Events of American Democracy

Magna Carta

Jun 15, 1215

http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/magna-carta.htm
King John was forced into signing the charter because it greatly reduced the power he held as the King of England and allowed for the formation of a powerful parliament.

Mercantilism

Jan 1, 1500

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/mercantilism.html
The theory of trade which stated that a nation should export more than it imported to accumulate more gold.

Jamestown Colony

May 14, 1607

http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=6
First successfull English colony in the New World.

House of Burgesses

Jul 30, 1619

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Burgesses
The first assembly of elected repsresentatives of English colonists in North America.

Mayflower Compact

Nov 11, 1620

http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/PrimarySources/MayflowerCompact.php
A written agreement composed by a concensus of the New Settlers arriving at New Plymouth.

Fundamental Order of Connecticut

Jan 14, 1639

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_fundamental_orders_of_Connecticut
This document called for an assembly of elected representatives from each town to make laws. It also called for the popular election of a governor and judges.

Culpeper's Rebellion

Jan 1, 1677

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Culpeper's+Rebellion
Popular uprising in the Albemarle section of Carolina to protest the British Navigation Acts, which denied the colonists free markets

Glorius Revolution

Sep 27, 1688

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glorious_Revolution
The overthrow of King James II of England.

English Bill of Rights

Dec 16, 1689

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Rights_1689
Set out strict limits on the Royal Family's legal prerogatives such as prohibition against arbitrary suspension of Parliament's laws.

Plymouth Colony

Oct 17, 1691

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Colony
Enlgish venture from 1620-1692 in Massachusetts. Named by pilgrims who arrived by Mayflower.

Salem Witch Trials

Feb 1, 1692

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm
A series of hearings before court trials to prosecute people acussed of witchcraft. 19 men and women executed.

First Great Awakening

Jan 1, 1730

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/first-great-awakening
A series of evangelical religious revival movements. The movements were characterized by emotional religious conversions from a state of sin by preachings by itinerant preachers in front of crowds of thousands.

French and Indian war

Period: Jul 3, 1754 to Jul 4, 1763

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/battleswars16011800/p/fortnecessity.htm
War between Great Britian and France.

Albany Plan of Union

Jul 10, 1754

http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/AlbanyPlan
A plan to place the British North American colonies under a more centralized government.

Pontiac's Rebellion

May 7, 1763

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h598.html
A war that was a reaction to British control in North America.

Proclamation Line of 1763

Oct 7, 1763

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/proc63.htm
A royal decree that prohibited the North American colonists from establishing settlements west of the imaginary line running down the crest of the Appalachian Mountains.

Sugar Act of 1764

Apr 5, 1764

http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/suact.htm
Placed a tax on sugar, wine, and other important stuff, because British wanted more money.

Stamp Act

Mar 22, 1765

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamp_Act_1765
Required all legal documents, licenses, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets and playing cards to carry a tax stamp.

Sons of Liberty

Jun 15, 1765

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_Liberty
Formed to protect the rights of colonists.
Established and took part in Boston Tea Party.

Townshend Act

Jun 29, 1767

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-repeal-hated-townshend-act
Placed new taxes on glass, lead, paints, paper and tea.

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.htm
a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. Several colonists were killed and this led to a campaign.The riot began when about 50 citizens attacked a British sentinel.

Gaspee Incident

Jun 9, 1772

http://www.gaspee.org/Revolut2.htm
The burning of the British naval cutter by Rhode island. It led up to the American War.

Committees of Correspondence

Mar 12, 1773

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_of_correspondence
They were shadow governments organized by the Patriot leaders of the Thirteen Colonies on the eve of the American Revolution

Tea Act

May 10, 1773

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/teaact.htm
It gace a tax break tot he East India Tea company to save them from bankruptcy.

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party
direct action against the British government that controlled all the tea imported. After officials in Boston refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts

May 20, 1774

http://ourgeorgiahistory.com/ogh/Intolerable_Acts
I was made to punisyh Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party.

First Continental Congress

Sep 5, 1774

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Continental_Congress
A convention of delegates from twelve British North American colonies.

Edenton Tea Party

Oct 25, 1774

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edenton_Tea_Party
A political protest in Edenton, North Carolina, in response to the Tea Act, which was passed by the British Parliament in 1773

Second Continental Congress

May 10, 1775

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Continental_Congress
Group of people from over 13 colonies who came together to discuss liberty.

Mecklenburg Resolves

May 20, 1775

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mecklenburg_Resolves
A list of statements reputed to have been introduced in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina to the Mecklenburg Committee of Safety on or after March 20, 1775 and adopted by the committee on May 31, 1775. The document may have proclaimed that all laws originating from the British King or Parliament are null and void, and that the only legitimate government over the American colonies was the Continental Congress, then meeting in Philadelphia.

Halifax Resolves

Apr 12, 1776

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Resolves
The name later given to a resolution adopted by the Fourth Provincial Congress of the Province of North Carolina on April 12, 1776, during the American Revolution. The resolution helped pave the way for the United States Declaration of Independence

Virginia Resolves

May 15, 1776

http://virtualology.com/hallofthehistoricarchives/THEDECLARATIONOFINDEPENDENCE.ORG/leeresolution/
A series of resolutions passed by the VGA in response to the Stamp Act.

Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
Written by Thomas Jefferson. It is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress which announced the 13 colonies regarded themselves as independent states.

Articles of Confederation

Nov 15, 1777

http://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/document.html?doc=2&title.raw=Articles of Confederation
An agreement among the 13 founding states that legally established the USA as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first constitution.

Treaty of Paris 1783

Sep 3, 1783

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1783)
Ended the American Revolution between Great Britian and America.

Land of Ordinance of 1785

May 20, 1785

http://www.bchistory.org/beavercounty/BeaverCountyTopical/GeneralHistoriesofBC/LandOrd1785MW98.html
An attempt to alliviate the finicial crisis the Revolutionary War left.

Shay's Rebellion

Feb 3, 1787

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shays'_Rebellion
An armed uprising the took place in central and western Massachusetts.

Constitutional Convention

May 14, 1787

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_Convention_(United_States)
Adressed problems in governing the USA. The delegates elected George Washington to preside over the convention.

Land Ordinance of 1787

Jul 13, 1787

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Ordinance
The primary effect of the ordinance was the creation of the Northwest Territory as the first organized territory of the United States.

Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers

Nov 26, 1787

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Federalist_Papers
A series of 85 articles or essays promoting the ratification of the Constitution and a collection of articles written in opposition to ratifaication of the Constitution.

Whiskey Rebellion

Sep 7, 1791

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_Rebellion
A tax protest in the US. Farmers who sold their grain in the form of whiskey had to pay a new tax that they strongly resented.