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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was signed by King John. The document was signed in England. It was written to protect the rights and property of a tyrannical king. -
Mayflower Compact
This document was signed by 41 English colonists. The compact was made to prevent dissent Puritans and non-separatist Pilgrims who had landed at Plymouth a couple of days earlier. -
Petition of Rights
This petition sets out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. This petition grants that "No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law". This petition marked a major step on the way to the English Civil War. The petition was signed by King Charles I. -
English Bill of Rights
King William and Queen Mary accepted the bill. The bill stated that the Englishmen had certain inalienable civil and political rights. -
French and Indian War
This war is also known as the Seven Year War. When France expanded into the Ohio River Valley, conflicts would constantly arise with the British colonies. The major players involved were the British colonies and France. Some of the more important battles were the Battle of Jumonville Glen and the Battle of Signal Hill. The British ended up winning the battle. The war hurt our relationship with the British and eventually we will end up fighting the American Revolutionary War. -
Albany Plan of Union
Albany Plan of Union Link Representatives from the seven British North-American colonies. Yes it happened and was adopted on July 10, 1754. The popular cartoon that is associated with the plan is the cut up snake with "Join, or Die". -
King George III take power
King George became the heir to the throne after his father died in 1751. He was finally crowned King after his grandfather died in 1760. Resulting from the French and Indian War King George basically lost the loyalty of the American colonies.That damaged the relationship between the British and the colonies. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a tax imposed on stamps. The act was created to help cover the cost of maintaining troops in the colonies. Under the Stamp Act all printed materials including newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, playing cards, and dice were taxed and were required to carry a special stamp. The colonists protested the act and said it violated the. "No taxation without representation." The act was later repealed. -
Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre Link Five colonists were killed by British regulars. The massacre was the culmination of tensions in the American colonies. The British were trying to enforce the very hefty tax burden created by the Townshend Acts. -
Boston Tea Party
In order to try and protest the new monoply on tea, a goup of Massachusetts Patroits threw tea into the harbor.The group that organized this event would be the Massachusetts Patriots. This would eventually lead to the tax being taken off after the importers would not accept the tea exported by the British. -
Intolerable Acts
This act is a name that was given to five laws which limited the political and geographical freedom that the colonists had. Four of these laws were passed to punish the people of Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. They passed the British Port Bill until the money from the destroyed tea was paid back. The Intolerable Act was an attempt to reimpose strict British control over the colonies. -
First Continental Congress
This group of people was made up of delegates elected by the people from each state. The major faces involved were George Washington, Richard Henry Lee and Patrick Henry. They established the course of the congress to make mechanisms throughout the colonies to enforce and regulate the resistance of Great Britain. The meetings would take place in Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation served as the written document that established the functions of the National Government after it declared it's independence from Great Britain. Samuel Huntington was the first president under these articles. -
Lexington and Concord
The goal of these conflicts were to capture Colonial leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock. From there they would go to Concord to seize gunpowder. After many battles the colonists formally won their independence. The major generals were General Gage, William Howe, Henry Clinton, and John Burgoyne. Word of the Britishs' plan was leaked. Paul Revere was one of the few men on horseback riding through the countryside warning the people that the British were coming. -
Second Continental Congress
In May 1775, the Second Continental Congress convened after the redcoats once again stormed Boston. This Continental Congress also took place in Philadelphia. The questions that needed to be answered were how would the colonists meet the military threat of the British. Key players involved were George Washington and John Adams. -
Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence Link Americans were constantly fighting for their freedom from the British by this time. With tensions continuing to rise the delegates were faced with a vote on one issue. They later created the draft of the document and congress finally adopted it. The document was largely written by Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia. -
Start of the Constitutional Convention
The goal of these conventions was to peacefully overthrow the new American Government. As the U.S. grew into economic crisis the new nations leaders became frustrated with their limited power. This eventually led to a significant number of men that were determined to overthrow the new American Government as a whole, without casting a single ballot.
