Adult ESL Lessons: Early American History Timeline (Advanced)

This is Lesson 1, “Early American History Timeline,” from our collection of advanced adult ESL lessons. The lesson features a detailed timeline of early American history, followed by comprehension questions and discussion questions. This content-packed lesson is useful for helping more advanced English learners refine and improve their English fluency. This lesson is available for free download, and you can download many other ESL lessons for adults like this one in our book ESL Pathways: Frontiers.

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Adult ESL Lessons - Early American History Timeline

ADULT ESL LESSONS: Early American History Timeline (Text-Only Version)

  • What is a timeline?
  • Who was Christopher Columbus?
  • What is a colony?
  • Who colonized America?
  • What was the American Revolutionary War?
  • Who was the first president of the United States?
  • What do you know about him?

Read the timeline of early American history.

  • 1492 – Christopher Columbus sails from Spain and discovers the New World.
  • 1607 – The English settle Jamestown, Virginia.
  • 1619 – A Dutch ship transports 20 Africans to Jamestown.  From here, African slavery would eventually spread in the Southern colonies.
  • 1620 – English citizens, searching for religious freedom and reform, leave England and settle at the Plymouth colony in Massachusetts.
  • 1765 – The first direct tax, the Stamp Act, is imposed on the colonists by the British government.
  • 1770 – The Boston Massacre occurs on March 5th.    
  • 1773 – The Sons of Liberty carry out the Boston Tea Party on December 16th.
  • 1775 – The American Revolutionary War begins.
  • 1776 – The thirteen colonies declare independence from Britain.  Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Ben Franklin write a draft for a Declaration of Independence.
  • 1776 – George Washington is placed in command of the Continental Army.  
  • 1781 – The final battle of the Revolutionary War is fought at Yorktown, Virginia.    The British army surrenders and the Revolutionary War ends.
  • 1783 – The Peace of Paris officially ends the Revolutionary War.  The U.S. is officially recognized as a free and independent country around the world.
  • 1788 – The Constitution becomes law in the United States and creates a new form of government, based on individual rights and representation.
  • 1789 – George Washington is sworn in as the first president of the United States.

Comprehension Questions:

  1. What did Christopher Columbus discover?
  2. Who settled Jamestown, Virginia?
  3. What early event eventually led to slavery and to the Civil War?
  4. Who settled the Plymouth colony?
  5. What were they seeking?
  6. What was the first direct tax passed on the colonists?
  7. When did the Boston Massacre occur?
  8. When did the American Revolution begin?
  9. Who worked on a draft for the Declaration of Independence?
  10. Who was placed in command of the Continental Army?
  11. When was the final battle of the Revolutionary War?
  12. Who surrendered?
  13. What officially ended the Revolutionary War?
  14. What also happened at The Peace of Paris?
  15. When did The Constitution become law in the United States?
  16. Who was the first president of the United States?
  17. When was he sworn in?   

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why did people leave their home and sail to the New World?
  2. Why do you think so many people choose to move to America?
  3. Would you want to move to America?  Why?
  4. If you immigrated to another country what things would you probably miss about your home country?  What things would you take with you?
  5. What kinds of crops are grown in your country?
  6. What kinds of things are imported into your country?
  7. What kinds of things are exported from your country?
  8. Why are imported items usually more expensive than domestic items?
  9. What imported things do you like to buy?
  10. What is religious freedom?  What religions exist in your country?
  11. What is your religion?  Are you a religious person?
  12. Do you think it is interesting to talk about religion and politics?  Why?
  13. What is a revolution?  Do you know about any famous revolutions?
  14. What is colonization?  Which countries have been colonized?
  15. What kind of government exists in your country?  What are the political parties?
  16. Do you vote?  Do you think your vote really matters?  Why?
  17. If you could be the president of your country, what is the first thing you would do?

Complete this sentence:

If I were president I would _______________________________________.

  1. What other changes would you make if you were president of your country?
  2. If you could meet anyone from the past, whom would you choose?  Why?