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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
The magna carta established the government principle that the power of the monarchy isn't absolute. It also provided that in a monarchy with an all power ruler, the people are capable of rising up and fighting for what they believe is fair. The Magna Carta was the first document forced onto an English King by a group of his subjects to limit his powers. -
Mayflower Compact
This was a very influential document for the founding fathers while they were creating the United States constitution. Covenant whereby settlers would subordinate their rights to follow laws passed by the government to ensure protection and suarvival. It was a major role in the Colonial period of creating what is now the United States constitution and government. -
Petition of Rights
The petition challenged the rights of Kings, declaring that even a monarch must obey the law of the land. An English constitutional document that set liberties of the King that he was prohibited from infringing. The petitions ban on the billeting of troops reflected on the third amendment of the United States constitution. Also, the document is most notable for its confirmation of the principles that taxes can only be levied by Parliament. -
Navigation Act
With the British parliament making the law of stopping direct colonial trades between the Netherlands, France and other European countries it was a major contribution of the American Revolution. The British parliaments goal was to keep colonial development in the lines favorable to England, which also was a major contribution to the starting of the Revolution. -
English BIll of Rights
English Bill of Rights forms the basis of the American government today. Our nation has used, changed, and built on these ideas. Such as the right to a fair trial, freedom from excesive bail, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, and a standing army. These ideas of rights reflected on those of John Locke and became popular throughout England and in many other surrounding countries. -
Proclamation of 1763
This Proclamation defined the four new colonies of Quebec, East Florida, West florida and Grenada, in which added to the American colonies. However, all westward expansion to colonists was closed off. This was one document that was protecting the rights of the indians. Colonists however thought that Britain was trying to keep the colonies closer to the coast so they would be easier to control. Therefore causing huge up roar in the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
This was an organized attempt for the American people to rebel against the British government. It showed that citizens weren't affected by the imbargo of supplies from England, and was a leading cause for the start of the Revolutionary War. The tea party was the culmination of the resistance act throughout America against Britain, one of the many causes leading to the American Revolutionary War. -
Sugar Act
This act and the Currency act set the stage for the revolt at the imposition of the Stamp Act. These incidents increased the colonists concerns about the intentions of the British Parliament. As protests against the Sugar Act developed it was the economical impact instead of the constututional problem of taxation without representation that caused most concern and was the main focus of the colonists. -
Stamp Act
The tax's purpose was to help pay fpr the troops stationed in North America after the British victory in the Seven Years War. Colonists came up with the idea of texation without representation, becasue the colonists had no representatives in the British Parliament tehy felt they had no need to be taxed. When the colonies came up with the Declaration of Rights and Grievances it marked the first time a significant number of colonies/people joined together to oppose the British Government. -
Coercive/Intolerable Acts
The most important part of the coercive acts was the summoning of the first continental congress in Sep. 1774. These four new laws were majorly disgraced by the colonists so it became a contributing factor in the American Revolution. Four of the laws were passed in direct response to the Boston Tea Party, another huge event in American history, The coercive acts were a direct reason for the american colonies to come together to create the Declaration of Independence. -
First Continental Congress
This was the first meeting of the chosen delegates from the 12 of the 13 colonies. This was held in response to the coercive acts for the British Parliament punishing Boston. The significance of this meeting was that it led to the Second Continental congress which in turn created the Declaration of Independence. It also helped to defend and organize the colonies during the time of the Revolutionary War. Helped colonies to prepare for teh oncome of the British. -
Lexington and Concord
These are the cities in which the first battle of the American Revolutionary War occured. This battle is the start of when the first shots were fired either from the Americans or British toward eachother marking the first shots of the American Revolution. This battle woul dthen lead to many more in which in the end the Americans would end up defeating teh British gaining their independence. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress came up with the idea of the Declaration of Independence (made on July 2, 1776, but signed on July 4, 1776) Congress acted as a national government of what became the United States. With the ratification of the articles of confederation, the congress became known as the Congress of the Confederation. This congress later became some of the most important men in American History, by writing the Declaration of Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
This was the document that led to the freedom of the Americans. It stated that the 13 American colonies who were under British rule were now free states after defeating the British in the American Revolutionary War. It became one of the most influential documents in history, helping many other countries gain their independence also. Signed by many of our founding fathers it also became one of the most famous documents in history.
