The Colonial Era
Delaware Colony
Delaware’s colonial history was shaped by Indigenous communities, competing European settlements, changing governments, military conflict, commerce, and the gradual movement toward American independence. Explore the people, places, and events that influenced the colony’s development and helped define Delaware’s place in the founding of the nation.
Timeline
Follow Delaware’s story from the Native peoples who inhabited the region before European settlement through the colonial period, the American Revolution, and the closing years of the eighteenth century. The timeline highlights significant events, shifting alliances, settlements, conflicts, and political developments that shaped the colony across nearly four centuries.
Sites & Monuments
Discover historic buildings, museums, memorials, and landmarks connected to Delaware’s colonial and Revolutionary-era heritage. Each location offers a tangible connection to the individuals, communities, architecture, and defining events that shaped the state’s early history.
Resources
Continue your exploration through selected archives, historical organizations, genealogical tools, publications, and educational collections. These resources support further research into colonial Delaware, early American history, historic preservation, and the people whose lives and service helped shape the region.