Early American Government

Magna Catra

Jun 15, 1215

The Magna Carta is Latin for "Great Charter". During the reign of King John, this document set down the rights, which became part of English law and which are now the foundation of the constitution of all countries which speak English.

Petition of Right

Mar 17, 1628

It was initiated by Sir Edward Coke in 1628. It includes 4 principles. It stopped taxes from being levied, no one could be imprisoned without cause, soldiers couldnt be housed with citizens, and matial law couldnt be used in peace time.

English Bill of Rights

Dec 16, 1689

It is a document that limited royal power, prohibited a standing army during peacetime without the consent of Parliament, required that all parliamentary elections be free, & prevented lawmaking without the consent of parliament.

Albany Plan of Union

Jul 10, 1754

This is an agreement drafted by Benjamin Franklin. The plan allowed that each colony elect delegates to the Amercian continental assembly.

Stamp Act

Mar 22, 1765

It required all American colonists to pay taxes on every printed paper they used. The money collected was used to help pay the cost of defending and pretecting the American fronteir near the Appalation Mountains.

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

Colonists were upset about new taxes imposed by the British soldiers. Bristish soldiers killed 4 protesting colonists. As a result Britan repealed some of the taxes.

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

Colonists were disatisfied that they were forced to buy tea from a British compony. To protest they dressed as Native Americans and dumped tea into the Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts

Mar 24, 1774

The four laws that British parlaiment passed in response to the Boston Tea Party. They were meant to punish the colony of Massachusetts for destroying the tea that belonged to east India.

First Cotinental Congress

Sep 5, 1774

Representatives from each colony, except Georiga, met in Philidelphia. They had three objectives: To compose a statement of colonial rights, to identify British parliaments violation of those rights, and to provide a plan that would conivnce Birtain to restore those rights.

Second Continental Congress

May 10, 1775

They established the miltia as the Continental Army to represent the 13 states. They also elected George Washington as commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

It announced the 13 colonies as independent states. It was written by Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia on July 4th, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.

Articles of Confederation

Mar 1, 1781

The Articles of Confederation are considered the first constitution of the Untied States of America. They were ratified by all 13 colonies on March 1, 1781.

Philadelphia Convention

Sep 17, 1787

Also known as the Consitutional Convention. It was an assembly that drafted the Constitution of the United States.

Shays Rebellion

Sep 19, 1787

It was an armed uprising in central and western Massachusetts. The rebellion is named after Daniel Shays, a veteran of the American Revolution who led the rebels.