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Jun 19, 1215
Magna Carta
The Barons of mid-evil England and King John sign this document.
It was signed in Runnymede, near Windsor Castle
It gave the people the right to stop the king in case John abused is power. -
Mayflower Compact
The purpose of the compact was to prevent dissent amongst Puritans and non-separatist Pilgrims who had landed at Plymouth a few days earlier. -
Petition of Rights
This petition contains restrictions on non-Parliamentary taxation, forced billeting of soldiers, imprisonment without cause, and restricts the use of martial law.
King Charlse I signed this document. -
English Bill of Rights
This bill was signed into law by King William the third.
The subjects which were Protestant may have arms for their defense. -
Albany Plan of Union
The British government in London had initially suggested this plan.
Although never carried out, the Albany Plan of Union was the first important plan to conceive of the colonies as a collective whole united under one government.
A popular political cartoon of a chopped up snake with the colonies abreviations in each section with a saying the bottom, "Join or Die" was associated with this meeting. This cartoon was created by Benjamin Franklin. -
French and Indian War
The major players in this massive conflict were Austria, England, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Sweden.
Some of the major battles in this war include: Battle of Quebec, Battle of Quiberon Bay, The Battle at Fort Necessity, The Battle of the Wilderness, Battle at Osweg, Battle at Fort Louisburg.
Britain ultimately won this confilct by taking Canada from the French.
Tension rose in our relationship with the British because they taxes us after the war for their debts. -
King George III takes power
As a result of the French and Indian War, Britain was in debt, so King George III froced the colonies to pay taxes. -
Stamp Act
Ships, papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and playing cards were taxed as a result of this.
The colinal leaders resulted to mob violence to intimidate the tax collecters into resigning. -
Boston Massacre
Five colonies were killed during this event.
Heavy tax burdens were being enforced which led to this event. This link tells what happened to some of the British soldiers after the massacre -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty political group organized this event.
In response to this event, the British proposed the Coervice Act of 1744 which was intended to punish the colony in general and Boston specifically.
This link explains the connection between the Boston Tea Party and the Intolence Acts. -
Intolerable Acts
These Acts were made by the British to basically punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party. These Acts made the colonists house the British troops or be shot (Quartering), had Boston's Ports closed until they paid for the destoyed tea (Boston Port), let British officials accused of crimes stand trial in Britain, instead of the colonies, so British could do whatever they wanted to (Administration of Justice), and let the British Governer run town meetings (Massachusetts Government) -
First Continental Congress
George Washington, Richard Henry Lee, Benjamin Harrison, Richard Bland, and Peyton Randolph were the major personalities involved.
A Plan of Union of Great Britain and the Colonies were established as a result of this meeting.
Carpenters Hall, Philadelphia is were this meeting took place. -
Lexington and Concord
The results of the Battles of Lexington and Concord began the Revolutionary War. Some of the major generals involved were John Parker of the Colonists and Francis Smith of the British. Paul Revere went through Concord warning people about the British were coming (because the British wanted to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams). This video explains how Lexington and Concord begin the American Revolutionary War. -
Second Continental Congress
The meeting of the Second Continental Congress took place at Pennsylvania State House, in Philadelphia. Some who attended the meeting wanted to reason with King George III for peace, but eventually they decided to break away from Great Britain. Some of the Colonial Leaders involved were Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Hancock. -
Declaration of Independence
This gave the 13 colonies freedom from the Great Britains control and let them control their own country, the United States of America. -
Articles of Confederation
John Hanson would be the first president under the Articles of Confederation. -
The Treaty of Paris
John Jay represented the United States in its' signing.
This treaty established new boundaries for the United States that extended far to the west of the 13 original colonies. The new country was bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, the Mississippi River on the west, Florida on the south, and Canada and the Great Lakes on the north.
The British finally recognized the Declaration of Independence. -
Start of Constitutional Convention
At the Annapolis Convention, only 5 of the 13 represented states (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) showed up, so no big issues of the country could really be discussed. The original purpose of the Constitutional Convention was to revise the Articles of Confederation.
