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With the big Jamestown anniversary coming up, here's a look back at other big news through the centuries. By Jim Kundreskas Date published: 1/13/2007
ESPECIALLY FOR Virgini- Four hundred years, to be exact, since the founding of Jamestown. I thought it might be fun to see some chronicle of events in 100-year increments, so I went to the library the other day and checked out a few history books. It's been said that our past is destined to repeat itself, if we don't study and learn from it. That may be true, or perhaps not. Still, I don't have a real good feeling after looking through some of those texts to see how our human race has fared over the years. It seems to me, we sometimes just can't get along. OK, let's start with 1607. A group of craftsmen and gentlemen lands in the New World to establish the first permanent English colony. The place they finally settle on is called "Jamestown" in honor of the ruling English monarch, King James. These people quickly build a fort, for the previous indigenous folks of the area, Algonquian tribe American Indians, aren't exactly keen on the idea of sharing their land and resources with the newly arrived English. Times are tough for our European ancestors, and these English settlers are seriously thinking about abandoning their New World toehold, when a supply ship from the motherland finally arrives, in just the nick of time, to bolster their spirits and reinforce the provisions. Up to the north, another group of English sail into the Kennebec River in Maine to form a different settlement. They fail, and later return to England. Back in Europe, Protestants and Catholics are hardly sharing their toys and playing nice together. The aristocracy in Ireland flee, for they don't like the overall political climate. As for war news, the Dutch destroy the Spanish in the Battle of Gibraltar. In science, a gentleman named Johannes Kepler plots the path of a visible comet. About 100 years later, Edmond Halley predicts its exact return, and that bright comet seen in 1607 is permanently named Halley.
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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