1000? Vikings may have visited the Maine coast.

1498 John Cabot probably explored the Maine coast.

1604 A French colony was planted on an island in the St. Croix River; it was removed in 1605.
1607 English settlers established the Popham Colony near the mouth of the Kennebec River.
1607 The first ship built by English colonists in America, the Virginia, was launched on the Kennebec River.
1622 Maine lands were granted by royal charter to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason.
1641 Gorgeana (now York) became the first chartered English city in what is now the United States.
1677 Massachusetts bought Maine from the heirs of Ferdinando Gorges.
1691 Maine was made part of Massachusetts.
1696 Maine's first school for Native Americans was established.

1763 The Treaty of Paris ended French efforts to gain control of Maine.
1775 The first naval battle of the Revolutionary War took place off the Maine coast.
1789 Massachusetts passed a law requiring schooling for all children.

1820 Maine became the 23rd state on March 15.
1842 The Webster-Ashburton Treaty settled a long dispute over the Maine-Canada border.
1851 Maine became the first state to outlaw the sale of alcoholic beverages.

1911 Maine adopted a direct-primary voting law.

1969 Maine adopted personal and corporate income taxes.

SEE ALSO
John Cabot
Massachusetts
Revolutionary War

Questions or comments about this page?

This page was last updated on May 03, 2017.