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1215
Magna Carta Passed
"The first document to put the principle that the king and his government were not above the law. It sought to prevent the king from exploiting his power and placed limits on royal authority by establishing law as a power." -UK Parliament Supposed to Limit Kings Power -
Period: 1215 to
The Colonial Period
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First Colony Jamestown
"In 1607, 104 English men and boys arrived in North America to start a settlement. On May 13 they picked Jamestown, Virginia for their settlement, which was named after their King, James I."
-www.nps.gov -
English Bill of Rights Passed
"The English Bill of Rights is an act that the Parliament of England passed on December 16, 1689. The Bill creates a separation of powers, limits the powers of the king and queen, enhances the democratic election, and bolsters freedom of speech." -Study.com "The Bill of Rights 1689: An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and settling the Succession of the Crown."
-UK Parliament -
Period: to
Uniting for Independence
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End of French and Indian War
The French and Indian War pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. The British won the war and claimed the lands that France had owned. -
Stamp Act Congress Meet
"Delegates from nine colonies meet in New York City in what has become known as the Stamp Act Congress, the first united action by the colonies; the congress acknowledges that while Parliament has a right to regulate colonial trade, it does not have the power to tax the colonies since they were unrepresented in Parliament." -Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History -
Stamp Act Passed
"Imposed a tax on all papers and official documents in the American colonies, though not in England."
-The First Amendment Encyclopedia -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest at Griffin's Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists, angry at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” dumped 342 chests of tea imported by the British East India Company into the harbor. -
Intolerable Acts Passed
"The Coercive Acts of 1774, known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies, were a series of four laws passed by the British Parliament to punish the colony of Massachusetts Bay for the Boston Tea Party." -Mountvernon.org After Boston Tea Party!!!!! -
First Continental Congress Meeting
"The First Continental Congress convened in Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between September 5 and October 26, 1774. Delegates from twelve of Britain's thirteen American colonies met to discuss America's future under growing British aggression."
-Mountvernon.org -
Second Continental Congress Meeting
"The Second Continental Congress assumed the normal functions of a government, appointing ambassadors, issuing paper currency, raising the Continental Army through conscription, and appointing generals to lead the army." -Khan Academy -
The Shot Heard around the World
"A phrase that refers to the opening shot of the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, which began the American Revolutionary War and led to the creation of the United States of America." -Wikipedia -
Declaration of Independence Sighned
"The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment, and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it." -National Archives -
Period: to
The Articles of Confederation
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Ratification Passed within Articles of Confederation
"Among the 13 independent states rather than a strong national government. By March 1781, all 13 states had ratified or approved the Articles of Confederation." (Pg.48 p.1; Ch.2 U.S. History) -
Period: to
The Constitiutional Convention
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Constitutional Convention Begins
Was a meeting to create a new government document instead of only modifying the articles of confederation like most thought they were going to be doing. -
13th State Passes Ratification of Constitution
"The constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it." -constitutioncenter.org