-
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a law written in England that stated that the king was subject to his laws. Also, that the people have their right to their lives, liberty, and property except by law or the judgment of their peers. This is the start of hierarchies acknowledgement of peoples rights. This is the foundation of the thought process that leads up to the enlightening ideas that also lead to the US Constitution. -
Mayflower Landing
The Mayflower was the ship to transport the first English Separatists, the Pilgrims, to the New World landing at Plymouth. This was the largest step in exploration of that time, and is the start of the colonization of the New World. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower was the very first document to be signed in the United States. With 41 male signatures, this document established a rudimentary form of a self-sufficient government for the colonies. This is the first official step towards the American Government. -
English Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights limited the powers of the monarch and sets the rights of Parliament, which are regular parliaments, free elections, and freedom of speech within Parliament. This is he first step towards a change in government, leading away from monarchies. -
Albany Congress
The Conference of Albany was a meeting of representatives of seven of nine of the British colonies. The meeting was discussing a treaty with the Native American tribes and defense measures against the French threat from Canada. Although the goal was not to create a nation, this was the first collective colonist meeting, providing a model for future meetings. -
Boston Massacre
British troops were stationed in Boston, the capital of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and attempted to enforce unpopular Parliamentary legislation in order to protect and support crown appointed officials. A mob formed around a British sentry and became aggressive, which lead to five male civilian deaths and six injured. This is a major confrontation between colonists and British authorities, setting up for future confrontations. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was the first direct action taken by the colonists against the British Authority. Colonists had been heavily taxed on tea, and in response, the colonists refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain. The colonists destroyed the tea by throwing it into the harbor instead. As the first direct action, this could be considered the start of the conflict between colonists and British monarchy. -
Boston Port Act
The Boston Port Act was King George III's response to the Boston Tea Party. The act was put in place to secure Great Britain's jurisdictions over the American dominions. The act specifically closed the Boston Harbor to any and all activity, until restitution was made. This marked that the British monarchy would continue to attempt to force the colonists into submission, and would not take kindly to mischief. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was established by British Parliament, forcing the American colonists to provide British soldiers with any needed accommodations, housing, or food. This was made in response to an issue during the French and Indian War, but later became a source of tension between colonists and soldiers. This tension would eventually lead to the Revolutionary War. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies. The Congress considered several options, including an economic boycott of British trade, and petitioned King George III for redress of the rights and grievances. This is the first of three congresses to take place before the Constitution. -
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
This document raised 14 points of colonial protest against British Parliamentary. These points included trial by jury is a right, only colonial assemblies had a right to tax the colonies, colonists possessed all the right of Englishmen, and there should be no taxation without representation. This is yet another document with the goal of limiting British power over the Colonies and further boost the revolution. -
Continental Association
The Continental Association took action on the economic boycott of British goods, in the hopes to pressure Great Britain into redressing the grievances of the colonies. The boycott was fairly successful while it lasted, and was superseded by the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. -
American Revolution Begins
This is the date in which the American Revolution begins. Colonist protesters, known as Patriots, rejected the authority of the British Parliament and began a movement to overthrow British control in the American Colonies and form their own government. This leads to the founding of the Untied States of America. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was in charge of leading the American Revolution, and overall colonial war effort. This Congress eventually leads to adopting the United States Declaration of Independence. This is the group that officially acts as the de facto national government. -
Franklin's Plan for Confederation
Benjamin Franklin presented a plan for confederation in hopes to further support the war effort. Franklin saw that the colonies had grouped militaristically, but believed that they also needed to group politically. In his proposal, the colonies would come together in unification. This helps the nation of America come out of the war with a strong government, as everyone would agree politically. -
Resolution of Independence
Richard Henry Lee introduced a three part resolve that ultimately declares the American Colonies rightfully independent of the British Empire, establish a plan for foreign relations, and to establish a plan of a confederation. This document prepares the American Colonies for independence after the war. -
Declaration of Independence
This is the date that the American Colonies are officially independent of the British Empire and is the birth of the independent American government. -
Third Continental Congress
This Congress followed the declaration of Independence and replaced the Second Continental Congress in order to create a new government for the newly independent United States. This Congress helped guide the nation through the final stages of the war, during peacetime. The importance of this Congress quickly declined as the war was coming to an end, and the nation would soon need a peacetime government for the people. -
Articles of Confederation Proposed
This is the date in which the Articles of Confederation was proposed, which was the original, the first, constitution of the United States. This was in agreement of all thirteen original states, and would serve as the building block for the future drafts. -
Articles of Confederation Ratified
This is the date in which the Articles of Confederation was officially ratified and therefore effective in the Untied States. -
End of Hostilities
The British Empire officially declares an end of hostilities towards the Untied States. This declares that Great Britain is no longer at war with the United States. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was a document signed in Paris by representatives of King George III and representatives of the United States that officially ended the Revolutionary War. The treaty set the boundaries between the British Empire and the new country. -
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
This is the document that the first amendment was based on. It was signed by Thomas Jefferson, and ensured the separation of church and state of Virginia. -
Shay's Rebellion
There were fears spread throughout the nation that the Revolution's democratic impulses had gotten out of hand. It wasn't until Shay's Rebellion that this fear was known to everyone. The rebellion was a small militia defeated an attack on the Springfield Armory on February 3, 1787, which brought attention to their cause. This sped up the process of the government settling a constitution. -
Signing of the Constitution
The Constitutional Convention help their final meeting, with only one item of business on the agenda, which was to sign the Constitution of the United States of America. 42 of the 55 delegates were in attendance, and took place in the same place as the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
