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1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was an important English document crafted and signed by King John to prevent a coup. This gave English citizens valuable rights and established who the law applied to. The Magna Carta served as a hallmark of thinking regarding personal liberty, because it placed an emphasis on justice for all. -
Jamestown Settled
In 1607, a group of Englishmen travelled to America to create a fort/settlement called Jamestown. Though it was challenging to maintain, this settlement was the first from England. -
Mayflower Compact Written
As the English on the Mayflower sailed to what is now America, they decided to sculpt a list of legislations for their new colony. As there was disagreement among the group of separatists, there was a great need for written order. -
Petition of Right
The Petition of Right was a pillar of English freedom, adding to the freedoms/provisions that the citizens of England had. It was essentially a protest against King Charles and the way he ran the government. -
English Bill of Rights
This document, part of the “Glorious Revolution”, was the groundwork for England’s constitutional monarchy. It detailed thirteen freedoms given to English citizens and affirmed the lineage of royalty. -
Albany Plan of Union
Suggested by Ben Franklin, this was an idea to centralize the governments of the colonies. Though it ultimately failed, it was the groundwork for America’s current state system. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act heavily regulated paper and its usage in the colonies. This outraged the colonists and signified growing British dominance over the colonies. -
Boston Massacre
During a period when tensions were high between the colonists and soldiers of Britain, a bevvy of colonists were taunting and even throwing projectiles at British soldiers. These soldiers opened fire, and killed several citizens. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest in the colonies against taxes. It involved colonists dressing up as Native Americans and throwing tea into the harbor. This instilled fear in the hearts of the English royalty. -
First Continental Congress
This was an attempt at a controlled alliance between the colonies. Though the intentions were established, the conference was ultimately unsuccessful due to the disagreements between the colonies. However, agreements were made to stop the tyranny of England and some good came out of the conference. -
Intolerable Acts
As the British government was furious at the colonists for their rebellions and outcry against their regulations, they passed several laws targeting the colonists and abridging freedoms. This proved as a spark plug for the colonies, and was a factor that led to the American revolution. -
Second Continental Congress
During this time, Britain’s force was becoming evident. They seemed to have a stronghold on the colonies, and the Congress was formed to formulate a plan for war. This conference was quite divisive due to the fact that many delegates were still attached to Britain. -
American Revolution Begins
As the British were becoming more and more imposing, the colonists declared war on Great Britain. The first battles were Lexington and Concord. -
Declaration of Independence
One of the most famous documents in American history, the Declaration of Independence was the written separation from the British government. This document started the US independence and declared to King George that the colonies are their own entity. -
Shay's Rebellion
Led by Daniel Shay, this act of “secession” was caused by growing discontent that the government was taxing too heavily. Though it was squandered, it was a signpost for the need for lower taxes in the country -
Philadelphia Convention
The Philadephia Convention, or Constitutional Convention, was the meeting to form a constitution for the United States. There was much debate and compromise as the founding fathers worked to define what government should be. -
Connecticut Compromise
Showing the American concept of true compromisation, this started as a feud between states of varying size. This convention highlighted the rules and authorities pertaining to the systems of each state.
