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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
Put in effect in 1215, the Magna Carta made it so the “ruler” of England no longer had absolute authority. -
Jamestown Colony
The Jamestown Colony was the first successful English settlement on North America. It was named after King James, and it was founded in what is now Virginia on May 14, 1607. The entire reason for the Jamestown settlement was dreams of fast profit from gold, and other precious items. -
Mayflower Compact
As the first governing document of the Plymouth Colony, it was written by the colonists who rode across the Atlantic on the Mayflower. It was signed on November 11, 1620 by about 40 of the ship's hundred and two passengers. -
Petition of Right
Passed by Parliament in May of 1628, the Petition of Right was a English constitutional document that set specific liberties that the king was prohibited from infringing. -
"English" Bill of Rights
Also known as the Bill of Rights, the English Bill of Rights was passed by the British Parliament in December of 1689, and it gave certain rights to subjects and residents of a constitutional monarchy thought to be entitled to. -
Albany Plan of Union
Drafted in 1754, the plan allowed each colonial legislature to elect delegates to an American continental assembly presided over by a royal governor. -
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Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a law passed that required a tax to be paid in order to transfer specific documents. By many people, the Stamp Act was viewed as “unfair.” As it was passed in 1765, it was the first law passed by the Parliament of Britain requiring many documents to carry a tax stamp. Before it was repealed in 1766, the phrase “No taxation without representation!” became quite popular. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre took place on March 5, 1770, in which five civilians were killed by the hands of British troops, and this was the precursor to the American Revolution. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773, and it was the result of officials in Boston refusing to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, so a group of colonists boarded the ships and threw tea into the Boston Harbor. -
First Continental Congress
The First Confederation Congress was a gathering of delegates from twelve of the thirteen North American colonies, which was held on September 5, 1774.
The meeting was held in response to a passage of the Intolerable Acts, and to consider options such as an economic boycott of British goods. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts was a name used to describe five laws passed by Parliament in 1774 relating the North American colonies. Four of the acts were passed in response to the Boston Tea Party in order to “destroy” the trend of resistance to the authority of Parliament, and the fifth law was passed to enlarge the boundaries of what was the colony of “Canada.” As many colonists viewed this as a violation of their rights, the First Continental Congress was held to protest. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was held on May 10, 1775, and this time, delegates from all thirteen American Colonies attended in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This time, the meeting was held in order to manage a war effort in the American Revolution, and move towards independence, which is how the Declaration of Independence came to be. -
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The American Revolution
The American Revolution truly began in 1775 when the Second Continental Congress was held in response to the British sending troops to impose direct rule. The American Revolution lasted until 1783, and it was the final “key” to break away from the British Empire and claim independence. -
"United States" Declaration of Independence
Adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the United States Declaration of Independence which stated the break of the thirteen North America colonies from the British Empire. -
Articles of Confederation
Although not ratified until 1781, they were in use by 1777. Under the Articles of Confederation, the states of the new colony retained sovereignty over all government functions not specifically relinquished by the national government. -
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Shay's Rebellion
Starting on August 29, 1786, and ending in January of 1787, Shay's Rebellion was named after Denial Shays, an American Revolution veteran who led people, typically poor farmers angered by debt and taxes, to seek debt relief through the introduction of paper currency and lower taxes. This was done to prevent the foreclosure of property from indebted individuals. -
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Philadelphia Convention
The Philadelphia Convention took place from May 25 to September 17 of 1787, in order to address the governing problems of the United States. At this time, the United States was operating under the Articles of Confederation, and although the meeting was intended to revise the Articles, the meeting ended up creating a new form of government, which came out as the United States Constitution. -
Connecticut Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise of 1787 was an agreement between large and small states during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, defining the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the United States Constitution. The compromise proposed a “bicameral” legislature.