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Jun 10, 1215
Magna Carta signed
<a href='http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/magna-carta.htm' >\
The Magna Carta was a document written by English barons that King John of England was forced to sign by the people. He didn't want to sign it because it decreased his power and allowed a parliment to be created. -
Mayflower Compact signed
<a href='http://www.allabouthistory.org/mayflower-compact.htm' >A document establishing authority, equal rights, and fair laws for their new settlement based on a majority vote. All of the 41 men on the boat signed the compact. -
Formation of New England Confederation
A union between Massachusetts, Plymoth, Connecticut, and New Haven made for defense against other colonies and European threats. Two representatives from each colony came and meet to make decisions about what they needed to do. -
Albany Plan of Union announced
<a href='http://www.constitution.org/bcp/albany.htm' >This was a union or just a relationship between colonial leaders, charter governments, and England. With this plan made by Ben Franklin, colonial legislature elected representatives to a continental meeting held by royal governers. -
Congress meets for the first time
The first meeting was held in Philidelphia's carpenters hall. Georgia was the only state that didn't send a representative. -
Articles of Confederation Signed
Massachusetts, NH, RI, NY, CT, VA, and SC were the first to sign it on July 9th. New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware signed later because it took longer for them to ratify the document. North Carolina and Georgia didn't sign until later because they didn't have representatives present at the time. -
Newburgh Conspiracy
The US military got frustrated at the end of the revolutionary war and started to complain to the government. They started threatened to leave the army and overthrough the government that would weaken the US. George Washington came to speak to them and they calmed down. -
Treaty of Paris (1783) signed
King George III made a peace treaty with the US colomies that marked the end of the war for independence. -
Ordinance of Religous Freedom
This ordinance explained the relationship between church and state and protected religous freedoms. -
Shays Rebellion
A rebellion led by former soldier Daniel Shays where the people threatened to fight against the government with weapons stolen from a national armory. They were stopped by the US army. -
Annapolis Convention
A meeting of a handfull of states that didn't think they made enough of an effect by themselves. They sent a letter to the government asking to have a larger meeting to discuss large issues. -
Constitutional Convention opens
55 state representatives met in Philidelphia PA to outline a constitution for a federal republic. -
Land Ordinance of 1787
In each town land was taken to be used for a public school and church. -
The Great Compromise agreed to
A compromise between large and small states stating that they all had the same amount of representatives and no state had more power than another. -
Northwest ordinance of 1787
It allowed for a temporary government, a method for making a new government, ensured that a bill of rights be written, and a way to look over the land they own to be sold to settlers. -
The Anti-Federalist articles appear
The Anti-Federalist articles were papers written about why the constitution should not be ratified. They didn't have much of and effect on people because the constitution was ratified. -
Federalist Papers appear
The Federalist papers were documents explaining why the constitution should be ratified. They were very effective because the constitution did get ratified. -
Delaware ratifies
Delaware was the first to ratify the consitution. Their letter of agreement was very breif. -
Massachusetts ratifies Constitution
Massachusetts was the sixth state to ratify the Constitution. They were the first to suggest changes to the Constitution in their letter of agreement. -
New Hampshire ratifies Constitution
New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. They suggested changes like Massachusetts did but once New Hampshire agreed with it, the Constitution became in effect officially. -
George Washington Elected President
George Washington was elected the first president and John Adams was the first vice president. His election was the only presidential election to take place on a year that is not a multiple of four. -
Bill of rights sent to the states for ratification
James Madison came up with the idea for a Bill of Rights and it was popular with all of the states except for the first two points. -
Bill of Rights ratified
Ten of the twelve points on the bill of rights were ratified by Sep. 25, 1789. The Second point was ratified in 1992. -
Constitution sent to the states for ratification
Delaware was the first to ratify the constitution and Vermont was the last on Jan. 10, 1791. The Constitution was more popular than not in all of the states. -
Spain closes Mississippi River
Spain closed the lower half of the Mississippi River that lead to a major port in New Orleans. This would give Spain a dangerous foot hold in the US and made the government nervous.
