-
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a document forced onto the Kind of England to limit his power and preserve the subject's privileges. Barons of King John of England wrote it but ultimately the kind was forced to sign it. It was signed at Runneymede on the Themes. People gained privileges like freedom from slavery, free speech, the right to liberty, privacy, and security. and freedom of assembly. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony written by separatists. It layed down the laws for the small town and gave them a structure. -
Petition of Rights
The petiion of rights is a statement of civil liberites sent by the English Parliament to Charles I. The Parliament refused to finance the king's foreign policy and this caused loans. This caused violent hostility between Charles I and the 1st duke of Buckingham. This petition was initiated by Sir Edward Coke and it stated four principles: No taxes could be imposed without Parliament's consent, no person could be imprisoned without a cause/reason..... -
Petition of Rights (part 2)
no soldiers could be kept in private homes without consent of the people, and the martial law could not be used during times of peace (martial law is the government and military having control over the people). This document was signed by Charles I. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was written to limit the powers of the crown and sets out rights of parliament and rules for freedom of speech within parlaiment. Mary and William were the ones who signed it and people gained may rights such as religious tolerance, freedom of speech and press. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was a proposal to create a unified government for the 13 colonies. It was suggested by Benjamin Franklin, however it never happened. The well known cartoon that was inspired by this was called "Join or Die" by Benjamin Franklin. -
Period: to
French and Indian War (PT. 2)
After the war, the French issued a proclomation that prohibited them from moving west because they were afraid they would get into a war with the indians which would cost them more money. The colonies didn't like that because they felt that their rights were being robbed from them. -
Period: to
French and Indian War
The war was fought between the colonies of British America and new France. Some of the key battles were the battle of Fort Necessity, the battle of River Monongahela, the battle of Lake Goerge, the battle of Oswego, the battle of Fort William and Henry, the battle of Louisburg, the battle of Fort Ticonderoga, the battle of Fort Frontenac, the battle of Fort Niagra, the battle of Quebec, and the battle of Montreal. Ultimately the British won the war. (Continued in Pt.2) -
King George III takes power
Website King George III began his rule at only 22 years of age. He changed the relationship between the British and the colonies for the worst because he put more rules and taxes on them to have better control on them. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first tax given to American people by the British government. The reason for this tax was because the British Empire was in a lot of debt from the Seven Years' War and they wanted to gain money, so they looked towards North American colonies. This particular tax put a tax on all paper documents in the colonies. The leaders insisted that the act was unconsitiutional, so they ended up resorting to mob violence.
http://www.history.com/topics/stamp-act -
Boston Massacre
THe whole situation was an accident where the British army soldiers killed 5 civillian men and injured 6 others. The Townshred acts were going on this time and were believed to have something to do with the open fire. -
Boston Tea Party
Video It was basically a protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston against the tax policy of the British government and the East India Company that controlled the tea imports. Most of the Sons of Liberty considered themselves to be Republicans. Parlaiment responded in 1774 with the Coercive and Intolerable acts. -
Intolerable Acts (aka Coercive Acts)
The British Government established these acts in order to try and restore order in Massacusetts and punish the Bostonians for their Tea Party. Within this act, there was a series of four acts established as well:
The Boston Port Act, which closed the port of Boston until damages from the tea party were paid.
The Massachusetts Government Act, which restricted Massachusetts and turned the governor's council into an appointed body. -
Intolerable Acts (Part 2)
The Administration of Justice Act, which made British officials immune to criminal prosecution in Massachusetts.
The Quartering Act, which required colonists to house British troops on demand.
The Parliament expected the colonies to abandon Bostonians to the British law, but the colonies rushed to the city's defense by sending supplies. -
First Continental Congress
In response to the British Parliament's enactment of the Coercive Acts in the American colonies, the first Continental meeting took place at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. All delegates from colonies (except Georgia) drafted a declaration of rights and elected Peyton Randolph as first president of Congress. There were important figures at this meeting including, George Washington, John Adams, and Jon Jay. -
First Continental Congress (Part 2)
It was a convention of delegates from twelve colonies (Georgia was not present) that met at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia. They met to discuss the economic boycott of the British. They eventually shut down the port to Britian. -
Lexington and Concord
As a result of the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Townshend Acts, there was tension within the colonists who were protesting against these acts. The night before the battle, Joseph Warren found out that the British redcoats were going to march that night on Concord. Paul Revere and William Dawes were chosen to tell the people about the news. They traveled to Lexington only to find Samuel Adams and John Hancock in hiding. Revere and Dawes told them to flee, but later Revere was captured and Dawes... -
Lexington and Concord (part 2)
was forced to walk back to Lexington.
Following the battle, the militiamen killed/wounded about 250 redcoats, but 90 were killed/wounded on their side. This battle really proved that they were able to stand up to one of the greates armies in the world. -
Second Continental Congress
On the same day that the Second Continental Congress was taking place in Philadelphia, PA, there was a successful attack on Fort Ticonderoga. Really, this meeting took place after the American Revolutionary War had begun. The delagates that were at this meeting decided it was necessary to officially separate from England, so the idea of the Declaration of Independence was created. They also established the militia as the Continental Army and George Washington was appointed Commander in Cheif ... -
Second Continental Congress (part 2)
of this Army. Finally, the wrote the Olive Branch Petition as a symbol of peace. Ben Franklin, George Washington, John Hancock, John Adams, and Samuel Adams were at this meeting as well. -
Declaration of Independence
The Revolutionary War was in full swing and the issue for independence from the British was much stronger, so the delegates of Continental Congress were faced to vote on the issue. In June of 1776, a committee (including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Ben Franklin) was given that the task to make a draft of the colonies rights. So, on July 4th in Philadelphia, the congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence. -
Articles of Confederation
This document served as the document that established the functions of national governement after it declared independence form Great Britain. It prevented the individual states from conducting their own foreign diplomacy. These articles also created a sovereign, national government. John Hanson became the first President of the United States under the Articles of Confederation. -
Treaty of Paris
This document ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States and its allies. Under this document, the British recognized America's independence and established borders for the new nation. They also agreed to remove their troops from this new nation. Land that became new boundries of the United States included...the Great Lakes on the North to Florida on the south and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. John Jay signed this document representing... -
Treaty of Paris (part 2)
the United States. The new boundries of the United States included... the north by Canada, on the south by the Spanish Colonies of East and West Florida, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by the Mississippi River. It also included the Thirteen Original Colonies and the areas claimed by them. -
Start of Constitutional Convention
The United States started to go into a economic crisis and the nation's leaders became upset with their limited power. There were also issues in Annapolis, Maryland, so The Annapolis Convention took place to discuss interstate commerce. Nothing really came out of this, but they decided a larger convention should take place in Philadelphia, This created the Constitutional Convention. This Convention took place in Philadelphia to try and create a peaceful overthrow of the new American Governement.
