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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
SIG: It gave the English people more rights and freedoms. It proved to many Englishmen that the King's power was not absolute. This also was one of the first instances where the power in a monarchy was not absolute giving more power to "Law of the Land" than the King. Giving Englishmen more rights the Magna Carta became the outline to modern democracies. The Magna Carta eventually became a stepping stone of the Declaration of Independence for reasons to leave from the monarchy in England. -
Mayflower Compact
SIG: The Mayflower Compact was a document signed by 41 passengers on the Mayflower where they agreed to abide by normal laws and behavior so that they could work together for a common survival in the new world. It established that the settlers would recognize the British King as the ultimate ruler, but they came to the New World to practice religion the way they wanted to. They agreed to common laws for a more orderly society. -
Petition of Rights
SIG: Since this limited the King's powers he was offered subsidies in exchange. He obeyed only for while but again began to violate these laws. This document, like the Magna Carta, proved that the King wasn't above the law for committing unlawful crimes. This gave people more rights and limited the King's absolute powers. -
Navigation Act
SIG: This series of English laws took the stronghold of European International Trade away from the Dutch and into English hands, It restricted the transport of goods by foreign nations and required English ships to carry goods in and out of these countries. These laws were used to project English power in the world. These laws resulted in a war between England and the Dutch. -
English Bill of Rights
SIG: The English Bill of Rights was a set of rules that limited the power of the King and provided more "due process" for the people of England. It established a Parliament in England and determined freedoms for the people such as Freedom of Speech in Parliament and decided how elections should be held. It was a basis for the American Bill of Rights many years later. It was one of the first set of rules that was used for the British Constitution. -
Proclamation of 1763
SIG: The Proclamation of 1763 by the English King prohibited the people of the American Colonies from moving west and settling in land occupied by the Indians. It setup safe areas where Indians could live not be threatened by settlers from the Colonies. It also setup zones in Florida and Canada that prevented colonists from moving into. The Proclamation made the Colonists pay taxes to pay for British troops in the area to protect the land. Colonists would have to leave if in those areas. -
Sugar Act
SIG: The Sugar act renewed the old Molasses Act that set a high duty on Sugar and Molasses from the French Indies. The Colonists thought this was unfair because it forced them to use British Sugar and Molasses which had a higher cost. This was yet another unfair British tax that the Colonists resented and led to more unrest and protests by the people of the American Colonies. The British wanted the Colonists to only buy British goods. -
Stamp Act
SIG: The Stamp Act was a tax imposed by the English on American colonists to pay for English Military in the Colonies. It taxed Colonists and they were upset because they did not have representation in the English Parliament. It was taxation without representation by a foreign government. The English felt this was necessary but the Colonists resented it and typically did not pay and it was repealed the next year. -
Boston Tea Party
SIG: The Boston Tea Party was a protest by Colonists against English tax on tea shipped to America. This was another example of Taxation without Representation by the English on American Colonists. This was one of the main protests that eventually lead up to the Revolutionary War. The British followed the Tea Party with the Coercive Acts to make the colonists pay for the destroyed tea, -
Coercive Act
SIG: The Coercive Acts were a series of 5 Laws that attempted to give the British more power and control over the American Colonists. These were created as a result of protests and revolts by the Colonists and one act tried to make the colonists pay for the destroyed tea after the Boston Tea Party. This put more strain on the relationship of the British and Colonists and led them to even more protest. -
First Continental Congress
SIG: This was the first meeting of 12 of the 13 Colonies after the British had passed the Coercive Acts that were intended to punish the people of Boston after the Boston Tea Party. The Congress wanted to find ways to convince the British to repeal the Acts. They thought they could either Boycott British goods or ask King George to repeal the Acts. It was the first time the Colonies met together to take action against the British. -
First Shots Fired at Lexington and Concord
SIG: The First Shots Fired at Lexington and Concord was the start of the Revolutionary War between the American Colonists and the British. It was called “The Shot Heard Round the World” because it started the war between the two and led to the Colonists gaining their freedom from British rule. The British moved to disarm the Colonists in the Lexington and Concord towns and the Colonists were prepared to repel them. The British were forced to withdraw, but this led to many following battles. -
Second Continental Congress
SIG: The 2nd Continental Congress setup a working government and had representatives from all 13 Colonies. It created a Continental Congress and established a Continental Army to fight the British in the War of Independence. They created the Articles of Confederation, leading to the Congress of the Confederation. The Congress eventually drafted the Declaration of Independence in July of 1776 declaring American Independence from British rule. -
Declaration of Independence
SIG: The Declaration of Independence was a written document agreed to by the 13 American Colonies that declared their Independence from British rule. The Declaration made the colonies and the signers renegades in the British eyes and set the course for all out war between the colonies and the British. It also stated that people have certain rights to be free men and decide their own fate.
