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Sep 1, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was forced upon King John of England near Runneyfield, England by a number of rebellious barons. It declared that "no freedman shall be taken, imprisoned, dissiesed, outlawed, banished, or in any way destoryed" without reason. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first written framework for government in the United States. It was a plan in which the Pilgrims agreed to govern themselves while establishing their colony and was designed to avoid problems between puritans and non-separatist Pilgrims.
*The image portrays the siging of the Mayflower Compact that was done on the voyage to the "New World" by the Pilgrims -
Petition of Rights
The rights granted to the people were: (1) No taxes may be levied without consent of Parliament, (2) No subject may be imprisoned without cause shown (reaffirmation of the right of habeas corpus), (3) No soldiers may be quartered upon the citizenry, and (4) Martial law may not be used in time of peace.
King Charles signed this document. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was passed under the rule of King William and Queen Mary of Orange and it asserted that Englishmen had certain unalianable rights along with political rights. In addition to this, it banned Catholics from the throne assuring the Protestant reign in England. This also granted free speech to the citizens. -
French and Indian War
1754-1763
Despite its name, the French and Indian War was actually a battle between the French and Indians against the British and their colonists. Major battles of this war included Fort Duquesne, Montreal, Ticonderoga, and the final battle of Quebec where the French surrendered.
*The image depicts the battle between the Indians and the British and the much more effective fighting techniques utilized by the Indians. -
Albany Plan of Union
Led by the aging Benjamin Franklin, the Albany Plan of Union laid the framework for the Articles of Confederation. Franklin also created his famous cartoon "Join or Die" which portrays a snake that is broken up into pieces representing the colonies and regions of the nation.
*The image is a copy of the cartoon that Benjamin Franklin designed to advertise unity through the colonies. -
King George III Takes Power
KIng George III took the throne in the duration of the French and Indian War. In order to pay back debts that he and the nation incurred through fighting, he heavily taxed the colonists with the excuse that England had protected them. In doing this, he started the rebellious spirit. A major result of this was the famous quote by Patrick Henry "No taxation without representation!"
*The image shows the fighting spirit that King George had in order to quell many of the colonists' rebellions. -
Stamp Act
Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed as a result. Colonial leaders reacted by asserting that the Stamp Act was an attempt to raise money in the colonies without the approval of colonial legislatures. Resistance to the act was demonstrated through debates in the colonial legislatures, written documents, and mob/crowd actions such as tarring and feathering tax collectors. -
Boston Massacre
As a response to the Townshend Acts, the colonists rebelled in Boston. Unfortunately, British troops were there and fired upon the crowed killing five; two of which died their and three later due to wounds. The most famous of these was the black slave Crispus Attucks.
*The British are depicted in this image firing upon the colonists. Crispus Attucks is in the front. -
Intolerable Acts
The retaliation to the Boston Tea Party caused the British to pass these acts. The Boston Port Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, and the Quartering act were provisions to these acts.
*The image represents the acts that were given the name of the Intolerable Acts. -
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Boston Tea Party
Organized and carried out by the political group "Sons of Liberty," the Boston Tea Party was the colonists response to the monopoly that was put on tea by the British. In turn, Britain passed the Coercive Acts, stripping the colonists of many rights, and forced the colonists to pay back all of the money lost.
*The Sons of Liberty are dumping the tea into the harbor. -
First Continental Congress
Lead by Patrick Henry, George Washington, John Adams and John Jay, the First Continental petitioned to the king to asses the Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts. This was done in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia. -
Lexington and Concord
Colonial victor and the start of the American Revolutionary War were the result of these conflicts. General Thomas Gage and General Sir William Howe were the two major generals involved.
This is the event when Paul Revere warned that the British were coming.
*This is showing the first battle of the American Revolution, also known as the "Shot heard 'round the world." -
Second Continental Congress
Took place in the Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Declaration of Independence came from this meeting. Ben Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson were some of the colonial leaders involved. -
Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence
*The image contains the entire text.
The Declaration of Independence was the official statement to the King of England that the United States was breaking away from the British. All 55 that signed the Declaration were at risk of being accused of treason.
*The image shows the signing of the document as well as the debating on it. -
Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
The link shows the history behind the articles as well as important dates related to them.
John Hanson was the first president under the articles. These articles were the original document by which the United States' government operated and followed. -
Treaty of Paris
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay represented the United States in its' signing. the land west of the Appalachian mountains became the new boundries of the United States. The British also finally recognized the Declaration of Independence.
*Shown in the image is the division of territory in North America after the Treaty of Paris and the French and Indian War. -
Start of Constitutional Convention
The changing of the Articles of Convention took place at the Annapolis Convention. It was originally to discuss a uniform regulation of commerce.
