-
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was the first document forced upon the king of England by his subjects. It was signed but King John and runnymede and gave his subjects the right to justice and lawful judgement by peers. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact functioned as the first written framework of government established in what is now known as the United States of America. Its purpose was to prevent dissent between the Puritans and non-separatist Pilgrims. -
Petition of Rights
Parliamentary declaration of the rights of the people.
It stated that:
1. No freeman should be forced to pay any tax, loan, or benevolence, unless in accordance with an act of pariament
2. no freeman should be imprisoned contrary to the laws of the land
3. soldiers and sailors should not be billeted on private persons
4. commissions to punish soldiers and sailors by martial law should be abolished -
English Bill of Rights
The English bill of rights is the English precursor of the Constitution which limited power of English soverign and gave the people certain, inalienable civil and political rights. It was signed by King William and Queen Mary of Orange. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was a plan suggested by representatives of the British North American colonies. In this plan, the British North American colonies were to join under a centralized government. The plan was accepted by seven of the colonies but was never put into action. The well-known political cartoon, "Join, or Die" is often associated with this meeting. -
French and Indian War
Brain Pop - The French and Indian War lasted from 1756 until 1763 and was mainly fought between the French and the British. Major battles include the Battle of Quebec and the Battle of Quiberon Bay; the war ended with France's surrender of its claims on North American possessions with the Treaty of Paris. After the war, the British enforced and strictly regulated trade and imposed more taxes to help pay for their deep debt; thus, tensions between the British and colonists grew even further. -
King George III takes power
King George III became the king of Great Britain as well as the king of Ireland in 1760. After the French and Indian War, King George III and Parliament decided to have the colonies pay for part of the war and keep the colonists from making settlements in and across the Appalachian Mountains, this is known as the Proclamation of 1763. From then on, the king and Parliament continued to add on new taxes upon the colonists, which created tension among the colonists and the British. -
Stamp Act
The British Parliament passed this act which put taxes on printed documents such as newspapers, legal documents, licenses, and even playing cards. The money collected was used to pay for defending the american frontier. -
Boston Massacre
After Royal Troops were placed in Massachusetts in October of 1768 to enforce a heavy tax created by the Townshend Acts, tension grew in American colonies. As a result, 5 colonists were killed by British regulars. -
Boston Tea Party
EyeWitnesstoHistory.com - In protest against the monopoly on imported American Tea that was granted by Parliament, a group of Massachusetts Patriots dumped over 300 chests of tea into the harbor. As a result, Parliament passed the Boston Port Bill which kept any ships from importing or exporting goods in the Boston harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
In retaliation to colonial defiance, the British Parliament enacted four punitive measures: the Boston Port Bill, the Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, and the Coercive Act. -
First Continental Congress
The first Continental congress was a collection of colonial legislatures or delegates which represented 12 of the 13 colonies. Some big personalities which attended the meeting included George Washington, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee. They met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in Carpenter's Hall. The Congress wrote a statement called the "Declaration of Rights and Grievances," which held complaints from the colonists and sent it to King George III. -
Lexington and Concord
General Thomas Gage (British Military Governor of Massachusetts), devised a plan to send out his British soldiers to Lexington to capture the Colonial leaders, Sam Adams and John Hancock. And invade Concord and steal the colonial army's gunpowder. Paul Revere warned the rebel malitia of the invading Britsh armies before they attacked.These series of battles kicked off the American Revolutionary War. And in 1783, the colonists formally earned their freedom. -
Second Continental Congress
Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord The Continental Congress met a second time in Independence Hall and they decided to completely break away from Great Britain. They also formed the American Continental Army. Leaders involved include: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Frankilin, and John Hancock. -
Declaration of Independence
Due to constant conflict between American colonists and British soldiers, a group of delegates from the continental congress drafted a formal statement to declare independence from Great Britain. Committee includes: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. -
Articles of Confederation
gfhtryhthThe Continental Congress wrote the articles of Confederation as a written document that established the functions of the national government of the US after it declared independence from Great Britain. It established a weak central government that prevented individual states from conducting their own foreign diplomacy. The articles were finally passed after all the states agreed to ratify them. -
Start of the Constitutional Convention
Constitutional ConventionA group of delegates from various states got together to discuss and modify the Articles of Confederation, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philidelphia. George Wahington was the president of the convention
