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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy. The Magna Carta basically holds the king accountable to the law. It was written to prevent a king's abuse of power. It was sealed by King John. -
Jamestown Settled
Colonists landed on the site of Jamestown Island and built a a fort on the banks of James River in Virginia. The soil was fertile for crops and the area offered a good defensive position. -
Mayflower Compact Written
The Mayflower Compact was a written agreement of the new settlers at Plymouth. Fair and equal laws made up the Mayflower Compact for the good of the settlers and will of majority. The Mayflower passengers made this because they knew of how the early world settlers failed because of lack of government. -
Petition of Right
The axact date is not known, though the year is. The Petition of Right is a major English document that sets out liberties that the king is prohibited from infringing. It was produced by English Parliament. -
English Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament. It was a restatement of the Declaration of Rights presented in stationary form. -
Albany Plan of Union
The exact date is unknown except for the year which was 1754. The Albany Plan of Union was proposed by Benjamin Franklin at the Albany Congress in Albany, New York. It was an early attempt in forming a union of the colonies. -
Stamp Act
Exact date unknown. A direct tax imposed by British Parliament. Specifically on the colonies of British America, the act required many printed materials in the colonies be printed on stamped paper. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre is also known as the Boston Riot. It was an incident in Boston that led to the death of 5 civilians because of the British RedCoats. The Boston Massacre helped spark the rebellion of the colonies. People were not happy about all of the British military in Boston. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was an act of the colonists against the British government in Boston. The British government controlled the tea that came into the colonies. After officials refused to return 3 shiploads of taxed tea, a group of colonists boarded the ship and destroyed it by throwing it into the Boston Harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
A series of laws passed by the British Parliament. -
First Continental Congress
A convention of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies that met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They met briefly to consider options for Boston being punished from the Boston Tea Party. -
Second Continental Congress
Met begining May 10, 1775. The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the colonies who met Philadelphia soon after the Revolutionary War. It succeeded the First Continental Congress which met a year earlier. -
American Revolution Begins
Exact date unknown. Political uprising during 18th century. The 13 colonies broke free of the British Empire and combined to become the United States of America. -
Declaration of Independance
The Declaration of Independance is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The document announced that the 13 colonies at war with Britain were now independant states. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was known as the first American constitution. It was drafted in 1777 and ratified in November of 1781. It was written as a treaty between the states but not a national government. -
Shays Rebellion
An armed unprising in Central and Western Massachusetts from 1786-1787. Rebellion was named after Daniel Shay who was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. -
Connecticut Compromise
Agreement between large and small states that defined the legislative structure of each state. -
Constitution Convection
Also known as the Philadelphia Convention, the Constitutional Convection took place from May to September 1787. It took place in Philadelphia to address issues about governing the states. George Washington was elected by delegates to lead this. The United States Constitution was the result of the Constitutional Convection. -
Philadelphia Convention
May-September 17, 1787. Took place in Philadelphia to address issues with governing the United States. The United States was governed under The Articles of Confederation. The result of the Philadelphia Convention was the US constitution.
