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Colonial Era
this was the time during which the british colonies had been started and the first revolutionary thoughts had came up. -
Founding of Jamestown
Jamestown was chatered in 1606 by King James I, and was sponsered by the Virginia Company of London. It was founded to hopefully find gold within the new americas that had been founded. There was no gold there though. At first times were hard, and it went through a period called the "starving time" . It was saved only through the quick thinking of the leader of the colony John Smith. The colony was not productive until 1613 when colonist John Rolphe introduced the famed cash crop tobacco. -
Founding of the Virginia House of Burgesses
The house was originally established by the Virginia Company. The first meeting was held in Jamestown Virginia on July 30, 1619. It was the first representative legislative body within the colonies. The first step to a representative democracy. -
Massachusetts Bay Founding
Colony was founded by the Massachusetts Bay Company. The population was strongly puritan and was led by puritan influenced leaders. The colony was economically sucessful by trading with England and the West Indies. The colony was led by govenor John Winthrop who was elected as govenor for thirty years. Roger Williams was banned from this colony and went on to found Rhode Island. -
Fundamental Orders of Conneticut
Adopted by Conneticut in 1639. Was considered by many to be the first western written constitution, or the first constititution in the united states. States the powers of the government and all of the rights of the citizens within the colony. Was used as a guideline for the many constitutions to come. -
Maryland Act of Toleration
Also known as the Act Concerning Religion it was passed by the assembly of the maryland colony. it was the second law requiring tolerance within the colonies and created the first law against hate speech in the world. Allowed for freedom of worship to any christians within the colony but also sentenced anyone who didnt believe in Jesus to death. Influenced other laws within the United States including the First Amendment. -
Halfway Covenant
Up until this point in history the puritan church had slowly been losing its power in the community. The Halfway Covenant was an attemp by the church to gain more members so it might become more influential in the colony. The Covenant said that rather than having to be a full church member, which was very hard to acomplish, you could be a partial church member and still have your kids baptized. this ability would hopefully lead the partial and just baptized member to become full members. -
King Philps War
Sometimes called the First Indian war or Metacoms rebellion the war was between Idian Inhabitants of New England. The indians started the war over the ever encroaching british citzens. Also engladers had brought many foreign diseases into the indians causing a massive loss of indian population. The New England confederation declared war on them as a whole. The colonist officialy won the battle with 600 deaths to the indians 3000. Made England take notice of the colonist and become wary. -
Bacons Rebellion
Bacons rebellion was a series of attacks against native americans in vrginia. These worked, yet they were against the will of Govenor Berkeley who decided to do anything about the recent attacks of the indians. The rebellion was led by Nathaniel Bacon who was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, and eventually became the ruler of it when he set fire to virginia.Most of the followers were indentured servants so it showed how black slaves were easier to control and boosted slave trade. -
Leisler's Rebellion
Led By New Yorker Jacob Leisler, who revolted against the colonial authority of King James II. He was influenced by the Glorious Revolution that was going on in Europe. Seen as one of the many rebelllions that led to the american revolution -
Salem Witchcraft Trials
Salem Witchcraft Trials were a series of hangings between Febuary 1692 and May 1693 in colonial Massachusetts. It was an episode of mass hysteria in the colony where everything that was bad, infant deaths, poor crops, and sickness, was blamed on witch craft. There were officialy 20 deaths. 19 of these were hangings and 1 was a pressing to death. also there was one dog accused and killed of being a witch. -
First Great Awakening
The First Great Awakening was a rush of new religious beleifs that swept through the colonies between 1730 and 1770. It was started by Reverand Tenant Williams. Then it was carried on by people such as Johnnathan Edwards and George Whitefeild who were known for there fiery emotions during there sermons. They preached about predestination, how one should think with his heart rather than his head, and follow biblical revelation rather than reason. All found in "Sinners in the Hands on an Angry God -
Stono's rebellion
Happened in colony of south carolina near Stono River. Led by Jemmy who led over 60 slaves in the rebellion. Slaves managed to kill 22 whites befor the nearby militia stopped them, after which 44 slaves were pronounced dead. Rebellion brought awareness to the South Carolinian legislature that the slaves were getting to smart. They passed a law limiting the education, assebly, and movement of slaves. -
