Progressive Era
Chapter 16: New Nationalism 1897 ― 1913
New Exceptionalism 1897-1901
Square Deal 1901-1909
New Justice 1909-1913
Gilded Age 1885 ― 1897
World War I 1913 ― 1921
Progressive Era Sponsors
In Grateful Recognition
"Patrons of the Past"
(Sponsoring all nine Eras)
Doug Shubert
Adam Shubert
Cathy Gillespie
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Documents
Master Index
Charter of Acadia
Henry IV
12/18/1603
A charter to Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons, authorizing him to colonize and govern the territory of Acadia in North America under a royal trading monopoly. The charter empowered de Mons to establish settlements, promote the Catholic faith, and administer justice, laying the legal foundation for France’s early colonial presence in what is now Nova Scotia and the Canadian Maritimes.
First Charter of Virginia
James I
04/10/1606
The First Charter of Virginia, granted the Virginia Company of London the authority to establish colonies in North America. The charter authorized the formation of a joint-stock enterprise to fund settlement, trade, and resource extraction, laying the legal foundation for the Jamestown expedition and marking England’s formal entry into sustained colonization of the Atlantic seaboard.
Second Charter of Virginia
James I
05/23/1609
James I of England issued the Second Charter of Virginia, expanding the authority of the Virginia Company and restructuring governance of the Jamestown colony. The charter broadened territorial claims, increased investor rights, and replaced the original council-based leadership model with a more centralized system.
Third Charter of Virginia
James I
03/12/1611
Third Charter of Virginia significantly restructured the governance of the Virginia Company following the near-collapse of Jamestown during the Starving Time and ongoing conflict with the Powhatan Confederacy. The charter expanded the company’s territory, reorganized its leadership into a more centralized corporate system, and reinforced royal backing for renewed colonization efforts.
Charter of New Netherland
States General of the Netherlands
10/11/1614
Granted by the States General of the Netherlands, the charter was issued in the form of an patent or monopoly grant to the New Netherland Company, a consortium of Amsterdam and Hoorn merchants. It granted the company an exclusive four-year monopoly on trade in the territory, encompassing much of what later became New Netherland.
Biographies
Christopher
Columbus
Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) was a Genoese navigator who sailed under the Spanish Crown and completed four transatlantic voyages beginning in 1492. He is best known for making sustained European contact with the Americas while searching for a western sea route to Asia. His expeditions initiated the Columbian Exchange and Spanish colonization of the Caribbean, though his governance and treatment of Indigenous peoples remain deeply controversial.
Benjamin
Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) rose from humble beginnings as a runaway printer’s apprentice to become a leading writer, scientist, diplomat, and statesman whose influence shaped every stage of America’s founding. Through intellect, wit, and practical wisdom, he helped secure independence, unite the colonies, and design a constitutional republic that could endure.
Roger
Sherman
Roger Sherman (1721–1793) was a Connecticut statesman and lawyer who played a central role in America’s founding and is the only person to sign all four key founding documents: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. A delegate to both Continental Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, he later served in the first U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, shaping the early structure of the federal government.
George
Washington
George Washington (1732–1799) rose from a Virginia planter and provincial officer to become commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and the indispensable leader who secured American independence. He then presided over the Constitutional Convention and served two terms as the first President of the United States, establishing enduring precedents for republican government, civilian control of the military, and peaceful transfer of power.
John
Adams
John Adams (1735 –1826) was a Founding Father, lawyer, diplomat, first Vice President, and the second President of the United States, who played a central role in advocating for independence, drafting the influential Massachusetts Constitution, and securing peace with Britain and France. Known for his steadfast commitment to law, republican principles, and diplomacy.
Thomas
Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was an American statesman, political philosopher, diplomat, and the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence. He served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809, overseeing the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A leading advocate of republican government, individual liberty, religious freedom, and public education, Jefferson helped shape the political principles of the early American republic.