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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta Libertatum
A charter agreed by King John of England at Runnymede. It was the first agreement that limited the power of an English monarch. It protected the church rights, protection for barons from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice and limitations on feudal payments to the crown. -
Signing of the Mayflower Compact
The first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the male passengers of the Mayflower. -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Fundamental Orders were like the first constitution. They were written by the Connecticut Colony when they decided to make their own government separate from England. -
English Bill of Rights
An act of the Parliament of England that deals with constitutional matters and sets out certain basic civil rights.
it also sets out requirements for the Crown to seek the consent of the people, represented by Parliament.
It is very similar to the U.S. constitution. -
First Continental Congress
A meeting of 56 delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies. They decided to boycott British goods, and to hold another Continental Congress the following year. -
Second Continental Congress
Held by many of the same who were involved in the First Continental Congress, the Second managed the colonial war effort. They were also moving towards Independence from Britain, eventually creating the Declaration of Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
A statement made my the Second Continental Congress that announced that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer under British rule but independent sovereign states, in a new nation, The United States of America. -
Articles of confederation
An agreement between the thirteen states that was like the first constitution of the U.S. Even though it wasn't ratified until 1781, it still provided a system for the Continental Congress to direct the American Revolutionary War. This was later replaced by the constitution in 1789. -
The three-fifths compromise
The three-fifths compromise was reached in the Constitutional Convention. It was implemented into the U.S. Constitution and reads as follows: Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. -
Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan was made by James Madison, it was proposed by the Virginia delegates during the constitutional convention for a bicameral legislative branch. It also proposed the idea of representation by population. -
New Jersey plan
The New Jersey plan was presented by William Patterson, in response to the Virginia plan. The states with a smaller population feared losing representative power to the larger states.