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Revolutionary Era
timespan in which america started and finished seceding from britain. -
French and Indian War
Also named the Seven Year's war the war was fought mostly between the American colonies and the French. It was fought over the greatly needed Ohio River Valley. The French needed to connect their Canadian colony to their colony in Lousiana while British colonies needed it to expand. Idians played a big part in the war but eventually dropped support for both sides when they realized it wouldn't benefit them. It was a losing battle until general George Washinton was appointed in 1754. Won in 1760 -
Proclomation of 1763
The Proclomation of 1763 stated that no british settlers were allowed to settled west of the appalchian mountains, This act was created to keep any more conflicts withe Indians to minimum. Angered the colonist from the simple fact that is was oppression straight from the crown saying that they couldnt move into the land that they had fought so hard for in the French and Indian war. -
march of the Paxton Boys
The Paxton Boys wasa group of Scots-Irish that were angry over the recenta attacks of indians such as Pontiacs Rebellion and the French and Indian war. The march was to present their greivances to the Philidelphia legislature. They stayed their until the legislature decided to look over their complaints. -
Stamp Act
The stamp act was just one of the many taxes imposed on america by British power. It was however the first direct tax on the americans meaning that it directly affected the americans it was imposed on. It was the most effective tax in the sense that it caused the most rebellion thoughts. It hurt everyone in the country. It was a tax on all legal documents and deeds. -
Boston Massacre
Also known as the Incident on King Street. it was the murdering of seven english conlonist in boston. It started the day before when a young boy had been killed by redcoats. the colonists were enraged by this and started to harrass the soldiers. the soldiers, without orders, fired into the crowd. It killed Crispus Attucks -
Boston Tea Party
The Tea Party was an act in response to the Tea Act of 1773. The Sons of Liberty eventually thought of this idea. They acted it out in the middle of the night and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.This event caused the British to pass the IntolerableActs also known as the Coercive acts. this was the first major rebellion in america -
Lexington and Concord
The battles were the first military engagements of the revolutionary war and called the shot heart around the world. They were between trained British military forces and the ill trained minutemen militia. It was thought to be an easy win for the british but the miltia won out. It was initiallly an attemp by the british to get all of the blackpower that the militia had stored into their possesion because they were worried about a rebellion and they were right to be. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Continental Congress drafted this petition after it was written by Thomas Jefferson. It was an attemp to keep out of a war that was bound to happen if something wasnt done. It was opposed by John Adams, However the king had already put forth a decleration of war against the united states, so the petition was useless. -
John Peter Zenger Trial
John Peter Zenger was the author of "the New York Weekly Journal". He had made this journal to criticize the govenor of New York, yet he was charged with libel on Nov. 17, 1734. The trial was to prove that he was actually writing libel. His lawyer, Andrew Hamilton, eventually proved that he wasnt. This event brought up the important freedom of press in america. -
Common Sense
This pamphlet was written by Thomas Paine. It was written in an effort to explain the advantages of becoming independent and seperating from Britain. It was structured as if it were a sermon as if a preacher was saying it. -
Declaration of Independence
This document was the unanimous decision of all thirteen states to secede from British rule. Was signed by fifty five delegates all representing the thirteen colonies. Listed all of the wrongdoings of the king and all of the rights he had violated. Also states all of the rights given to every man. Written by Thomas Jefferson and pushed for by John Adams. declared independence from britain. -
Writing the AOC
The Articles of Confederation was the first document clearly defining a federal government. The Articles gave very little power to the federal government. They didnt allow for the federal government to put any taxes on the states. It was inevitable that they were replaced. Eventually they were by the modern day constituion. It did however give a model treaty off which teaties were written for many years -
Writing of Constitution
The Constitution was the replacement for the Articles of Confederation, which created a weak federal government. The Constitution was written by Thomas Jefferson. It shaped the modern day government and still is in affect today. It strengthened the federal government yet also gave the citizens individual rights in the Bill of Rights that could never be taken away. It also clearly define the powers of the federal government.
