-
Jun 14, 1215
Magna Carta is drafted
The Magna Carta was signed in June 1215 between the barons of Medieval England and King John. "Magna Carta" is Latin and means "Great Charter". The Magna Carta was one of the most important documents of Medieval England.
It was signed (by royal seal) between the barons and John at Runnymede near Windsor Castle. The document was a series of written promises between the king and his subjects that he, the king, would govern England and deal with its people according to the customs of feudal law. M -
Petition Of Rights is drafted
The Petition of Right is a major English constitutional document that sets out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. The Petition of Right was produced by the English Parliament in the run-up to the English Civil War. It was passed by Parliament in May 1628, and given the royal assent by Charles I in June of that year. The Petition is most notable for its confirmation of the principles that taxes can be levied only by Parliament -
English Bill of rights was drafted
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Written by James Madison in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties, the Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions on governmental power. This document was made to set specific limits on government power. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765. The new tax was imposed on all American colonists and required them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed. The money collected by the Stamp Act was to be used to help pay the costs of defending and protecting the American frontier near the Appalachian Mountains. -
Townshend Duties
In 1767 the English parliament cut the British land tax, and, to balance the budget, Charles Townshend promised that he would tax the Americans to make up the difference. Taking advantage of the distinction the Americans had drawn between internal and external taxes, he put through a series of acts laying import duties at American ports on paper, lead, glass and tea shipped from England. These duties, however, didn't have an economic but a political purpose. The money that was collected was used -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. Several colonists were killed, This fight was an event that was waiting to happen because the Royal troops appeared in Massachusetts in October 1768 to enforce the heavy tax burden imposed by the Townshend Acts. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was an attempt by the British to regain control of the tea trade in America and to rescue the British East India Company. For years the company was a moneymaker for Britain. However, after the Townshend Acts of 1767 many colonists boycotted the tea, and chose to smuggle it in from Dutch companies. This hurt the British as they still had 18 million pounds of unsold tea that they were contractually obligated to sell. Happened in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, Annapoli -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was held on September 5, 1774, and lasted until October 26, 1774. It was held because the colonists were very upset about the Intolerable Acts and the taxes. The Intolerable Acts were punishments that King George III put on the colonies. He put them on so the colonists would feel sorry about dumping tea into Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party. -
Common sense was published (Thomas Payne)
Common Sense challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy, when Tomas Payne published this pamphlet he set forth his arguments in favor of American independence. -
Second Continental Congress
After the Battles of Lexington and Concord, a Second Continental Congress met. Colonists were still thinking about the two battles. The Congress met on May 10, 1776, in the State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is now called Indepence Hall. The delegates decided at the Congress to completely break away from Great Britain. New delegates appered, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and they also got a new president, John Hancock. -
Declaration of Independence signed
The Declaration of Independence was signed July 4th, 1776. It was signed by the delegates of the 13 colonies. This document was signed to give it authority. The people who signed it stood behind it and put their lives and fortunes on the line for it. It was written to let the world know that the United States were no longer subject to England and should be considered as an independent nation.
