Coming to America: 1607 - 1642

Following my TV viewing promotion from yesterday, regular programming continues:

There were a few failed attempts to settle the eastern seaboard of North America prior to 1600. The Spanish were entrenched in southwestern North America, Mexico and Central and South America.

1607: English establish the Jamestown settlement in Virginia.

1613: The Dutch establish a trading post on Manhattan Island, opening the door to the establishment of the New Netherland Colony.

1619: Indentured servants are imported to Virginia, including  about 40 West Africans. These Africans, like their primarily English counterparts work off their indentures. Some of these Africans become slave owners.

1620: The Mayflower arrives in Plymouth Harbor. Pilgrim refugees establish the Plymouth Colony.*

1621 - 1629: A scattering of English settlers arrive in Plymouth and Virginia.*

1620s -1664:  The Dutch colony of New Netherland, with it's capital of New Amsterdam is established. Protestant Dutch, Walloon, Flemish and Huguenot refugees from the Netherlands, Belgium and Northern France flood into the colony to escape Catholic rule.*

1623: Settlements are established in what would become New Hampshire and Maine.

1630: The Winthrop Fleet arrives in Massachusetts; the Puritan settlers establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the city of Boston, kicking off the Great Migration that lasts until 1642.*

1634: Maryland is colonized by English Catholics.

1635: Connecticut established by settlers opposed to Puritan government in Massachusetts Bay.*

1636: Rhode Island established by Roger Williams and his followers in opposition to Puritan government in Massachusetts Bay.*

1638: Swedes establish a colony in the Delaware River Valley and christen it New Sweden.

1640 - 42: Beginning of heavy importation of indentured servants from British Isles and slaves from West Africa, especially into the Southern colonies. The Great Migration comes to an end, as English settlement in New England colonies slows.*

*I can claim immigrant ancestors during these periods. I would hazard a guess that upwards of 40 -50% of my ancestors arrived between 1620 and 1642. They settled in Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, Rhode Island and, eventually, New Netherland.