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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
This was the first written document forced on the King of England to limit his powers and protect citizens rights. It was an early influence of the common law and helped shape many documents today. -
Jamestown Settled
First successful English settlement in North America. Named after King James of England. -
Mayflower Compact Written
First governing document in the colonies. Named the Mayflower compact because the plgrims crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower ship. They were seeking freedom of religion. -
Petition of Right
This document sets out to specific liberities that can not be infringed by the king. It has restrictions on taxes and other goverment actions. This document affected many governments and is still in use in the United Kingdom. -
English Bill of Rights
Act by the Parliment of England. It was a restatement of the Declaration of Right. Document contains limit of powers of the monarch , freedom of speech, and right to petition the monarch. -
Albany Plan of Union
This was a proposal to create a unified government ran by a President General and a Grand Council. The proposal was sent to Colonial Assemblies and to the Bristish Board of Trade and was rejected. It inspired aspects of the Articles of Confederation. -
Stamp Act
The stamp act was a tax imposed on the colonies forcing them to use British paper witha special stamp on it for legal documents, magazines, and newspapers. The reason for the act was to pay for the British troops stationed in the colonies. -
Boston Massacre
This event started because the colonial people were mad that British troops were sent to maintain order of the Townshend Acts. One of the Towndhend Acts gave england the right to tax. This led up to the start of the American Revolution. Five colonists were killed. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was an American protest against British taxes. The protest was done by the citizens of Boston. This event led to the American Revolution. -
Intolerable Acts
These five laws passed by the Bristish Parliment played a major role in the American revolution by making the colonists want to resist abiding them causing war. -
First Continental Congress
Convention in Philadelphia attended by the delegates of twelve of the thirteen colonies in response to the Coercive Acts that were passed by the British Parliment after the Boston Tea Party. -
American Revolution Begins
Political conflict in which the thirteen colonies seperated from Great Brtiain. The thirteen colonies then became The United States of America. -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates of the thirteen American Colonies met in Philadelphia soon after the American Revolutionary War had begun. -
Declaration of Independence
This document is a statement announcing that the thirteen colonies are declaring there independence from the British empire of Great Britain. They were also declaring war with this document. -
Articles of Confederation
This document stated that the government would be unicameral meaning one branch and that was Congress. Nationalists feared the goverment was too weak since there was no chief executive, courts, or taxing abilities. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion was a violent protest that was started because of the economical debt after the war. The farmers couldn't pay off the debt which ended in either imprisonment or the government claiming the properties. -
Connecticut Compromise
This was an agreement between large states and smaller states about legislature. The Legislature was a bicameral meaning two houses. The agreement discussed the repesentation for each state under the US Constitution. -
Philadelphia Convention
This convention was set to address the problems that America was facing while governing under the Articles of Confederation. -
Constitutional Convention
Meeting attended by the delegates from the states intended to revise the Articles of Confederation. This ended up being when the constitution was written. Making this event one of the most important events in US history.
