Few events or moments had as much of a historical significance on the early New England colonies as the Pequot War of 1637. Just what was the Pequot War and what is its legacy in American history? The Pequot War officially lasted from 1636-1638, though the majority of the most ferocious fighting occurred in the …
One of the most impactful events of colonial British North America was a 17th century rebellion led by a man named Nathaniel Bacon. What was the primary cause of Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676 and how did it shape the colony’s history? At the time the Virginia colony was still in its infancy. The city of …
By the mid 18th century the institution of slavery was firmly entrenched in the American South. In a potential response to worsening conditions, a group of enslaved people formed what is now known as the Stono Rebellion in 1739, the significance of which reverberated through the colonies. The first slaves in British North America were …
Between the 15th-17th centuries there was a whirlwind of global imperialism during the Age of Exploration. The fateful voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492 exposed European powers to an entirely new continent they had never known existed. These early voyages would ultimately lead to the founding of the first English colonies in America. Several years …
The First 5 Successful English Colonies in America Read More »
The history of the French fur trade dates back to as early as the 16th century. This was a time prior to any permanent European settlements north of Florida. The French were the first to initiate and recognize the value of North American fur, though the Dutch, English, and other nations soon followed. The trade …
During the colonial age, many of the newly established empires sent criminals to penal colonies. With the multitude of newly “discovered” lands and territories, dozens of locations ultimately ended up being utilized as penal colonies. This article and chart shows the penal colonies of the British Empire. Prison or forced labor camps have existed for …
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As Bermuda is a tiny archipelago in the mid-Atlantic, just how much history can it have? Upon further investigation it would seem there is much more to it than just the legend of the Bermuda Triangle. This is the history of the Bermuda Islands. While the islands off the coast of the Atlantic (not the …
From Shipwrecked to Paradise: A Brief History of Bermuda Read More »
Nearly twenty years after the failure of the Roanoke colony (1587) the English were once again ready to attempt to settle the Americas. This is the history of the once lost Popham Colony. The country was fresh off the completion of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585-1604) which had diverted its attention from sustaining colonies in the …
Have you ever wondered what was the Native American population in the western hemisphere in 1492, before the arrival of Europeans? Just how did so few Europeans ultimately conquer and control such a vast amount of land already populated with people? Estimates from historians, anthropologists, and scholars vary wildly, further shrouding the question in mystery. …
Uncover the Native American Population in 1492 (Pre-Columbus) Read More »
The African slave trade during the Age of Exploration was one of the darkest periods in human history. Millions of Africans were forcibly taken from their homes and transported across the Atlantic along the transatlantic slave routes to be sold into slavery in the Americas. But how did this system work and what routes did …
The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Routes and Destinations Read More »
