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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta Drafted
The Magna Carta was also known as the "Great Charter of England". It was a document that King John of England was forced into signing to limit his powers he held as king.The Magna Carta was the first document forced to the King by a group of feudal barons to protect their privileges, and rights. It controlled the king and and made him govern by the old English laws. It limited the kings power by no taxation without representation, it allowed for fair punishment, and trial by jury. -
Petition of Right is drafted
The Petition of Right was an English constitutional document that established specific liberties in the subject that the king prohibited from breaking. The Petition of Right was produced by the English Parliament as the English Civil war was on its way. Its rights included no imprisonment without cause, no quartering of soldiers , and no martial law in peacetime. King Charles was forced to acept the petition in order to keep receiving money, but later ignored its principles. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments of the US constitution. When the Constitution was going to be ratified, men secured an agreement in the form of a list of amendments that would be attached to the Constitution to sent out ratification. Oncce ratified they became known as the Bill of Rights. The first 10 amendements, set out specific rights of American citizens such as freedom of the press, speech, petition and religion, Trial by jury, excessive bail and punishment and more. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was an act that was passed by Parliament to tax printed material in the colonies. It was suggested by George Greenville, since they tought the colonists should hel pay for the dept they had fallen during the French and Indian War. It taxed all legal documents and other printed material. Once people had paid the tax, their items would be stamped. Colonists boycotted the sotres that sold the stamps, and lawyers and printers refused to use them in their documents. -
Townshend Duties
Series of Laws that were proposed and passed by Charles Townshend. It was a plan that formed new duties on paper, lead, paint, glass, and tea that were imported into the colonies. They were items that could not be produced in North America and that colonists had to buy from Great Britain. The purpose of the Townshend acts was to raise a revenue to help pay the cost of keeping and army in North America. -
Boston Massace
On the night of the Boston Massacre a crowd of colonists gathered outside a Boston customs house. They began to throw rocks, snowbals, and chunks of ice at the soldiers. As the crowd of colonists grew larger, soldiers panicked and fired theire guns at the crowd. Once the smoke had clerared five people lay dying. Among the five that were dead, was Crispus Attucks, a free black sailor. the colonists were upset and began protesting, The soldiers were then arrested and tried in court. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act helped the British East India Trading company gain control over the American tea trade. Colonists were angry because they had to pay tax on the shippers and merchants still had to pay tax on their tea. American colonists saw this law as "taxation without representation" because it meant that they couldn't buy tea from anyone else .They began to boycott the tea, refusing to buy it and many dumped the tea in the sea. This event led to the Boston Tea Party. -
1st Continental Congress
The 1st Continental Congress wanted rights from Great Britain. Delegates frrm all colonies except Georgia met at Philadelphia to held the meeting. They drafted a Declaration of Rights that included the right to life, liberty, and property. Britissh leaders ordered their men to seize colonial weapons and a shot was fired. An armed conflict broke between British soldiers and colonists. Paul Revere rode and signaled the colonists that the British were coming and to prepare. -
2nd Continental Congress
The 2nd Continental Congress created the Continental Army to fight the British. Delegates from 12 colonies met, and some called for peace, while others for war. George Washington was selected to head the Colonial Army. Second Continental Congress declared independecne on July 2 ,1776. The Articles of Confederation were also created, but were not approved until 1781. -
Common Sense was first published (Thomas Paine)
Common Sense was a pamphlet writen by Thomas Paine that was first published anonymously. It inspired Revolutionary feeling, Using everyday language influencing collar workers to attack the British king. It played a role in public opinion, and convinced many who weren't sure of the war. Thomas Paine believed that America was not a British nation, and that being part of britain would drag them into European wars. He wanted to turn American opinion against Britain, to become an independent country. -
Declaration of Independence was signed
When the Continental Congress met, they decided that the thirteen colonies should be free and independent. They needed to write a specific document to declare theire independence from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson was asked to write he first draft that would become known as the Decclaration of Independence. He was later assisted in the final copy by Adams, Franklin, Livingstn and Sherman. The Declaration was signed on July 4, 1776 declaring the thirteen colonies independent form Great Britain.
