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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta is Drafted
The Magna Carta was drafted by Archbishop Stephen Langton and the most powerful Barons of England. John signed the document on June 10, 1215. The purpose of the Magna Carta was to curb the King and make him govern by the old English laws that had prevailed before the Normans came. -
Petition of Rights is drafted
King Charles I wrote the petition of rights. The Petition of Right is a major English constitutional document that sets out specific rights of the subject that the king is prohibited. The Petition contains restrictions on non-Parliamentary taxation, forced billeting of soldiers, imprisonment without cause, and restricts the use of martial law. -
English Bill of Rights is Drafted
The Bill of Rights limited the right to raise money through penalty to Parliament. This whole thing started when the catholic King James offended the Protestant Church. The bill was passed through Parliament after the crowning of the new King. On December 16, 1689. The English Bill of Rights was written to guarantee the rights of Englishmen and to limit the power of the royal family. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was Parliament's first serious attempt to assert governmental authority over the colonies. The new tax was imposed on all American colonists and required them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. The money collected by the Stamp Act was to be used to help pay the costs of defending and protecting the American frontier near the Appalachian Mountains. The Stamp Act, was viewed as a direct attempt by England to raise money in the colonies. -
Townshend Duties
In 1767 the English parliament of British land tax, and,balance the budget, Charles Townshend promised that he would tax the Americans to make up the difference. Americans had drawn between internal and external taxes, he put through a series of acts laying import duties. The money that was collected was used to pay the salaries of British. They repealed all the Townshend Revenue Act except for the tax on tea, which was kept in order to maintain the principle of the right of colonial officials. -
Boston Massacre
The Massacre was in 1770, pre-Revolutionary incident growing out of the anger. British troops sent to Boston to maintain order and to enforce the Townshend Acts. The British captain, Thomas Preston, and his men were tried for murder. John Adams and Josiah Quincy as lawyers for the defense. The men were found guilty of manslaughter, punished, and discharged from the army. The impact of the incident on the cause of the American Revolution was profound. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act, passed by Parliament on May 10, 1773. It would launch the final spark to the revolutionary movement in Boston. It was designed to prop up the East India Company which they were in big trouble financially and burdened with eighteen million pounds of unsold tea. They decided to tax the teas. This tea was to be shipped directly to the colonies, and sold at a bargain price. Colonists in Philadelphia and New York turned the tea ships back to Britain -
1st Continental Congress
In 1774, Parliment passed another set of laws. But this time it was top punish the colonist for the troubles in Boston. This new law anounced America as the Intolerable Acts. Every colony met in Philadelphia except Georgia. For two months memebers of the first continental disscussed the worsen situations and debated for plans. Then they sent a declaration of rights that protested against King George III. Over the months all colonial legislatures gave their support for 1st Continental Congress. -
2nd Continental Congress
The British government continued to refuse to compromise it's colonial policies. It reacted the declaration of rights . Second continental congress met in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775the revolution had just begun. The shot heard around the world had been fired. The battles of Lexington and concord had fought there on April 19. -
Common Sense was Published (Thomas Payne)
On january 9, 1776, writer Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet "Common Sense". Common Sense was independence for the American colonies. The citizens and political leaders behind the idea of independence, "Common Sense" played a role in transforming a colonist into the American Revolution. Payne soon came to support American independence. He sold some 500,000 copies, powerfully influencing American opinion. -
Declaration of Independence Signed
On August 2, 1776, members of Congress signed their signatures to a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Fifty-six congressional delegates in total signed the document. They signed by state from North to South. Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, two days later, on July 4. On July 19, Congress decided to produce a handwritten copy to bear all the delegates’ signatures.
