-
Jan 1, 1215
The Magna Carta
ID: The Magna Carta was a Document that King John was forced to sign by barons of his lands. It included right to trial by jury, protection against arbitrary taking of life, liberty, and property. Originally, these rights were only for the rich and upper-class citizens, but were later found to be useful for all. It was the first step in reducing power of Monarchs. It helped the upper-class and eventually all of England get rights against the taking of life, liberty, and property. -
The Mayflower Compact
ID: The Mayflower Compact was the document governing Plymouth Colony in 1620 when the first eastern settlers of the Mayflower came to North America. It helped the Pilgrims practice freedom to practice Christianity how they pleased apart from the oppressive English Church way of it.
SIG: Settling in North America was a great feat as well as separating from the English Church of the 1620 era. -
Petition Of Rights
ID: The Petition of Rights was a document that Parliament forced the King to sign that limited the King’s powers of imprisonment, punishment, and taking of life with out just cause, it demanded that he not use marshal law in times of peace, and demanded that his troops not rest in civilian homes without the authorization of the home owners.
SIG: It declared that the even the King must obey the laws of the land and had to be held accountable to abide by them. -
Navigation Act
ID: The Navigation act was a series of laws that prohibited trading with foreign shipping companies to the American Colonies and England itself. Its main objective was to monopolize American trade.
SIG: The Navigation Act unsettled the Colonial traders who wanted to trade with others. The monopoly was favorable to England because it had total control over the pricing of foreign goods. From an economic standpoint, it was very unfavorable for the Colonists and therefore was a reason to revolt. -
English Bill of Rights
ID: The English Bill of Rights was a document, created by Parliament, to secure the rights of the Parliament and limits the powers of the King even more, giving Parliament a chance to petition the King with out being afraid of his wrath.
SIG: The English Bill of Rights was the first step in “Free Speech.” Although speech wasn’t completely free (treason was still a factor), the English Bill of Rights helped Parliament go against the King’s orders if they had to. -
Stamp Act
ID: The Stamp Act was an act that Parliament passed requiring the use of tax stamps on all legal documents, certain business papers/agreements, and all news papers
SIG: The American Colonists did not like the fact of even more taxing and it made them quite angry with the English Government. -
Proclomation Of 1763
ID: The Proclamation of 1763 restricted the Colonies to westward expansion due to the nature of the American Indian tribes who were scarred of the Colonials seizing their land.
SIG: As the proclamation forced settlement in the colonies, the colonists felt trapped along the eastern coast. The colonists resented the fact that possible future land was being taken away and as a result got angry and agitated. -
Sugar Act
ID: The Sugar Act (or the American Revenue Act) of 1764 was an increase on taxes on goods such as molasses, sugar, wine, coffee, and various other products.
SIG: This decreased the production of rum in the colonies and set the stage for the revolt of the Stamp Act. -
Boston Tea Party
ID: As a direct action by Boston Colonials to the Tea Act of 1773, the Boston Tea Party was when angry colonists decided to push over taxed British tea over the sides of the trading ships and in to Boston Harbor.
SIG: The Boston Tea Party was a direct action of the colonists to stand up against the English taxes; it rallied many colonists to the cause of the revolution -
Coerceve Act
ID: After the destruction of Boston Harbor’s tea crates, the Coercive Act was enforced and created by Parliament. This act included shutting down Boston Harbor for trade and bringing in British appointed sheriffs, judges, and juries. Also as punishment, the British regulars were able to be housed anywhere in the colonies that the British government saw fit.
SIG: The Coercive act created spite and anger with in the colonists giving even more reason for revolution. -
The First Continental Congress
ID: The First Continental Congress was a group of delegates from twelve of the original thirteen colonies who were called together in response of the Coercive Acts of 1774. They met to discuss boycotting trade with England and to write to King George to reconsider the Coercive Acts.
SIG: When the plea to the King didn’t work, the First Continental Congress asked each state to create its own militia. -
The First Shots at Lexington and Concord
ID: After the Coercive Acts were applied in 1774, the British regulars, who were now occupying the colonies, heard of a weapons cache in Concord. Paul Revere and Dawes warned the arrival of the regulars. As the regulars were marching through Lexington the colonists were waiting for them and the first shots were fired on them.
SIG: The First Shots at Lexington and Concord is an iconic event in United States history as it was the very beginning of the American Revolution. -
The Second Continental Congress
ID: Less than a month after the first shots at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress met to discuss the separation of the United States from England and to help in the war effort in doing so.
SIG: Where the First Continental Congress met to ask the King politely to ease off the taxes and soldiers and such, the Second Continental Congress met to force the King to let go of the Colonies with war and their own Declaration of Independence. -
The Declaration of Independence
ID: The Declaration of Independence was a document drafted by a group of delegates from the Second Continental Congress including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and primarily Thomas Jefferson. It declared to England and its King George III that it no longer was apart of England or subject to its rule. It declared that it would govern itself and gave a list of grievances that it had with the English laws.
