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Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was passed by the British Parliament. The British added taxes to molasses, and sugar so they would have more money. -
Quartering and Stamp Act
The British prime minister George Grenville persuaded Parliament to pass the Stamp Act and Quartering Act. The Quartering Act required colonists to provide supplies for British soldiers in the Colonies. The Stamp Act was that the colonists had to pay for stamps on all legal documents and all other items that must be stamped. The colonists then resented the Pariament. -
Start of the Revolutionary War
On this day first shots were heard from Lexington Massachusetts between the British and the colonists. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaratioin of Independence from England was created and signed by representatives of the Colonies. -
Articles of Confederation Created
The Articles of Confederation were created because the people were worried they would have little or no power with a government far away, like their British rule. In response to these worries, leaders made the Articles of Confederation, that gave each state a decent amount of independence and a backbone as well. The Congress could pass laws but could not make the citizens obey them, and they could not control citizen uprisings. -
Rebellions
Over the years before the Constitution was signed, there were small rebellions through out the country. One for example, was Shays' Rebellion -
Annapolis Convention
The State of Virginia passed a resolution that called for 13 different delgates from each colony to meet in Annapolis to discuss the nation' problems. Their goal was the amend the Articles of Confederation so the national government would be more effective. Unfortunately only delgates from five states showed up, so they planned to have a bigger convention the next year. -
Shays' Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was an outbreak from Massachusetts' farmers due to the farmers loosing their land because of debt. Armed mobs began closing in courts in western colonies, and soon Revolutionary War veteran Daniel Shays became the leader. The state officials dispersed the rebels in Springfield on January 25, 1787. -
People Began to Realize
After Shays' Rebellion, people began to realize that America needed a stronger national government might be needed after all. -
Constitutional Convention
On this date, twelve delgates from each state except Rhode Island gathered in Philadelphia. In Independence Hall May 25, they all decided that the states would use the Connecticut Compromise that called for a bicameral legislature or Congress . One of the two houses of Congress would be elected according to the states' relative populations. The other house would give equal voice to each state no matter what its size. Most delegates agreed with this idea. -
Signing of the Constitution
The Constitution was signed by 33 of its original 55 delgates. Several had left the signing because they doubted the documents ability to rule the nation. The document was not final, as it had to be approved by the 13 states' governments. The Constitution itself said that 9 of the 13 states would have to approve the document before it really could become effective.
