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Period: Jan 1, 1200 to
Enlightenment
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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
First drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury to make peace between the King and rebels. It promised to protect church rights, Barons from illegal imprisonment, swift justice, and limitation on payments to the King. -
Petition of Right
Major English document that set specific liberties unable to be infringed. These included restriction on taxation, soldier billeting or quartering, wrongful imprisonment, and use of martial law, involvement of military in ordinary law. -
English Bill of Rights
Ancestor to the Constitution, this limited the power of the king in the government. Much of what is written here was also written in the Constitution. This limited the powers of royalty in Britain. -
Albany Plan of Union
A proposal to create a unified government for the original colonies, as proposed by Benjamin Franklin. Was one of the first of many early attempts to unify the American colonies under one government. -
Boston Massacre
British Troops in Boston shot and killed 5 people and injured 6 others. A mob surrounded and harassed a British guard, who was then joined by other British soldiers, eventually leading to the shooting. -
Boston Tea Party
The result of a political protest by the "Sons of Liberty," an organization of patriots within the American colonies. As a protest against Britain's unfair taxation, tea was dumped into the Boston Harbor, whilst the phrase "No taxation without representation" was coined. -
First Continental Congress
Met first on September 5 until October 26, as a result of the Parliament's actions against Massachusetts. These people came together at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to find ways to petition against the actions by the British Parliament. -
Second Continental Congress
Succeeding the First Continental Congress, they met through March 1, 1781. They adopted the Declaration of Independence, managed the colonial war effort, and essentially acted as national government of what would become the United States. -
Declaration of Independence
Announced the 13 Colonies' act of breaking away from Britain's rule. It was created in the June and July months, and was ratified on Independence Day, July 4th, 1776. -
Articles of Confederation
Acted as the original constitution, was not ratified until March 1, 1781. It served until the American Constitution replaced it in 1789. -
Shays' Rebellion
Lasting through 1786 and 1787, this proved the weakness of the Articles of Confederation. By showing the weakness of the Articles, it brought about the ideas and basis for the American Constitution. -
Philadelphia Convention
Adressed the problems with the governing in the United States. The Convention itself eventually lead to the creation of the Constitution, replacing the Articles of Confederation. -
Virginia Plan
This was a proposal for a bicameral (two-branched) Legislative Branch. Each state would be represented in government proportionally to their "Quotas of contribution" or their free population. -
New Jersey Plan
Proposal for government supporting for a unicameral (single-branched) legislature. In opposition of the Virginia Plan, it favored for all states to have only one representative, regardless of the population.
