Mirabilis Member Years

There shall be initially 410 Mirabilis Members. Mirabilis is latin for miracle. The Mirabilis Members will each be unique in that they will adopt a year in the great American story.

1650

Colonial population estimated at 50,450 and growing rapidly every year
Treaty of Hartford signed with New Netherlands giving up the Connecticut River Valley to England. It would prove to be the camel’s nose under the tent.

1651

Massachusetts court issues five shilling fine for “observing any such day as Christmas.” Since it wasn’t commanded in Scripture as a holy day.

1652

Virginia resisted Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth. The English fleet arrived and forced compliance but gave generous terms. Virginia accepted, but rejoiced when Charles II returned to the throne in 1660. Charles designated Virginia “The Old Dominion” as a measure of appreciation.
Rhode Island became the first colony to declare slavery illegal.

1653

New Amsterdam becomes city and will become American city of New York
First permanent English settlement established in Carolina

1654

Bridge at Rawly, Massachusetts begin charging tolls on animals.

1655

Dutch West India Co. denies Peter Stuyvesant the right to exclude Jews from New Amsterdam

1656

First Quakers arrived in Boston, Massachusetts and were arrested. Quaker behavior and belief is considered subversive of law and order.

1657

First autopsy and coroner’s verdict rendered in Maryland colony.

1658

First American police force organized in New Amsterdam.

1659

Peter Stuyvesant prohibits tennis playing on Sundays in New Netherlands (first mention of tennis in North America). The Dutch Reformed Churches were “Sabbatarian” as were the New England Puritans, and they viewed playing games on the Lord’s Day a violation of the Law.