1400s Native Northeastern "Late Woodland"cultures enter the "Historic"period (as European records grow): est. pop. reaches 100-135,000 as they expand agriculture, build vast fish-weirs, burn underbrush (swidden). Intense inland-coastal trade: intermarriages and feuds complicate "territorities" and power-relations. Soon, future Pequots and Mohegans migrate from Hudson River regions into CT. With increasing concentrations of wealth, some Sachemships become hereditary: in time, some build defensive palisades around villages.

      1455 Two years after Muslims regain Constantinople, Pope Nicholas V issues official "Bull" (Jan. 8: in Davenport 1:23) authorizing Portugal and others to "reduce...to perpetual slavery" all "pagans...and all enemies of Christ whatsoever...wheresoever placed" in "the remotest parts unknown to us"; and "to convert them to use and profit." (See Jennings Invasion)

      1488  Portugal opens a sea-route to Asia.

      1492 Christopher Columbus finds the "West Indies." By 1503-15, f/m "rebels" Annakunna and "Enrique" sustain resistances to Encomienda system; but within 40 years the Native Caribbean's Tainos, Caribs, and Arawaks are close to extinction.

      1497 Henry VII of England commissions John Cabot to "conquer, occupy and possess" lands of "heathens and infidels." Cabot reaches Newfoundland

      1500-02 Corte-Real explores New England coast. Basques and Europe's fishermen extend voyages for whales at Belle Isle, trade along St. Lawrence River. By 1570s, over 300 ships per year make the voyage (Biggar Early 23). Europe expands its "Renaissance" coming to terms with Classical learning and the existence of Native America's civilizations. The Beothuk of Newfoundland begin to avoid deadly contacts: Micmacs trade, but epidemics often result.

      1515-22 In Germany, Martin Luther preaches on Bible's St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and in 1517 publishes his Disputation. The "Protestant Reformation" opens against Catholic Church teachings/practices. For decades the Church arrests/burns "heretics." By 1533-35, England is officially "Anglican" under Henry VIII although Catholic/Protestant conflicts continue.

      1519-23 Cortez and others lead Spanish invasions of Central/South Americas: Magellan begins world circumnavigation voyage.

      1520? Joao Fagundes of Portugal sails "Maine" waters, Cape Breton.

      1524 Verrazanno meets Narragansett and Abenaki Native peoples.

      1525 Estevan Gomez of Spain visits Novia Scotia and Cape Cod.

      1527 England's John Rut sails from Newfoundland to West Indies: he counts 10 fishing ships, lands on Cape Cod (Dexter 46).

      1528 Spain's Cabeza de Vaca shipwrecked on Gulf Coast: wanders for 6 years.

      1533 Pizarro executes the Inca of Peru.

      1534-41 Jacques Cartier of France explores the future "Canada.

      1549 The Book of Common Prayer declared England's only "lawful" litany.

      1562 French colonists attempt to plant in Florida (and Brazil 1575), as Spain (1564) occupies The Phillippines and build Manila.

      1569 Mercator's map of the world.

      1570s England and Spain conflict in the Caribbean.

      1576  Martin Frobisher's first North Atlantic Voyage. Likely birth-year of Thos. Morton of New England's 1624-30  'Merrymount. ' By 1579, Drake proclaims English sovereignty over "California".

      1583 Future Plimoth Plantationer Myles Standish born; by 1610 an English mercenary fighting Spanish Catholics in The Netherlands.

      1584 Ralegh, Barlow in "Virginia": first Roanoke Colony; Sir Humphrey Gilbert and would-be American poet Stephen Parmenius lost at sea during second Northeast voyage.

      1585-87 Davis voyages continue the search for a Northwest Passage to Asia. Drake (1587) raids the "Spanish" Caribbean. The Pueblo Revolt.

      1588 Defeat of the Spanish Armada off the British Isles.

      1590 Thomas Harriot/John White publish illustrated Report of "Virginia." Future Plimoth "Pilgrim" Wm. Bradford born among English "Puritan" congregations, and by1606 is with them in exile in The Netherlands.

