upper Hudson in 1624

The History of New Netherlands – May 1624

Dutch; Fort Nassau 1627-1655

Williamsburg is Established by the Recently formed Virginia General Assembly February 1632

Swedes; Fort Christina erected

The Forgotten History of the Swedish Colony in America March 1638

1640-1660

New Sweden: Governorship of Peter Hollander Ridder

New Sweden: Governor Johan Printz 1643

Swedes; Governor Johan Printz built Fort Elfsborg 1643

The Dutch Build Fort Beversreede, a fortified trading post on the Delaware River

New Sweden Governor Johan Risingh 1654

1660-1680

New Amsterdam reincorporated as New York City

The Treaty of Breda signed and ended the second Anglo-Dutch war, and confirmed that New York City and New Netherland became an English territory

The Treaty of Westminster, confirmed English ownership of NYC and New Netherland, what is now known as New York

The Dutch occupied New York City in what was Third Anglo-Dutch War

Southern area came under the control of the Duke of York, New Amstel changed to New Castle (DE)

A Short History of King Philip’s War: 1675-1678

Early History of Upland (now Chester County, PA): Conflict among the Swedes, Dutch and English

History of Early Kent County, DE and the name Whorekill: the Swedes, Dutch and English were all involved

1680-1700

Pennsylvania is Established: 1680-1681

Upland County eliminated

Land from just south of the 40th parallel to the 42nd parallel, what is now known as Pennsylvania, granted to William Penn by King Charles II

Bucks, Chester (replacing Upland and named for Chester, England), Philadelphia Counties established; three Lower Counties under Penn – New Castle, Sussex (previously Hoarkill), and Kent (previously St. Jones).

New Castle gained land from Northern Sussex County

King William’s War, also known as the First Indian War, Father Baudoin’s War, Castin’s War, or the First Intercolonial War. It was the North American theater of Europe’s Nine Years’ War (1688–97), also known as the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg

1700-1720

Queen Anne’s War was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars (or Second Intercolonial War) fought in England’s American Colonies during the reign of Queen Anne. It is viewed in America as a stand-alone conflict, though in Europe it is seen as the American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession

Lower Counties (Delaware) became independent of Pennsylvania

History of Harrisburgh, PA: 1715

1720-1740

Lancaster (non-county area) formed from Chester County

Cresap’s War begins as a boundary dispute between Maryland and Pennsylvania – 1730

History of Allentown, PA: 1735

Walking Purchase: 1737

Cresap’s War ended as the parties where compelled to negotiate a peace by King George II – May 1738

History of Easton, PA; 1739

History of Nazareth, PA: 1740

1740-1760

1756 Fort Loudoun -December 1756

Fort Bedford – June 1758

Fort Ligonier – 1 September 1758

Treaty of Easton – October 1758

Battle of Fort Ligonier – 12 October 1758

French Burn Fort Duquesne – 25 November 1758

Redstone Old Fort – Spring 1759

Fort Pitt – November 1759

Fort Deshler – 1760

Fort Venango – June 1760

1760-1775

Black Boys Rebellion – March 1765

Pontiac’s Rebellion peace negotiations completed

Mason Dixon line survey completed, established the boundaries between modern day MD, DE, and PA

Bedford County created from Cumberland County and named for Fort Bedford

Northumberland County from Bedford, Lancaster, Cumberland, Berks, and Northampton Counties; Indian village of Shamokin renamed Sunbury and named as county seat, named for Sunbury-on-Thames; area originally settled by Moravians in 1741

Bedford County gained land from Cumberland County

Virginia establishes West Augusta District in the SW area of Province of PA, west of Bedford County. This area was governed from Fort Dunmore, formerly Fort Duquesne, and later was Fort Pitt.

Fort Pitt is renamed Fort Dumore – 1772-1774

Connecticut established the town of Westmoreland in NE Pennsylvania, as part of Litchfield County, CT. This was the result of Connecticut’s claim to the Wyoming Valley. The dispute was over an interpretation of original Connecticut royal charter from 1662. It was ultimately resolved in 1782 with The Decree of Trenton

Fort Allen – 1774