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Period: Jan 1, 1200 to
throughout the years
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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
This had established the principle that governments have limited power, and not absolute power. -
Virginia house of burgesses
The first legislature that was established in America, everyone was to choose their ministers and leaders. This was also a representative assembly structure. -
Mayflower Compact
Showed that the colonies were planning on a government. Pilgrims realized they needed rules to govern themselves, so they came up with this compact. They choose the leaders to make laws which would be benefical. -
English bill of rights
This set clear limits about what the British can and can't do, this also incorporated parts of the Magna Carta and American colonist ideas too. -
French and Indian War
A struggle with the French and the British over some land in western Pennsylvania and ohio, later many other countries had got involved too. -
Stamp Act
This imposed the direct tax of items on the colonists, people had to pay taxes on legal documents, newspapers, cards and dice, plus much more. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists had dressed as Mohawk indians and dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston harbor. This was a protest on the increase on the tea tax. -
First Continental Congress
Colonial leaders had a meeting of the colonies, where they debated what to do with their relationship of Great Britian, and from this meeting they imposed an embargo. -
Second Continental Congress
Here is where they voted to create an army and navy as well as to issue money to people. They made Washington commander, and this served as the acting government throughout the war. -
Lexington and Concord
The British clashed with the Colonial men, which marked the start of the Revolutionary War. This is also known as "the shot that was heard around the world." -
Declaration of Independance
The colonies had Broken away from Britian, 56 delegates had signed the document stating their freedom from Britian. Although the draft was made on July 2nd but it was revised and later published on July 4th. -
Articles of Confederation
This was just the second Continental Congress continued, it planned for a central goveernment and a single chamber congress. A committee of one delegate from each state managed the government when congress was not present, because congress settled all the disputes. -
Peace Treaty with Great Britian
Britian recognized American independance, and the land that the United states got out of the deal greatly increased the nations boundaries. -
Shay's Rebellion
The protestors kept the courts closed so they could not foreclose upon their farms. Shay also marched 1200 men on the Federal arsenal in Springfield. all of this protesting was basically because of the farmers having economic troubles. -
Connecticut Compromise
Legislative branch that has two parts, a house of representatives with state reps based on population, and a senatewhich is two people from each state who were elected by the state legislation. -
3/5 compromise
3/5 of the slaves were to be counted for both tax purposes and for representation as a result. -
Commerce/ slave trade compromise
Congress could not ban slave trade until 1808, so congress got control to regulate the interstate commerce and foreign commerce. As a result the U.S. does not tax its exports as a result. -
Constitutional Convention
This was originally to revise the Articles, but the old government was decided to be abandoned and then begin a new one. The new government was to be a limited and representative government, and the powers were to be divided into three seperate branches. -
Virginia Plan
A government based on a strong national legislature with two chambers and a strong national executive to be chosen by a national legislature, as well as a national judicary to be appointed by the legislature. -
New Jersey Plan
This keeps the major parts of the articles of confederation, it is a unicameral legislature with one vote per state. Congress would be strengthened so they can impose taxes and regulate trade. -
Rhode Island Ratifies
This was the last colony to ratify the constitution, which led to the complete passing of the bill of rights. -
Bill of Rights
The first ten ammendments of the constitution. James Madisoon brought up twelve, but only ten of them were ratified.
