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.

1690

“King William’s War” begins in America; the French and Indian allies burn Schenectady, New York and raids and burning and pillaging break out along the frontier. Sir William Phips captured Port Royal in Canada leading Massachusetts troops there. Expeditions against Montreal and Quebec fail.

1691

Massachusetts, Plymouth, Maine combined into one colony. War against France continues across New England and New York for six more years.

1692

A wave of witchcraft hysteria gripped the Town of Salem, Massachusetts when several young girls and a Barbadian slave initiated accusations of witchcraft against various persons in the town. The trials resulted in the executions of twenty people before the governor and preachers put a stop to it. At the same time period in Europe, and estimated 40,000-60,000 were executed for witchcraft.

1693

The College of William and Mary founded in Williamsburg, Virginia

1694

Colonial troops under Williams Phips are repulsed at Quebec

1695

Construction is begun on the historic and stately Wren Building on the campus of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The work will take five years and is today the oldest academic building still in use in the United States.

1696

Royal African Trading Company lost its monopoly, and slave shippers from New England, especially Rhode Island, take over the slave trade in the colonies.

1697

King William’s War, known as the War of the League of Augsburg in Europe, ended with the Treaty of Ryswick. Hostilities on the frontiers of America slowly come to an end.
Judge Sewell, the town of Salem, and one of the principle accusers publically repent for their role in the Salem witch trials.

1698

Governor Frontenac at Montreal refused to exchange prisoners from King William’s War, in an attempt to punish the Iroquois for siding with the English. He died in November and his successor made the exchange, including the Iroquois prisoners.

1699

The English Wool Act prohibited wool export from the colonies in order to protect domestic production.
Williamsburg became the new colonial capitol of Virginia.