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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
On this date in 1215 in a field near Runnymeade, it was at the at the threat of Civil War at the hands of 40 barons that King John signed the Magna Carta. And while it was nullified by Pope Innocent III, it was one of the first major steps people made towards democracy.
The Magna Carta -
Mayflower Contracts signed
<On the Mayflower, which was anchored in Provincetown Harbor, many of the founding members of Plymouth signed the Mayflower Contract, which established two things: One, that the Pilgrims were to settle in what is now known as New England, and not in Northern Virginia as they had originally set out to do. Two, the Contract had established a temporary Govnernment which rule until a government could be sent in from England.
a href='http://http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/PrimarySources/MayflowerCom -
Formation of the New England Confederation
In 1643, all of the Puritan colonies, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Haven, and Plymouth, formed a federation.This federation which not only helped establish trade and solve religous disputes, was formed primarily to protect the northern colonies from attacks by the French, Dutch and Native Americans. (Note:There is no date given in the link I used, and you cannot change the date to zero.)
<a href='http://http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/411437/New-England-Confederation' >New England C -
Albany Plan of Union
After the French-Indian War, the British, who were the remaining dominant force in the Northern part of North America, created a union that united the thirteen colonies. The Albany plan of Union also made it so they had an alliance with the Iroqouis nations, which laid to the west of the colonies. (Could not find an exact date on the Plan)
<a href='http://www.constitution.org/bcp/albany.htm' >Albany Plan of Union</a -
Articles of Confederation
After the Revolutionary war, the US wanted a way of maintaining their brand new country. This included a Congress with representatives based on population and all powers the States didn't have to the Head Government. This also ment there was only a "league of Friendship" between the states, meaning there was no direct connection between any of the thirteen states.
Articles of Confederation -
Newburgh Conspiracy
Newburgh ConspiracyAfter Washington's victory at Yorktown and the army's importance grew, the soldiers became upset about their supplies, food, pay and clothing, as all were in a bad state at the time.This crisis peaked in March of 1783, when the soldiers threatened to not continue fighting if the war kept going or not disbanding once it ended unless it's financial demands were met. George Washington agreed to help, but the plans fell through and the conspiracy collapsed.This event brought several issues to light. -
Treaty of Paris
After the end of ground fighting in the American Revolutionary War, both the brand new United States and Great Britain met in Paris. It is here that they agreed to terms set up by the British Negotiator, David Hartley, and the three American Representatives, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay.
Treaty of Paris -
Spain closes off the Mississippi River
On this date, Spain officially closed off the Mississipi River to Americans expanding west ward, and said that and property in the immediate vicinity would be taken and it's residents arrested. And while this did not last, the effect on the young United States would have been crippling, as it would have taken longer for Americans to move out west than it did.
<href='http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/_Topics/history/_Texts/WHISAF/5*.html' >Mississippi R -
The Land Ordiance of 1785
The Land Ordinance of 1785On May 20th in 1785, the US adopted the Land Ordinance of 1785, which would lead to the foundations of United State's west ward expansion, until the Homestead Act in 1862. The ordinance detailed the purchasing of Indian/ Native American land, the surveying and how the townships were to be set up. It also set up the price of purchasing land, which at minimum was $1.00. -
The Ordinance of Religous freedom
This ordinance, purposed by Jefferson, was adopted into Virginian law and stated that no man be forced to attend or support any church, or be discriminated for his religous preference. It is this Ordinance that later serves as a model for the First Amendment.
The Ordinance of Religous Freedom -
Shays Rebellion
<a From August 1786 to sometime in 1787, farmers in Western Massachussetts began a armed uprising against the government due to massive foreclosure caused by economic depression. Several farmers were killed after a militia of 4000 was sent in to dispurse the rebels. All of the leaders and soldiers were pardoned. This event lead to Massachussetts ratifiying the Constitution. href='http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0844765.html' >Shay's Rebellion</a> -
Annapolis Convention
The Convention, which lasted from September 11th to the 14th, was put into motion to rally support fix the inadequate Articles of Confederation. And while the convention to fix the Articles happened, this event indirectly lead to the creation of The Constitution.
