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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was the first and also one of the most important things that happened leading to the U.S Consitution. This stated that the King had limitations with the laws he could place. The Magna Carta led to certain bans on Taxation. The law didn't do much affect on the king, but it did end up being a major part of the consitution as the drafters developed. This affected the people in it's time because taxes were something that the citizens weren't used to. They panicked when the time came. -
Period of Salutory Neglect
Salutory neglect means that the English policy didn't interfe with the colonists from about 1690 to 1760. During these years the colonists were given a good ammount of say in local matters, and the English king and parliament rarely legislated constraints of any kind. Because of this, the colonists supported England. At the end of the Seven Year's War, England began to put more control over the American colonists, placing taxes and trade blocks. These periods accured three times, one in 1607. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was drafted by the Pilgrims while they were still on the Mayflower. It was signed on November 11, 1620. The purpose of the Mayflower Compact was to prevent people that didn't split from the Church of England from separating with the Separatists (Pilgrims). -
The Mayflower Lands
On December 11th the Mayflower landed on Plymith rock. Soon after they signed the Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower transported 102 English Pilgrims, to New England. This is so important because they were the starters of the New World. -
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The French and Indian War.
The French and Indian was was called the seven year war if you weren't part of the colonies. In the 1750s, France and Britain were fighting in Europe. The war was now spreading to North America. British Colonists wanted to take over French land in North America. The British wanted to take over the fur trade in the French held territory. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights took more power away from the British than the Magna Carta did, and it also protected the rights of English Citizens. The Bill of Rights combined past angst's against the king with a more general statement of basic liberties. It prohibited the monarch from suspending laws or levying taxes or customs duties without Parliament's consent. -
King George the Third Takes the Thrown.
The King made a trade policy with the colonies right after he took the thrown. -
Proclamation of 1763
In the proclamation is was announced that no settlers were allowed to settle west of the AppalacianMountain. Settlers had to stay East. -
Treaty of Paris
The Paris Treaty of 1763, forged among Great Britain, France, and Spain, brought to an end the French and Indian War. At the war's close Britain had achieved military supremacy over the French in North America. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act stated that colonists needed to pay taxes on anything with paper. The colonists boycotted the act. The stamp act led to a lot of disputes in the near future. -
Declatory Act
Shortly after the Stamp Act Britain issued the Declaratory Act, which stated that Parliament could take "whatever action they thought fit for the good of the empire." Colonists were so happy at the repeal of the Stamp Act. -
The Towshend Act
This act placed taxes on all basic good, including tea. It was reapealed in 1770 on glass and lead, but not tea. This angered the Colonists because of the importance tea had in their culture. -
The Boston Massacre
A mob of colonists started to insult and throw stones, oyster shells, snowballs, and wood at soldiers. The Redcoats got nervous and shot seven shots, killing five of the colonists. The colonists ended up calling this the Boston Massacre. -
Decleration of Rights and Grievances Passed
This was a document written by the Stamp Act Congress and was passed. It declared that taxes placed on British colonists without their formal consent were unconstitutional. This was important because of how important tea was the the colonists. The tea act was a huge deal, and this was a small step out of it. -
The Boston Tea Party
The colonists boarded ships in Boston Harbor to throw Tea overbored. And the British guarding the ships didn't stop their goal. They were protesting against the tea tax. The problem was the tide was out, so the tea sat there in clumps -
The Intolerable Acts
In 1774 a group of laws passed to punish the Massachusetts colony. The laws were so harsh that the colonists called then the Intolerable Acts. One of the laws closed Boston Harbor until the colonists paid for the destroyed tea. Another law allowed Britain troops to spend the night wherever they wanted to. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress met to come to an agreement on the Intolerable Acts, pleading for help to ban them. The seeds of independence were being planted. They also made provisions for a Second Continental Congress to meet on May 10, 1775. -
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death
This was a very famous line from Patrick Henry's speach at the Virginia Convention. He was trying to get the Virginia troups into the Revolutionary War. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
Battle of Lexington and Concord took place along the road between Boston and Concord, Massachusetts. The attack was by a large number of colonist militia. Although the British succeeded, they lost 73 of there men, and almost 200 were wounded. -
2nd Continental Congress
At the congress they stated that Britain had declared war against them on March 26, 1775. The Continental Army was created to oppose the British, and General George Washington was appointed commander in chief. -
Decleration of Indipendence
The Decleration of Indipendence was signed, stating that the 13 colonies could be expressed as free states. This was a huge deal because of how much work was put towards getting the Decleration signed and completed. -
The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the original binding document of the United States and served as the supreme law of the land from March 1, 1781 until the ratification of the United States Constitution (on June 21, 1788). -
People Get a Smack in the Face
After Shays rebellion the people in the colonies realize that a stronger government needs to be put into action. This was disputed. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was an outbreak from Massachusetts' farmers due to the farmers loosing their land because of debt. Mobs of farmers with weapons swarmed courths in the western colonies. Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays became the leader. -
Constitutional Convention
Representatives from each state met to fix the articles of confederation, but ended up writing a completely new constitution. -
The Signing of the Constitution
The aditional two states that didn't sign before, signed after a bill of rights was added. So now, all 13 of the 13 states have signed the consitution, and it's final.
