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Sep 10, 1215
Magna Carta
Required King John of England to proclaim certain rights, respect certain legal procedures, and accept that his will could be bound by law. First document forced onto an English King by a group of his subjects in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their priveleges. -
Jamestown settled
The first successful English seetlement in the mainlands of North America. Founded purposes were quick profit from gold miining and also establishing foothold in North America for England. -
Mayflower Compact written
Written agreement composed by a consensus of the new settlers arriving at New Plymouth. Drawn up with fair and equal laws for the general good of the settlement. Composed the compact for the sake of their survival. -
Petition of Right
Petition of Right was a document that set out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. The Petition of Right was passed in response to a number of perceived violations of the law by Charles I, in the first year of his reign. -
English Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments of the U.S Constitution. The Bill of Rights restrains the national government from limiting personal freedoms. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was an attempt at forming a Union of the colonies under one government as far as might be necessary for defense and other general important purposes during the French and Indian War. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a law enacted by government that requires a tax to be paid on the transfer of certain documents. Enacted in order to pay for portion of the costs of maintaining an army in territories gained in North America. -
Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre was an incident where five civilians at the hands of British troops were killed because a British sentry, Private Hugh White, and colonist, Edward Gerrish got into an agruement and caused a huge crowd of British and Boston colonists to go at each other. -
Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party was an direct action by colonists in Boston against the British government. Colonists boarded ships and destroyed tea by throwing it in the Boston Harbor because officials refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain. -
Intorable Act
The Intolerable Act was a series of laws sponsored by British Prime Minister Lord North and enacted in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party. Hoped these measures reversed the trend of colonial resistance to parliamentary authority. -
First Continental Congress
he First Continental Congress had delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies. They met briefly to consider options including, an economic boycott of British trade, publishing a list of rights and grievances, and petitioning King George for redress of those grievances. -
American Revolution begins
Political upheaval which thirteen colonies joined together to break free from the British empire, combining to become the United States of America. Initiated a series of social,political, and intellectual transformations in early American society and government. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress managed the colonial war effort, and moved incrementally towards independence. They moved towards independence by adopting the United States Declaration of Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration was approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against British monarch and declared their independence. It became one of the most widely quoted and revealed documents in America. -
Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation was the first Constitution of the United States, enacted in 1781. They established a national legislature (Continental Congress), but most of authority rested with the state legislatures. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion was a series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings. News of rebellion spread quickly around the country and Philadelphia delegates thaought a full-fledged revolution would occur. Shay's Rebellion reaffrimed the Framer's belief that the new federal government needed to be strong. -
Philadelphia Convention
The Philadelphia Convention addresses problems in governing the United States of America. The intention from its proponents was to create a new government rather than fixing the exsisting one. -
Constitution Convention
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Connecticut Compromise
Connecticut Compromise was reached at the Constitutional Convention that established the two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. This compromise was intended to maximize equality among states, but it actually gives more power to people who live in states with small populations than people in heavily populated states.
