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1215
Magna Carta
WHAT: A legal document that gave the noble's rights and limited the king's power. WHO: Created by the nobles, they forced King John to sign it. WHERE: England. WHY it's Important: It stated that no one was above the law not even the king, which significantly limited his power. -
The Mayflower Compact
WHAT: A governing document that was an outline for how the colony should function. WHO: Created by the Men on the ship of the Mayflower that was coming to America. WHERE: On the ship of the Mayflower. WHY it's important: It stated that all men were equal and would vote in community decisions. It marked one of the first governing documents to be created in America. -
The English Bill of Rights
WHAT: A legal document that gave Parliament more power and the Monarch less. WHO: By the English Parliament, after the glorious revolution. WHERE: England. WHY it's important: It gave the power to the people and restricted much of the king's power. -
Cato's Letters
WHAT: A series of Essays about the Tyranny of Britain. WHO: Written by two men with the fake names: The Cato Brothers. WHERE: London. WHY it's important: It discussed radical ideas about freedom, rights, and the principles of a republic which influenced the American Revolution. -
French and Indian War
WHAT: It was a war between the colonies of Great Britain and France over some of the territories of North America. WHO: France and Great Britain. WHERE: North America. WHY it's important: The British forced the Colonists to fight and then made them pay for the expenses of the war, this angered the colonists and led to the American Revolution. -
Mercantilism
WHAT: The theory that a country should sell more than they buy and focus on exporting things. WHO: King George III (although he didn't come up with it, he applied it to England) WHERE: England. Why it's Important: For this to work, Britain imposed heavy taxes on the colonies and they had to buy Britains products for high prices, this angered the colonists. -
The Stamp Act
WHAT: It was a law that taxed many different imported goods coming into the colonies. WHO: It was passed by the English Parliament to tax the goods the colonists were buying. WHERE: The Colonies. WHY it's Important: This was one of the "acts" that made the colonists angry which ultimately lead to the war. -
The Declaratory Acts
WHAT: A new law that declared Parliament had the right to make decisions and pass taxes for the colonies no matter what. WHO: Parliament passed this act upon the colonists. WHERE: The Colonies. WHY it's important: This was a law that Parliament passed which made the colonists angry feeling like the had no control. -
The Tea Act
WHAT: A Law that let the East India Trading Company sell tea directly to shop owners, with barely any taxes. WHO: Made by Parliament, imposed upon the colonists, benefited the East India Trading Company. WHERE: The Colonies. WHY it's Important: Yet another act that angered the colonists and contributed to them eventually fighting back. -
The Townshed Act
WHAT: This was a Law that put heavy taxes on many British imported goods. WHO: Made by Parliament, affected the Colonists. WHERE: The Colonies. WHY it's Important: This act made the colonists angry as they had to pay more than usual for simple things. -
The Boston Massacre
What: It was essentially a street fight when British Soldiers shot and killed a few Colonists after being attacked by a Boston Mob. Who: A Patriotic Boston Mob, A few British soldiers, and a few civilians. Where: A street in Boston. Why it's important: The fact the British Soldiers killed some Colonists just because they were being aggressive was a big deal for the people living in the colonies and was one of the prime reasons they went to war. -
The Boston Tea Party
WHAT: When a bunch of Colonists dressed up as Native Americans and dumped British Tea into the Harbour. WHO: A group of Colonists called the Sons of Liberty and the British. WHERE: The Boston Harbour. WHY it's Important: This event angered the British and increased the tensions between the Colonists and British. -
The Intolerable Acts
WHAT: These were a series of acts (also known as the Coercive acts) passed by Parliament that restricted the colonists' rights. WHO: Passed By Parliament, affected the Colonists. WHERE: The Colonies. WHY it's important: After the Tea party the British were angry so they passed these acts, this took away rights from the Colonists and gave the British Soldiers unlimited power. This angered the Colonists and lead them to form the Continental Congress. -
The First Continental Congress
WHAT: A meeting between the 12 of the Colonists Delegates in response to the intolerable acts. WHO: 12 of the 13 Delegates from their Colonies. WHERE: Philidelphia. WHY it's Important: After the British imposed many harsh laws on the colonists, they grouped together to decide what to do for the Colonies. They decided to send a message to Britain stating they must revoke the Intolerable Acts. -
Common Sense
WHAT: A Pamphlet intended to target the common colonists, discussing why they should break away from England. WHO: Written by Thomas Paine WHERE: The Colonies. WHY it's Important: It convinced the colonists that they should break away from England because they were being treated unfairly. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
What: This was the first actual battle of the American Revolution. King George III sent troops in response to the First Continental Congress. Who: The Colonists vs. The British Troops. Where: Lexington/Concord. Why it's Important: This officially started the American Revolution it also forced people to choose a side. -
The Second Continental Congress
WHAT: After the Battle of Lexington and Concord the Colonies really had to come to a decision of what was to do next and if they should break their ties with Great Britain. WHO: One Delegate from each of the 13 Colonies. WHERE: Philidelphia. WHY it's Important: The decided they wanted independence and organized an army to fight. -
The Declaration of Independence
WHAT: Thomas Jefferson with the help of others drafted a document that declared their independence with Britain and explained why. WHO: The Founding fathers. WHERE: Philidelphia. WHY it's Important: This was the official start of the Colonists nation (America) and when they severed their ties with Britain.
