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Jan 1, 1215
The Magna Carta
In 1215 the nobles in England forced King John to sign the Magna Carta.
Included were guarantess to protect them from arbitrary acts of the king, like trial by jury and due process of law, to guard the rights of life, liberty and property.
It limited the power of the monarchy. -
The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower was landing in a region not believed to be within the governing range of the Virginia Company so the pilgrims had to come up with their own governing system, the Mayflower Compact. They decided they would have majority rule of the townsmen and govern themselves.
This a step towards revolution because these colonists governed themselves rather than allowing the British to govern them. It's also limiting government because it sets up a democratic system that gives the people power. -
The Petition of Right
The Petition of Right was created by the House of Commons in response to 'forced loans' enforced by King Charles as ways to finance an ongoing war. Parliament said that the king couldn't make taxes without their consent, banned quartering of soldiers without consent, and asserted that people couldn't be arrested without proof.
This was a limit placed on the power of the monarchy, one that gave people more rights and parliament more power. -
The English Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament, and it puts limits on the monarch, and established the rights of freedom of speech-within that, to petition the monarch-and the right to bear arms. It also established rights for Parliament and regular elections for Parliament.
This is a limit put on the British monarchy by establishing certain rights of the people and Parliament that can't be infringed upon. -
The Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union, proposed by Benjamin Franklin at a meeting of northern colonies in Albany, New York, suggested the colonies ban together in one union that had a royal official presiding over it, but it was rejected by other colonists.
This was an attempt at limit on government. The colonies would have a unified government that would give them more actual power under British rule and therefore put a bit of a cap on how much the British could do, which also made it a step to revolution. -
The Stamp Act
After years of neglect and the colonies getting used to self-government, Britain decided to try governing the colonies again. The Stamp Act was the first direct tax on American colonists, and it made it so everything on paper had to be printed on specially stamped paper that proved the tax had been paid. This was a terrible inconvenience and source of anger for colonists. In repsonse, the colonists boycotted British goods and held the Stamp Act Congress.
This is a step towards revolution. -
The Stamp Act Congress
In New York in October of 1765, there was an intercolonial meeting held in response to the upset over the Stamp and Sugar Acts. No colony alone would send a message to Parliament, so together they talked over the idea of 'no taxation without representation' and articulated it to Britain. Not much came out of this meeting but it was a moment of colonial unity.
This was a step to revolution, showing the colonies what they had in common, and also a slight step in attempting to limit government. -
The Declaration of Rights and Grievances
The Declaration of Rights and Grievances, written by the Stamp Act Congress, addressed the issue of whether Parliament could tax them. It said that Parliament couldn't because they had no elected representatives in Parliament. It also talked about the right to a trial by jury, only colonial legislature can tax the colonies, and colonists have all the rights of British citizens.
This was a limit on government because colony rights were asserted, attempting to limit the British government. -
The Boston Tea Party
In 1773, Bostonians boarded tea carrying trading ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the the harbor in response to Parliament's Tea Act. The Tea act was both an effort to encourage colonists to pay taxes and to give a monopoly to save the failing British East India Company. This was showing radical rebellion towards what the colonists considered taxation without representation.
This was a step towards revolution as the colonists continued to get more drastic in displays of dissatisfaction. -
The Intolerable Acts
In 1774, in response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament implemented what they called the Coercive and Quebec Acts. The acts gave Quebec land the colonists wanted, established a Catholic Church and direct rule, and isolated Boston by closing the harbor and strengthening the royal governor. It enraged the colonists and they called it the Intorable Acts.
This was a step to revolution, pushing the colonists closer to the end of their patience. -
The First Continental Congress
In September, 1774, in Philadelphia, an intercolonial meeting was held in repsonse to the Intolerable Acts. The colonial representatives decided to have complete nonimportation with an Association to enforce it, and they sent a declaration of colonial rights to London. There was an agreement made to meet again in May 1775 if their grievances were not relieved.
This was a step to revolution because the colonies were working together in their unhappiness with Britain. -
The Second Continental Congress
Again meeting in Philadelphia, the colonies met, this time in response to the Boston Massacre. The colonists decided to create a continental army, print money, and have a comittee for foreign affairs. The Olive Branch Petition was also made, one last appeal to the king to settle the issue peacefully.
This was another step toward revolution because the colonists had created a working government on their own soil that united all of them. -
The Declaration of Independence
This was a document for the colonists to say they were breaking apart from Britain. It listed grievances, basic principles, and the statement of independence.
This was both revolution and limitation on government. It was the colonies rebelling against Britain by stating firmly their independence while also asserting that people have unalienable rights-life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness-which limited the power of Britain over the colonies since the British weren't respecting these rights.