      1596 Ralegh's Guiana published. Future Plimother Edw. Winslow (Good News 1624) born: later touring Europe he joins Bradford's "Pilgrims".

      1598 English encampment at Sable Island (Newfoundland) fails.

      1602 Gosnold names "Cape Cod"; camps/trades at Cuttyhunk Island.

      1603 Pring's voyage for New England "sassafrass"; Dutch found New Amsterdam; Queen Elizabeth I dies, James I crowned.

      1604 French land at St.Croix (Maine), Port Royal (Nova Scotia).

      1605 Capt. Waymouth scouts New England for Sir Ferdinando Gorges, kidnaps Native people for information. July: Champlain's men at Nauset, Cape Cod and Massachusetts Bay: a fight results in deaths on both sides.

      1606 Challons and Pring voyages: Poutrincourt's French plant Port Royal. At Cape Cod his men fire on Nausets. Lescarbot's masque The Theatre of Neptune is performed at Port Royal: the entertainment includes Native roles.

      1607 Popham and others at Sagadahoc (Kennebec), Maine. Their promise fails in one year as "mistreatment" of Native traders brings attacks.

      1606-08 John Robinson becomes beloved minister of "The Pilgrims" in exile. Champlain and Lescarbot at Quebec and "New France".

      1609 Henry Hudson's voyage for The Netherlands. Virginia Company founded. Jesuits at "Mt. Desert" in Maine.

      1610 Bristol's John Guy and others in Newfoundland. English plantations in Ulster, Ireland and Bermudas by 1611. Argall visits Penobscot, Cape Cod.

      1611 Capt. Harlow kidnaps Native New Englander Epenow and others. Father Biard in Maine.

      1614 John Smith explores/names "New England" for King Charles I: fights and kills Natives at Cohasset, Patuxet (future Plimoth). Capt. Hunt kidnaps 19 Natives incl. Squanto/Tisquantum: only he returns via England. Captive Epenow leaps to freedom from ship off Capawac/Martha's Vineyard. French ship founders off Cape Cod: some survivors wed Native women. Another w/Bible predicts Native dispossession from the region. Dutch Adriaen Block explores Narragansett Bay, Connecticutt River, maps the coast from Virginia to Maine.

      1613-15 Dutch pursue fur trade at Manhattan and Albany. England's Argall destroys St.Croix and French missions.

      1615-16 John Mason governs Newfoundland's "swarming fishermen." First report of "plague" or epidemic in the Saco, Maine region.

      1617 Ralegh's second "El Dorado" voyage fails.

      1618 By this time (with Nanepashemet of Mystic the "Massasoit" or Supreme Sachem of southern New England) major destabilizations begin. Massachusett Natives "upon some distaste given" by French traders at Peddock's Island attack and burn the ship. Soon, "plague" (most likely chicken pox w/its infectious shingles) has decimated up to 90% of Native New England's peoples. Nanepashemet dies in a Micmac raid, and Wampanoag Ousamequin (Yellow Feather) claims "Massasoit" status even as more numerous Narragansetts contest his territories..

      1619 Capt. Dermer meets Tisquantum (his Patuxet home wiped out) at Newfoundland, is guided to Wampanoag traders. At Capawac Dermer sees Epenow, who laughs at former captivity. The next year Epenow tries to "take" Dermer likewise: Dermer dies of wounds by summer 1620. "The Pilgrims" negotiate passage to some part of America with London Merchant Adventurers. Delays cause late departure in Sept. 1620, which includes a majority of nonPuritan "Strangers"; nor is their minister John Robinson allowed to emigrate with them.

      1620 Nov. 9-11: Mayflower arrives at Cape Cod. Without a land-patent, heated debates "for Virginia" end in a decision to land here. After digging up Native corn-stores and graves, and a skirmish with Nausets, Mayflower's company make way to Patuxet or Plimoth, south of Mass. Bay. More than half perish of cold, hunger and fevers by spring, leaving "about 50".

      1621 Dutch West Indies Company founded. Spring: Ousamequin/Massasoit of the Pokanoket Wampanoags sends English-speakers Samoset and Tisquantum to begin relations and alliance with struggling Plimoth.