-
Jamestown
The very first permanent English colony was established to provide profit for the mother country. It was only after Tobacco, and important cash crop was established that Jamestown became a sucess. -
House of Burgesses
The colonial governing body which would meet and establish taxes for the area. Theses taxes had to meet the Royal Governor's approval, but still made colonist feel powerless. -
Mayflower Compaxt
Puritans from the Plymouth colony Massachusetts decided to create their own laws, establishing self-governing principle 0f najority rule. -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
First written constitution by a colony which limited the power of government. Majority rule, consent of the governed people, and proteched minoriy rights. -
Triangular Trade
New England merchants traded basic supplies with the West Indies for sugar and molasses. -
Maryland Toleration Act
Law granting religious freedom to all Christians living in the Maryland colony. This includes Protestant and Catholic, but this excludes the Jewish religion. -
Navigation Acts
English felt American colonie were gaining too much profit and wanted a greater share. These acts strictly enforce British polocies, one being any ships had to pass through English ports containg majority English or colonial crew members. English authorities also had approval over which countries traded with each other. -
John Peter Zenger
Accued of sedition and libel by royal officials who were offended by the newspaper man's criticism of limits on free expression. Zenger was put on trial in front of a colonial jury who found him innocent because what he printed was the truth. His innocens was based upon the admennment stating the freedom of press. -
Great Awakening
Colonist started expressing other religios beliefs other than the Church of England and the Angelican Church. This was a violation to the religios authorities in England, thus showing the beginning of where colonists started to think for themselves and differing from the mother country. -
French & Indian War
England and france have been at war for over 100 years for territiorial land. France and Native Americans allied against England because the French were not settled in the area and were good trading partners. American colonists wanted to expand into the Ohio Valley and Canada. -
Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Frnaklin's attempt to unite volenteers from all colonies to establish a common defense. The plan didn't work but it was the first time colonists planned to unite to defend themselves without the help of England. -
Proclamation of 1763
In attempt to settle the Natives along the frontier, Enfland banned all colonial settlement past the Appalachian Mountains. This policy enraged the colonists who only fought the French and Indian war for more land. -
Stamp Act
In attempt to get money from the colonies parliment put a direct tax on a variety of goods. These good range from legal document to decks of cards. The colonists protest by going after custom agents and later organize more effective boycott of English goods. -
Boston Massacre
Tension between colonists and standing army over the French and Indian War is high. Citizens feel soldiers were spying on them, others resent competition for local jobs. Soldiers begin fighting colonist for jobs, somone shoots into the crowd. The violence ends, 5 colonists dead. To make a bigger deal of the situation Samuel Adams and others call is a "massacre". -
Quartering Act
Part of the Intolerabel at the colonists felt they shouldn;t have to house the British army. Few colonists actualy ad their privacy compromised but the idea of possible doing so outraged many. -
Intolerable Acts
To punish Boston community for the Boston Tea Party: the British government vows revenge until all of the tea is paid for. The local harbor closes effting the town greatly. Curfew and Marshall law are put into place which outrage the colonists -
Tea Act
To ease tension with their American colonists and save the East India Company, the British government passes this act which gives all colonial tea business to the East India Company buy at a lower price. This outrages the colonists and is what led to Samule Adams and many others to dress up as Natves and dump the tea into the havor. -
Lexington & Concord
Fighting between colonial minutemen and British soldies occur when General Gage finds out colonists were stockpiling weapons. He tries to confiscate the arms but is met with armed resistance. Thie first shot between the 2 sides was fired in a crowd and no one knows who shot first. Colonists officially became the enemy of the British and Boston was now held captive by the British army -
Olive Branch Petition
Comittee of colonist draft a letter to the king of England asking for an end ti fighting and vow obedience if certain demand are met. King George III refuses to even read the letter. -
Common Sense
A pamplet written by Thomas Paine states that it is obvious that England and her American colonies shoul not remain united. They were so different and they can have common goals and rule of monarchy is so opressive that the colonies will never prosper under British Rule. This declares independence and aslo persuades colonists who had been against such actions. -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson drafts a document that is a list of complaints against Britain. This list was designed to serve 2 purposes: one, to notify England and the rest of the world of America's intent and reasons for it, and secondly, it was to rally the colonists behind a great cause by inspiring them to throw off the shackles of opression.
