-
Revolts against England's King John that urge him to recognize rights for both noblemen and ordinary Englishmen. The Magna Carta was established to show that no king or lawmaker is above the law. This establishes a structure for future documents such as the Declaration of Independence.
-
The Petition of Right sets rights and liberties of the common man.
-
The first statement of American liberties is adapted by the Massachusetts General Court. The right to petition and a statement about due process is included in the document.
-
Religious freedom is granted by the Charter of Rhode Island.
-
In 1689 John Locke published the Letter Concerning Toleration. This provides the basis for George Mason’s proposed Article Sixteen of the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776, which deals with religion. "All Men should enjoy the fullest toleration in the exercise of religion," is Mason's proposal.
-
Connecticut passes the first dissenter statute and allows “full liberty of worship” to Anglicans and Baptists.
-
John Peter Zenger is tried for libel after publishing criticism of the Royal Governor of New York. His trial is an example of the freedom the of the press being first established.
-
Eighteen baptists worshipers were arrested because they didn't pay taxes to a church they didn't believe in.
-
The final draft of the Declaration of Independence is adapted by the Continental Congress.
-
Virgina's House of Burgesses releases the Virginia Declaration of Rights which is the first bill of rights to be included in the constitution.
-
The first draft of the Virginia state bill about religious freedoms is created by Thomas Jefferson.
-
New York Journal of Commerce and the New York World are newpapers that published forged a draft to send 400,000 men. President Lincoln ordered a union commander to arrest them but Lincoln stops the arrest.
