American Revolution

Sugar Act

Jan 25, 1764

Stamp Act

Jan 25, 1765

Boston Massacre

Jan 25, 1770

Boston Tea Party

Jan 25, 1773

The battle of Lexington and Concord

Jan 25, 1775

Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

The Declaration reflects several ideas of John Locke: Government's duty to protect the people's natural rights. People have the right "to alter or abolish" unjust governments. Popular sovereignty, which states that all government power comes from people.

Battle of Saratoga

Jan 25, 1777

Surrender of Yorktown

Jan 25, 1781

Constitutional Convention

Jan 25, 1787

Constitution Was Ratified

Jan 25, 1789

They saw the government in terms of a social contract in which "we the people of the United States' entered. There was also a separation of powers among the judicial, legislative and executive branches; a concept borrowed from Montesquieu.