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1500 BCE
Moses
Moses calls for the law to apply equally to all people, even kings, and sets forth rules for a fair trial. -
600 BCE
Old Testament
The biblical idea of a covenant, an ancient Jewish term meaning a special kind of agreement between people and God, influenced the formation of colonial governments and contributed to our constitutional structure. -
100
New Testament
The biblical idea of a covenant, an ancient Jewish term meaning a special kind of agreement between people and God, influenced the formation of colonial governments and contributed to our constitutional structure. -
1215
The Magna Carta
In 1215, English nobles were upset with the oppressive policies of King John. His oppressive policies included unfair taxation and cruel treatment of prisoners.They forced him to sign a document - the Magna Carta - recognizing their rights. -
The Thireteen English Coloines
These colonial institutions exercised some local authority, but the British believed that all colonists owed allegiance to the monarch. The governments the colonists established were not as democratic as we would define the term today. Many people, including women and the enslaved, could not vote. -
The Mayflower Compact
The Pilgrims governed themselves by a written contract between themselves.This would be a huge influence on our government and Constitution. -
The Constitution of Connecticut
The Constitution of Connecticut had a huge influence on the Founders of America. -
English Bill Of Rights
Even after the signing of the Magna Carta, power struggles between the monarch and Parliament (England’s law making body) persisted for more than 400 years. -
House Of Lords
The members of the upper chamber were the first sons of noble families and later members who inherited their positions. -
House Of Commons
The members of the lower chamber were elected and were often the younger sons of noble families or wealthy commoners. -
The Enlightenment
An intellectual movement concentrated in France during the 1700s. A group of philosophers including John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Voltaire, sought to apply the rights of scientific inquiry to study human society. They developed rational laws to describe social behavior and applied their finding in support of human rights and liberal economic theories. -
The French and Indian War
A struggle between French and British over lands in what is now western Pennsylvania and Ohio led to the start of the war. -
The Stamp Act
To pay for the war, the king and his ministers levied taxes on tea, sugar, glass, paper, and other products. The Stamp Act of 1765 imposed the first direct tax on the colonists required them to pay a tax of legal documents, pamphlets, and even playing cards. -
English Common Law
Common law and its commentaries is based on custom, usages, and general principles found in court decisions that serve as precedents to be applied to situations not covered by statutory law. -
The Boston Tea Pary
A group of colonists, dressed as Mohawk Indians dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor. In retaliation, the Boston Parliament passed the Coercive Acts or Intolerable Acts and closed Boston Harbor. -
The First Continental Congress
On September 5, 1774, delegates from every colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia for the Congress.Their purpose was to decide what to do about the relationship with Great Britain. -
The Second Continental Congress
Within three weeks, delegates from all thirteen colonies gathered in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress in May 1775. They immediately assumed powers of a central government. -
The Declaration Of Independence
This is one of most famous documents in world history. It stirred the hearts of American colonists.No government before in world history had been founded on the principles of human liberty and consent of the governed. Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration explained the reasons the American colonies were angry and justified about the revolution. -
The Articles Of Confederation
The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, on November 15, 1777. However, ratification of the Articles of Confederation by all thirteen states did not occur until March 1, 1781. -
The Constitution Of the United States
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. The Constitution, originally comprising seven articles, delineates the national frame of government
