-
Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
This charter was signed in 1215 by King John of England in England after a successful rebellion by some of his feudal barons. This document limited the king's powers by giving those serving under him protection from arbitrary punishment given without due process. It also meant that the king had to consult with the barons before raising taxes or demanding more men for military service. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was a document outlining the governing of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. It was essentially a social contract agreed upon by all of the separatists, whereby they consented to follow the rules set forth for the sake of survival. -
Petition of Right
The Petition of Right was an English constitutional document that gave citizens specific liberties that the king was not allowed to infringe on. The citizens were granted the right of not being taxed without an Act of Parliament, they couldn't be arrested or jailed without a just cause, and soldiers cannot be lodged in private houses without consent from the owner. Parliament forced King Charles I to sign this because otherwise, he would have no funding from them to fight the Thirty Years' War. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was an Act passed by the Parliament of England in 1689 that gave basic rights to all Englishmen. It protected them from royal interference with the law, freedom to petition the monarch without retribution, no taxation implementation without an agreement with Parliament, no royal interference with the people's right to bear arms for personal defence, and protection from "cruel and unusal punishments". -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was a proposed but never implemented plan for a unified government in the thirteen colonies of America, suggested by Benjamin Franklin himself. The "Join or Die" political cartoon, where a disconnected snake is shown representing each of the colonies, is often associated with the plan. -
King George III Takes Power
Although he won the French and Indian War for the British, King George III managed to nearly double the national debt of Britain as a result. This caused him, seeking revenue to pay it off, to impose newer and higher taxes upon the American colonies, thus angering the colonies to the point of revolution. -
French and Indian War
[More About The French and Indian War] The French and Indian War was a major conflict between the British American colonies and the New French colonies aided by several Native American tribes, with both being financially and militarily supported by their respective parent countries. Some major battles include the Battle of Fort Necessity, the Battle of Quebec, and the Battle of Montreal, ultimately ending in a British victory. Due to this conflict, the British went deep into debt and exploited the American colonies by raising taxes. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a proposed taxation on the American colonies where any printed material such as newspapers, magazines, legal documents, etc. had to be printed on stamped paper produced in London that carries a revenue stamp, signifying that it be taxed. The colonists reacted immediately through debates in colonial legistlatures, written documents, and even tarring-and-feathering tax collectors. -
Boston Massacre
[America: The Story of Us' Explanation of The Boston Massacre] The Boston Massacre was an incident where a group of 9 British soldiers fired upon a crowd of American civilians after receiving verbal threats and having objects thrown at them. In all, 5 colonists were killed and six others were injured in the attack. This occurred due to rising tensions between the colonies and Great Britain after the enforement of the Townshend Acts, which unfairly raised taxes for the colonists. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts, as they were known throughout the colonies, were a series of laws enacted as a direct result of the Boston Tea Party. The acts essentially closed the Boston port until the East India Company was compensated for damages, Massachusetts' government was put under direct control of the king, and royal officials were given the right of extraterritoriality. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies (most notably being George Washington, John Adams and Patrick Henry) that met in Philadelphia, PA in response to the Intolerable Acts. This meeting accomplished two things: the colonies agreed to boycott British goods beginning December 1, 1774 and they agreed to meet again in the Second Continental Congress. Colonists were outraged because they believed that their constitutional rights were being violated. -
Lexington and Concord
[More About Lexington and Concord] The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the military conflicts that began the American Revolutionary War. The leaders of the rebel militia were John Parker, James Barrett, John Buttrick, William Heath, Joseph Warren, and Isaac Davis. The leaders of the British forces were Colonel Francis Smith, Major John Pitcairne and Lord Hugh Percy. The American troops were warned of the British advance toward an arms cache in Concord by riders such as Paul Revere, who delivered on horseback. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was another meeting made by delegates from the 13 colonies that met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Notable attendees include Ben Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Patrick Henry and John Adams. The congress met after the Revolutionary War had begun, so they appointed George Washington as the commanding general. They also devised the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Articles of Confederation. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a document ratified by the Second Continental Congress that announced that the 13 American colonies no longer recognized themselves as part of the British Empire, but their own sovereign nation. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was an agreement among the states that established the United States as a confederacy of sovereign states. The Articles served as the first constitution for the newly founded nation. Under the Articles, the First President of the Continental Congress was to be Samuel Huntington. -
Start of the Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was a series of meetings, led by George Washington, meant to address the problems with governing the United States. It was intended to revise the Articles of Confederation, but instead the Articles were scrapped and the American Constitution was established.
