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Jun 15, 1215
Drafting of the Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was an a document that brough inspiration that led to the making of many other documents. It gave the Church freedom from royal interference, freedom from taxes, and the right of due process.It also reduced the power of the King of England and allowed for the formation of a powerful parliament. -
Petition of Right Drafted
The Petition of Right insisted that the king not impose rule by the military in time of peace or require homeowners to bring in troops without consent. It also limited the king's power and It demanded that the king no longer imprison or punish any person but by the lawful judgement of his people. All in all, the Petition declared that even a monarch must obey law of the land. -
English Bill of Rights Drafted
The English Bill of Rights prohibited a standing army during peacetime, unless Parliament approved, and required that all Parliament elections be free. It also included guarantees to the people such as the right to a fair trial, freedom from excessive bail and from cruel/ unusual punishment. -
Stamp act
The Stamp Act taxed all American colonists and demanded them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper that they used. The money collected was to be used to help pay the cpsts of defending/ protecting the American frontier, but colonists saw it as too severe. Nine colonies prepared a strong protest and the Stamp Act repealed. -
Townshend Duties
The colonies protested and Boston merchants boycotted English goods, leading to the repeal of the Townshend Duties. Charles Townshend saw how desperate the colonies needed tax relief, but he also saw how vital debt reduction was. He thought that the best solution would come from imposing taxes in the colonies to collect revenue on items such as imports of glass, lead paints, paper and tea. -
Boston Massacre
British troops in Boston fired at a crowd, killing five colonists. The presence of British troops in the city was very unwelcome, proven by the attack of one British personnel by fifty citizens. A British official called in for reinforcements, but the only thing that apparently could stop the chaos was by gunshot. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was designed to prop up the East India Company, as it was struggling financially. The Townshend Acts were still in effect, and American leaders found it as an opportunity to buy popular support for the taxes already in force. -
1st Continental Congress
In1774, Parliament passed a set of laws to punish colonists for the troubles in Boston. The Intolerable Acts called upon many meetings between the colonies where Delegates discussed the worsening situation and debated for plans of action. -
Second Continential Congres
This Second Continental Congress became the nation's first national government that rested on no constitutional base. The Second Continental Congress served as government for five years from formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence, until the Articles of Confederation went into effect. -
Common Sense Was Published
The Common Sense was published in 1776 and challenged the authority of the British government and royal monarchy. The way Paine (the author) expressed his voice throughout the document was the first piece of work of its kind. It asked Americans to want and ask for independence from the Great Britain. -
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
On July 2, the delegates agreed to Richard H. Lee's resolution after spirited debate. Two days later, they adopted the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed a new nation.