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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a charter that required King John of England to proclaim liberities that his will wasn't arbitrary. The charter was forced onto England and the King because the people did not want him to have total reign and power over the land. This charter helped mold the rule of Constitutional Law we have today. -
Jamestown Settled
Jamestown was the first permanent English colony in America. The English settlers were constantly threatened by Native Americans but they finally fought through and settled a full town in 1619. Jamestown is now a histroical landmakr as it was the first city ever in America. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first compact passed as a governing document in America. It was a basic law and rules compact that each settler would obey. The compact was also signed on the boat the Mayflower before the settlers eve reached land. -
Petition of Right
The Petition of Right was a charter passed on June 7 that limited the Parliament and the King's power. it prohibited them from things such as arrest without cause, illegal taxing, and the lodging of soldiers in civilians houses. -
English Bill Of Rights
This bill was a document that put limits on Parliament in the country and gave more rights of citizens. One example of this is the right to petition the monarch without fear of punishment. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany plan of Union was an attempt made by Benjamin Franklin to unify the colonies and have one government to rule over all of them. Franklin proposed it to give help to states if needed because of war or other purposes. This Plan was one of many proposed in the Albany Congress. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a tax that Great Britain directly imposed on the colonies in America. The tax was on paper and other materials that were used to write on or make things like letters with. The purpose of the tax was to help pay for the troops stationed in America. Great Britain believed that the colonies were priviledged to have the troops and that they should pay for the expense of it. -
Boston Massacre
Relations between civilians and British soldiers had become tense ever since their arrival in 1768. On March 5, some inhabitants of Boston were angered at how British troops were invading their city. The protestors formed a mob and surrounded nearby British soldiers. They also yelled and threw things at the soldiers which angered them. Once the soldiers felt threatened, they opened fire into the crowd killing 5 men and wounding 6 others. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was politcal protest that took place in the Boston harbor. When the British put a high tax on tea, American Colonists were angered by it. When three shiploads of tea from the East-India Trading Company arrived one night, protesters boarded the ship dressed as Indians, and dumped all the tea into the harbor. It is one of the biggest and most famous political protests in American history. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts was a set of laws that the British issued to punish Boston and the colonies for the Boston Tea Party. The British hope that these punishable acts would help make an example of America and how they should not revolt. This objective failed and only fuel the American Revolution. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the 12 colonies that met in Philadelphia on this date. This convention was basically a call against the Intolerable Acts that the British punished America with for the Boston Tea Party. -
American Revolution
The American Revolution was a war for independence. The 13 colonies of America were revolting against the British and trying to gain freedom. After about 8 years the war ended and America was free. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the 13 colonies that met in Phildelphia shortly after the beginning of the Revolutionary War. It was the successor of the First Continental Congress. Some major things it did was that they adopted the Declaration of Independence and was a big part of the colonial war efforts. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document that was signed by the Continental Congress and it stated that the 13 colonies were free from the rule of the British and that they were independent. Thomas Jefferson was the man who wrote up the document and he, along with the rest of the committee signed it. July 4th is now known as Independence Day in America. -
Articles of Confederation
An agreement among the 13 colonies that created the United States as a whole and it served as a Constitution of the country. The Continental Congress were the writers of it, and it was ratified on March 1, 1871. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion was a small battle fought because of the poor economy. Rebels were in a hard financial spot and they decided to use violence to answer it. The rebels tried to take over a few points within their state but were quickly fought back by American militia. All together only a few men died, but quite a few were wounded. -
Philadelphia Convention
This convention was formed about ten years after America declared independence from Great Britain. This convention also met in Philadelphia and their objective was to find out what was wrong with the young government and the Articles of Confederation. The result of this convention was the US Constitution we have today. -
Connecticut Compromise
This Compromise was an agreement among all the states, no matter how big or small, that each state would individually have rights in the legislative aspect of the US Government.
