-
Dec 16, 1177
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston against the British Government and the monopolistic East India Company. A group of colonists boarded ships carrying taxed tea and destroyed it by throwing it overboard into the harbor. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta, originally issued in June of 1215 but later modified, was the first document forced to be signed by an English king. It explicitly sates that no one can be punished without trial. -
Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States of America, founded by London company headquartered in England -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the colonists, later known as Pilgrims, who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower. -
Petition of Right
The Petition of Right is a major English constitutional document that sets out specific, inalienable liberties. It is most notable for its confirmation of the principles that taxes can be levied only by Parliament, that martial law may not be imposed in time of peace, and that prisoners must be able to challenge the legitimacy of their detentions through the writ of habeas corpus. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was an act of the Parliament of England. It laid out the basics rights (at the time) for all Englishmen. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was an early attempt at forming a union of the colonies under one government. It was proposed by Benjamin Franklin at the Albany Congress, but was rejected, -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a direct tax that required many printed materials in the colonies to be printed on British paper with an embossed revenue stamp. -
Bostom Massacre
A heavy British military presence in Boston led to tense situations between civilians and soldiers. Civilians and soldiers got into fights and eventually, when threatened by a rioting crowd, the British soldiers fired on the civilians. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in response to events in the colonies. These laws were important developments leading the U.S. to the American Revolutionary War. -
American Revolution
The American Revolution was a political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century. Ultimately, the states collectively decided that the British, by acts of tyranny, could no longer legitimately claim their allegiance. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from all 13 colonies. It began soon after warfare during the American Revolutionary War had begun. -
Declaration of Independence
The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, was the first constitution of the United States and specified how the Federal government was to operate, including adoption of an official name for the new nation, United States of America. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States. In practice, the articles were in use beginning in 1771, but only became de jure by final ratification in 1781 -
Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts. -
Philadelphia Convention
This convention took place to address problems in governing the United States. The purpose of this convetion was purpotedly to fix problems within the Articles of confederation, however many people their had the intention of creating a new government. -
Connecticut Compromise
the Connecticut Compromise was an agreement reached between large and small states during the Constitutional Convention. It called for a bicameral legislature, resulting in the current United States Senate and House of Representatives.