1. U. S History Timeline

2. The Earliest Americans
The first settlers in the Americas probably came from Asia across the Bering Land Bridge about 10,000 years ago
Over thousands of years these people migrated further and further south and east, forming permanent communities
These Native Americans were here LONG before Europeans came

3. Exploration (late 1400s – 1500s)
Why did Europeans go out exploring?
curiosity & adventure
trade & the desire to make money
new technology, wanted to find Northwest Passage
Columbus “discovered” America
Portugal and Spain focused on Central and South America
French, English, Dutch turned to North America

4. Protestant Reformation (early 1500s)
Effort to reform the Catholic Church
Conflict in Europe between Catholics and Protestants lasted for years
Contributed to a “race for empires” – England, France and Spain wanted to get more land, more money more power than each other.

5. Colonization
Why did people move to colonies?
Religious freedom
new life
make money

6. Jamestown
first permanent English settlement founded in Virginia in 1607
Economy based on agriculture – slavery