The six oldest cities in the United States

The United States was born on1July 4, 776, but the oldest city in the United States was established long before the founding of the United States. All these were established by European explorers (Spanish, French and British), although most of the occupied land had already been settled by indigenous people. Learn more about the origin of the United States through this list of seven oldest cities in the United States.

0 1 St. Augustine, Florida (1565)

Saint Augustine was founded on1September 8, 565, only 1 1 day before the Spanish explorer Pedro menendez de Aviles landed on Saint Augustine's Day. For over 200 years, it has been the capital of Florida, Spain. From 1763 to 1783, the control of this area fell into the hands of the British. During this period, St. Augustine was the capital of East Florida in England. In 1783, the control was restored to the Spanish until 1822, when the treaty ceded it to the United States.

St Augustine was the capital of Tallahassee before 1824 moved there. In the1880s, Henry Flagler, a developer, began to buy local railway lines and build hotels, which ushered in an important task that later became Florida's winter tourism and remained an important part of the city and state economy.

Jamestown, Virginia (1607)

Jamestown is the second oldest city in the United States and the first permanent British colony in North America. It was built in1April 26th, 607, and was called Fort James after the King of England. The settlement was established in the first year, and was temporarily abandoned in 16 10. By 1624, when Virginia became a British royal colony, Jamestown had become a small town and had been the capital of the colony until 1698.

By the end of the civil war in 1865, most of the original settlements (called Old Jamestown) had been reduced to ruins. The conservation work began in the early period of 1900, when the land was privately owned. 1936 was designated as a national park and renamed as a colonial national park. In 2007, Queen Elizabeth II attended the 400th anniversary celebration of Jamestown.

Santa Fe, New Mexico (1607)

Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the United States and the oldest city in New Mexico. As early as 1607, before the arrival of Spanish colonists, it was occupied by indigenous people. A village in Pueblo, built around 900 AD, is located in the center of present-day Santa Fe. From 1680 to 1692, the indigenous groups expelled the Spaniards from the area, but the rebellion was finally quelled.

Santa Fe was held by Spain until Mexico declared its independence in 18 10, and then became a part of Texas after Mexico withdrew in 1836. Santa Fe (and today's New Mexico) did not become a part of the United States until 1848, when the American-Mexican War ended and the states were defeated by Mexico. Today, Santa Fe is a prosperous capital, famous for the architectural style of its Spanish territory.

Hampton, Virginia (16 10)

The starting point of Hampton, Virginia is Point Comfort, a British outpost established by the same person in nearby Jamestown. Hampton, located at the mouth of the James River and the entrance to chesapeake bay, became the main military base of the United States after independence. Although Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War, Hampton Castle remained in the hands of the Confederacy throughout the conflict. Today, the city is home to the Langley-eustis Joint Base, facing Norfolk Naval Base across the river.

Kekowdan, Virginia (16 10)

The founder of Jamestown met the native people in Chicao Tan, Virginia, where the Chikotans lived. Although the first contact of 1607 was largely peaceful, the relationship deteriorated several years later. At 16 10, the indigenous communities were driven out of the town by colonists and slaughtered. 1690, the town was incorporated into a part of a larger town in Hampton. Today, it is still part of a bigger city.

Newport news, Virginia (16 13)

Like its neighbor Hampton, the establishment of newport news can be traced back to Britain. But it was not until the1880s that the new railway line began to bring Appalachian coal into the newly established shipbuilding industry. Today, Newport News Shipbuilding Company is still one of the largest industrial employers in the state, producing aircraft carriers and submarines for the military.