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Period: Jan 1, 1215 to
US Goverment Development
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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta gave a refrence to the founding fathers for certaain rights citizens should have. These include trial by jury, persecution by due process, and many others. This acted as a basis for a few of the rights found in the United States Bill of Rights. -
Mayflower Compact
This was the first goverment document written on American soil by the new colonists. The compact acted as guidlines the colonists would follow in a social contract, due to the need of a governing force. This was the first goverment developed in the colonies. -
Petition of Rights
The Petition was also a major basis for the creation of rights for Americans. Theses included no imprisonment without lawful judgment by peers and the right to portect ones estate. Without this many freedoms we enjoy today would not exsist. -
Navagation Act
This act restricted the trade between foregin nations and Great Britian and it's colonies. This caused more opposition to British rule in the colonies by not allowing economic development in the colonies. The colonists had to resort to smuggling, risking imprisonment and death. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was a highly influential document providing many ideas used by the United States Bill of Rights. The bill gave limitations to the governing power, allowing for fair control over the country. -
Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation was created in order to increase the amount of land Britian controlled. The goverment refused to allow settlement of the new land with fear of another war with the natives. This angered many colonial land purchasers, one of the first actions leading to British opposition. -
Sugar Act
This act increased taxes on indigo,wine, and coffee. This tax was strickly enforced causing anger to stir in the colonies. As a result many colonist started to oppose British control, ultimatly resulting in many protests and the realization of taxation without representation. -
Stamp Act
This tax led to the formation of the Stamp Act Congress, a group of delegates from nine of the thirteen colonies attempting to remove the unfair taxes. This was one of the first meetings in opposition to the British rule of the Americas. The Decleraion of Rights and Grievances was written to remove the taxes. -
Boston Tea Party
Due to the new British taxes and control over the tea trade a group of colonists took over three ships and destroyed the cargo. This was one of the first acts of opposition to British control over the colonies. This led to they formation of the First Continental Congress. -
Coercive Acts
This had a direct relation to the Boston Tea Party. Due to the new taxes and other rights betrayed by the Coercive Acts, the First Continental Congress was established to protest and attempt to repeal the new laws. The acts also increased the colonial opposition against the British. -
First Continental Congress
This meeting started boycotts of British goods. The congress's main goal was to cause a repeal of all taxes imposed on the colonies and acted as the first meeting of delegates discussing a new goverment. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
These skirmishes were the first of the revolution, marking the begining of the Revolutionary War. As a result colonists joined the movement against the British control of the colonies. This was called "The Shot Heard Around The World," giving birth to liberty in the colonies. -
Second Continental Congress
At this meeting 65 delegates began discussing seperation from the British Empire. The Decleration of Independence was written and sighned, establlishing a new country. This was the start of our nation and struggle for independence, possibly the mos influential meeting in our history. -
Decleration of Independence
This document was the legal statement giving reasons for the seperation from Great Britian. It has been used by numerous people and countries when battling a governing force. This document was sighned by "dead men", all who could have been executed for treason.
