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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta is drafted
The Magna Carta was the first document made to limit the power of English monarchy. It came about after English people started rebelling becasue they believed that the monarchy did not show respect for individual rights. King John agreed to comply with the documents' call for rights for the people and for him to have the chance of being prosectued as well. -
Petition of Right is drafted
The Petition of Right was drafted to limit the King's power. It made it so the King could not put anybody in prison unless he had evidence from the suspect's peers or by law of the land. The King also could not rule by the military in times of peace, or make troops stay in people's homes without their consent. -
English Bill of Rights is drafted
The English Bill of Rights was made to limit the power of English monarchy. It did not allow them to do anything without the approval of Parliament. English monarchs could not have an army ready when there was no threat, execute laws, or levy money. They also had to allow everyone a fair trial and not cruelly punish anyone. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was an act passed by Parliament that forced American colonists to pay a tax on any printed item like playing cards, newspapers, legal documents, etc. The money made from the taxes was used to protect the American frontier by the Appalachian mountains. Colonists were angry about this because it was not approved by any legislatures. -
Townshend Duties
The Townshend Duties occured when Charles Townshend promised colonists that he would tax them to balance out the recent Briritsh tax cuts. Yet he was decieving the Americans by passing acts that would put import duties at American ports on paper, lead, tea, and glass that came from England. People started banding together to oppose the Townshend Duties. This created connflict in Boston and would lead to the Boston Massacre. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was one of the major catalysts for the Revolution taking place. British troops sent to reinforce the Townshend Acts in Boston shot at an angry crowd of Americans and killed 5 men. This event made the Americans want independence from Great Britain even more because of their outrage towards this incident. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was passed by Parliament to revive the British tea company, East India Company. the company had a large amount of unsold tea and shipped it to America to be sold for a cheap price. Colonists were angry about this because they found that buying the tea was a way to support the taxes that were already passed by Parliament. this would lead to the Boston Tea Party, in which the colonists rebelled and dumped 45 tons of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
1st Continental Congress
The 1st Continental Congress was a group of delegates from all of the thirteen colonies except Georgia that came up with ways to break away from King George the Third's rule. They made a Declaration of Rights, told people in the colonies to stop trading with England until they repealed the taxes they set, and told people to come together and support this movement. They first met on this date in Philadelphia and they ended their meetings on October 26 of the same year. -
2nd Continental Congress
The 2nd Continental Congress was the second meetings of delegates from each of the colonies after Great Britain did not listen to their boycotts and requests the first time. Hancock was president of the Congress. The Revolution had begun. Goerge Washington was commander in chief of the army. The Second Continental Congress became the colonies' first national government for 5 years. It established executive and legislative powers. -
Common Sense was published (Thomas Paine)
"Common Sense" by Thomas Paine that was annonymously published. In it, he criticized Great Britain having control over America and how it made no sense for them to be ruling from so far away geography-wise. It was also the first written work to ask for American independence from Great Britain. -
Declaration of Independence signed
The Declaration of Independence was written by a group of men including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. It was designed to break away from King George the Third's rule in Great Britain, and for America to start their own independent government. It established the idea of freedom and rights for all.