1492-1775
Colonial America (1492-1775)
The colonial period saw European nations establish footholds, trading posts, and permanent settlements across North America. Spain led exploration and colonization from the Caribbean into Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the Southwest. France claimed the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes. England founded the thirteen colonies along the Atlantic seaboard. The Dutch briefly controlled New Netherland (present-day New York) before ceding it to England in 1664.
861
documented events
3
sovereignty transitions
Competition for territory among European powers shaped the colonial era's political geography. Wars, treaties, and cessions repeatedly transferred sovereignty over vast regions. Indigenous nations navigated these competing European powers through alliance, trade, and resistance. The fur trade, tobacco, and enslaved labor drove colonial economies, establishing the economic and social structures that would define the new nation.
Events (861)
View all ›1492
Columbus Expedition Initiates European Exploration
Pennsylvania · Expedition
1492
Columbus Voyages Initiate Spanish Colonial Expansion
California · Expedition
1493
Columbus Lands on Santa Cruz, Battle at Salt River
VI · Battle
1493
Christopher Columbus Arrives at Virgin Islands
VI · Expedition
1497
John Cabot Discovers Continental North America
Pennsylvania · Expedition
1497
John Cabot Voyages to New World
Maine · Expedition
1498
John Cabot Explores North American Coast
Maryland · Expedition
1500
Spanish Cattle Ranching Introduced to Florida
Florida · Settlement
1500
Navajo Arrival in Utah's San Juan Basin
Utah · Other
1513
Juan Ponce de León Claims Florida for Spain
Florida · Expedition
1513
Ponce de León's First Expedition Departs Puerto Rico
Florida · Expedition
1519
Álvarez de Pineda Claims Texas for Spain
Texas · Expedition
1520
First Europeans Sight Texas Coast
Texas · Expedition
1521
Magellan Encounters Chamorro People
GU · Expedition
1521
Magellan's Arrival at Guam
GU · Expedition
1521
Ponce de León Colony Driven Off by Calusa
Florida · Expedition
1524
Verrazzano and Gomes Explore Maine Coast
Maine · Expedition
1524
Verrazzano Explores New York Harbor
New York · Expedition
1524
Verrazzano Explores Jersey Shore
New Jersey · Expedition
1524
Giovanni da Verrazzano Passes Chesapeake Bay
Maryland · Expedition
1524
Verrazzano Expedition to Cape Fear
North Carolina · Expedition
1524
Verrazzano Expedition to North Carolina
North Carolina · Expedition
1524
Verrazzano Maps Pennsylvania Region
Pennsylvania · Expedition
1525
Spanish Charting of Eastern Atlantic Coastline
Virginia · Expedition
1526
Ayllón Spanish Colonial Expedition
North Carolina · Settlement
1526
Spanish Colonists Land at Cape Fear River
North Carolina · Settlement
1526
Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón Colony Attempt
Georgia · Settlement
1526
De Ayllón Establishes San Miguel de Gualdape
Florida · Settlement
1528
Narváez Expedition Survivors Cross Texas
Texas · Expedition
1528
Narváez Spanish Expedition to Louisiana
Louisiana · Expedition
1528
Spanish Expedition Reaches Mississippi River
Louisiana · Expedition
1528
Narváez Expedition Lands near Tampa Bay
Florida · Expedition
1534
Iroquois Mohawks Drive Tribes from Champlain Valley
Vermont · Other
1535
Cartier Maps the Saint Lawrence River
New York · Expedition
1535
Cortés Claims Baja California Peninsula
California · Expedition
1536
Narváez Expedition reaches New Mexico
New Mexico · Expedition
1539
Hernando de Soto Expedition into NC
North Carolina · Expedition
1539
Hernando de Soto Expedition in North Carolina
North Carolina · Expedition
1539
Hernando de Soto Expedition Through Georgia
Georgia · Expedition
1539
De Soto Expedition Lands in Tampa Bay
Florida · Expedition
1539
Marcos de Niza Enters Present-Day Arizona
Arizona · Expedition
1539
Friar Marcos de Niza Expedition North
New Mexico · Expedition
1539
Marcos de Niza Explores Arizona
Arizona · Expedition
1539
Ulloa Expedition Proves Baja is a Peninsula
California · Expedition
1539
First Use of Name California Recorded
California · Other
1540
Coronado Expedition into New Mexico
New Mexico · Expedition
1540
Tiguex War Between Pueblo and Spanish
New Mexico · Battle
1540
Coronado Expedition Through Southwestern North America
California · Expedition
1540
Coronado Expedition into Southern Utah
Utah · Expedition
1540
Hernando de Soto Expedition to South Carolina
South Carolina · Expedition
Unlimited access
Everything a full the United States report reveals
Pick any location and Aubrey pulls together 18 strands of its history, each drawn from the record:
Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
About the Colonial Period
What was the Colonial Period?
The colonial period saw European nations establish footholds, trading posts, and permanent settlements across North America. Spain led exploration and colonization from the Caribbean into Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the Southwest. France claimed the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes. England founded the thirteen colonies along the Atlantic seaboard. The Dutch briefly controlled New Netherland (present-day New York) before ceding it to England in 1664.
When was the Colonial Period?
The Colonial Period covers 1492-1775.
Aubrey Research
Research the history of any US location
Aubrey searches federal archives, archaeological records, historic registers, and primary sources to build a full historical report for any address or place in the United States.