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Period: Feb 2, 1200 to
American Revolution
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Feb 2, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta's main principles provided the outline for modern democracies. -
Petition of Right
The Petition of Right is a major English constitutional document that sets out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights is a English precursor of the Constitution, along with the Magna Carta and the Petition of Right. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was a plan to place the British North American colonies under a more centralized government. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was the killing of five colonists by British regulars on March 5, 1770. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists attack merchant ships in Boston Harbor, and throw trunks of tea over the sides of the ships. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting in the summer of 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. -
Declaration of Independence
Announced that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. -
Articles of Confederation
The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, on November 15, 1777. -
Philadelphia Convention
Congress called a convention to change the Articles of Confederation into a better document. Each state appointed delegates to attend a meeting in Philadelphia to develop a more effective and unified constitution. -
Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan was a proposal by Virginia delegates for a bicameral legislative branch. -
New Jersey Plan
It was a response to the Virginia Plan, and was presented at the Constitutional Convention. Under the New Jersey Plan, Congress had the additional powers of setting and collecting taxes.