Annapolis Convention -
The Constitutional Convention
In Philidelphia, several representatives from the states arrive to fix the inadequate Articles of Confederation, as brought to their attention by the Annapolis Convention. But instead, they created an entirely new document, which gave congress the power to print currency, regulate the economy and the national defense. In September, the final votes were cast and the Constitution was created. -
The Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is considered one of the most important documents adopted by Confederation Congress. This is because it layed out the process of being admitted into the union. It also outlawed Slavery in those territories, which made the document one of the first to outlaw slavery in the United States.
href='http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/northwest.html' >The Northwest Ordinance</a> -
The Great Compromise (The Conneticut Comprimise)
Great ComprimiseWith Representation nearly destroying the Constitutional Convention,the states argued over whether states should have a set amount of Representatives or Representatives based on population.The Smaller states oppose Representation base on population due to their small populations.It is because of this that the Great Comprimise,or as it was known at the time ,The Conneticut Comprimise,was proposed by Sherman that all States,large and small,have one representative.This policy was passed by one vote -
Anti-Federalist papers appear
Anti-Fed Info (Click on Antifederalists for more info on Documents referenced)fter The Constitution is created, Rhode Island aren't the only ones who don't like the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists, don't like the Constitution for a lack of a a bill of rights, it's extra-legal creation and the powers it takes away from the states. One example of a Anti-Federalist paper would be the one published by John Lansing, George Mason, and Luther Martin which opposed the constitution before it was created. It was also published July 20th, 1787. -
Constitution sends the Constitution to be ratified by the states
The Constitution Rattified (Bottom of the page)</a>In September of 1787, the Convention members sent out the Constitution to be voted into law, or ratified, by the other states. The Constitution won by a 39 out of 55 support rate. The reason is because Rhode Island, dennounced the Constitution, and sent no Delegate.
<a href='http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/convention1787.html' > -
Federalist Papers
Info on The Federalist papers (Used Important people, summary and time line tabs to get informaton)In what seems to be in response to the Anti-Federalist movement, the supporters of the Constitution, the Federalists,had papers written by John Jay, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton published to help people see the reasons why the constitution was needed to run the country. -
Delaware ratifies the Constitution
Delaware Ratifies the Constitution.
Delaware rattifies the constitution, making them the first to do so. -
Massachussetts rattifies The Constitution
M.A. Rattifies the ConstitutionOn February 6, 1788, the state of Massachussetts becomes the sixth state to ratify The Constitution. -
New Hampshire Ratifies The Constitution
N.H Ratifies the ConstitutionThe State of New Hampshire is the ninth state to rattify The Constitution. It is because of this that The Constitution Officially goes into effect, because the other eight states wth the support of a ninth made it a majority vote for The Constitution. -
The Federal Congress meets for the first time
Congress meets for the first time.On March 4th,1789, the Federal Congress, which operates under The Constitution, meets for the first time in the Federal building in New York City, the same building in which George Washington was Inaugurated. Many of the first acts were oaths that state and federal judges had to swear to. It also dealt with problems involving the how the country would work, like Nat, Defense and a Treasury. -
George Washington Becomes the first President of The United States
George Washington becomes the first PresidentOn April 30th, 1789, George Washington in inaugurated in Federal Hall on Wall Street, effectivly making him the first President of The United states -
Bill of Rights sent to be ratified
Bill of Rights sent to be ratified (bottom of page)In September of 1789, Congress sent out the Bill of rights, which was a list of amendments that protected human rights, to be ratified by the states. -
Bill of Rights Ratified
Bill of Rights incorperated into The Constitution (bottom of the page)In December of 1789, a majority of the states ratified the Bill of Rights, and it was officially added to the Constitution. It was this document that promsised certain rights like Freedom of Religon, Freedom of Speech, Due Process and protection of cruel and unusual punishment.
