-
The Mayflower Compact
This was the first governing document for the pilgrims that was written by the new colonists aboard the Mayflower. -
Act of Toleration
This was an act of the English Parliament which granted freedom of worship to Protestents who dissented from the Church of England. -
Treaty of Paris
This ended the Seven Years' War and it gained the British more land in North America in Canada. -
Proclamation Act of 1763
This act banned the colonization of the American lands west of the Appalachain mountains. -
Sugar Act of 1764
This act was passed by the British Parliament and was used to raise revenue by taxed foreign goods such as sugar, certain wines, coffee, and others. -
Quartering Act
An act that forced the American colonists to house British soldies free of charge. -
The Stamp Act of 1765
This was a direct tax passed By the British Parliament that required any printed materials to be produced on stamped paper which had an embossed revenue stamp on it. -
The Declaratory Act
This was an act for the better securing the dependenct of the king's dominions in America upon the Parliament for Great Britain. -
Townshend Acts
This British legislation intended for this acto to raise revenue, tighten customs enforcement, and assert imperial authority in America. -
Gaspee Affair
A group of colonists captured the crew of a grounded English ship and the looted and burned it. -
Tea Act
This was designed to help the East India Company, which was a failing company, flourish again by shipping the tea directly to the colonies and sold at a bargain price. -
Boston Port Act
This act closed down the port of Boston to anyone trying to import and export any goods. -
Massachusetts Government Act
This act was to better regulate the government of the province of the Massachuset's Bay colonies in New England. -
Administration of Justice Act
An act for the impartial administration of justice in the cases of persons questioned for any acts done by them in the execution of the law. -
Quebec Act
Parliament passed this to afford greater rights to the French inhabitants of Canada. -
Concilliatory Proposition
This declared that any colony that contributed to the common defense and provided support for Britain would be relieved of paying taxes and duties except for the ones necessary for the regulation of commerce. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
These were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
This was one of the most important battles for the American colonists during the Revolutionary War because it showed that the colonists were willing to stand up to the mighty force of the British army. -
The Olive Branch Petition
This was an attempt by the American colonists to avoid a full on war with Great Britain after sending the Declaration of Independence. -
Prohibitory Act
This was a declaration of war by Great Britain where they made naval blockades against American ports. -
Declaration of Independence
This was the document that declared the thirteen American colonies independent of Great Britain. -
Battle of Trenton
This battle took place in Trenton, New Jersey and it was an American victory where they took back the city from 1,400 Hessian soldiers. -
The Battle of Princeton
In the battle General George Washington's forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey. -
Period: to
Battle of Saratoga
This battle was the turning point for the American's in the Revolutionary War becuase it showed the French that the Americans had a chance against the British and after this the Americans gained the French as allies. -
The Land Ordinance of 1785
This was a plan to raise revenue for the United States and distribute the American's western land. -
Period: to
Shay's Rebellion
The group of rebelers tried to seek debt relief by attempting to prevent the courts from seizing property from indebted farmers in wester Massachusetts. -
Period: to
Constitutional Convention
This convention was inteneded to revise the Articles of Confederation but instead ended up drafting the United States Constitution. -
Three-fifths Compromise
This was an agreement in the Constitutional Convention that stated a slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person in population counts of the states. -
Bill of Rights
These were the first ten amendments to the Constitution and they were formed to help the Constitution be ratified by all of the states. -
Whisky Rebellion
A large mob of people who opposed the excise tax attacked the hous of the inspector-general. -
Pinckney Treaty of 1795
This established intentions of friendships between United States and Spain as well as establishing the boundaries of the United States with the Spanish colonies. -
Pinckney's Treaty
Established borders between US and the Spanish colonies and gave the US navigation rights to the Mississippi River. -
Election of 1796
This was the first election to elect a President and Vice President form opposing tickets. John Adams becames the President and Thomas Jefferson became the Vice President. -
Convention of 1800
This was between the United States and France to settle hostilities caused by the XYZ Affair. -
Election of 1800
Vice President Thomas Jefferson defeated the President John Adams and led to the eventual demise of the Federalist Party. -
Judiciary Act of 1801
It was one of the last important laws passed by the expiring Federalist Congress and it created sixteen new federal judgeships and other judicial offices. -
Twelfth Amendment
This provides the procedure by which the President and Vice President are elected. -
Election of 1804
Thomas Jefferson ran against Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Jefferson won the election. -
Embargo Act of 1807
American laws that restricted American ships from engaging in foreign trade. -
Non-Intercourse Act
This act lifted all embargoes on American shipping except for those bound for British or French Ports and the intent was to damage the economies of the United Kingdom and France. -
Macon's Bill Number Two
This law was intended to motivate Britain and France to stop seizing American vessels. -
Election of 1812
This took place in the shadow of the War of 1812 and it was agains James Madison and DeWitt Clinton. Madison was re-elected. -
Land Act of 1820
THis eliminated the purchase of public land in the United States on credit and it also reduced the minimum size of the tract from 160 to 80 acres as well as requiring a down payment of $100 and reduced the price from $1.65 to $1.25 per acre. -
Russo-American Treaty of 1824
This was between Russia and America and it gave Russia claims on the Pacific Northwest coast of North America south of 54°40' north over what Americans now know as the Oregon County to the United States. -
Panic of 1819
This was the first major financial crisis in the United States, which occured toward the end of the Era of Good Feelings