History

Go back to the Massachusetts Bay settlement to compare the first and second generations of Puritans and see how colony life turned chaotic. […]

The founding of New England illustrates a fascinating history of Puritans in America. Explore what John Winthrop termed “the city on the hill” in the Massachusetts colony. […]

The Puritan colonies in New England were founded for the sake of ideas and religion. Who were the Puritans? Where did they come from, and what were they looking for? […]

Of all the European nations facing the Atlantic Ocean, none would ordinarily have seemed to have greater advantages for entering the race for North American exploration than England. Explore the early English settlements in North America and meet the entrepreneurs who found their footing in a new world. […]

After the Netherlands achieved independence from Spain, Dutch merchants set sail for America. Discover what made the Dutch colony so successful. […]

As Spain’s economy declined in the 17th century, France seemed poised to become Europe’s leading power. Explore France’s rise and fall in the New World. […]

In the decades after Columbus discovered America, a number of explorers began looting the continent, bringing with them violence and disease. Explore this age of the Spanish conquistadors. […]

In the 15th century, Western Europeans were determined to seize their own opportunities of procuring wealth in the East. In order to achieve their goals, they decided to create a new set of rules.
[…]

America in 1492 was not a new world. Find out who lived here before the Europeans headed west in the 15th century, and what the rest of the world looked like before Christopher Columbus.
[…]

American history is filled with turbulence, yet amid all the changes over the years, a few key themes have remained constant. Explore these themes that define the American identity.
[…]