Foundations of American Government

By Jenniferrr13
  • Feb 3, 1215

    Magna Carta

    Magna Carta
    The Magna Carta was a document that King John of England (1166 - 1216) was forced into signing, because it greatly reduced the power he held as the King of England and allowed for the formation of a powerful parliament. The Magna Carta became the basis for English citizen's rights.

  • Petition of Right

    Petition of Right
    The petition of rights was a document prepared by parliament and signed by King Charles I of England in 1628 which limited the kings’ power. It also challenged the idea of divine right and declared that even the monarch was subject to the laws of the land.

  • George Washington

    George Washington
    George Washington, born on Feb 22, 1732, was the first President of the United States, the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

  • John Hancock

    John Hancock
    John Hancock, born on January 23, 1737, became the first representative to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence was a document which maintained that the thirteen American states were free of British rule. Hancock signed bigger than everyone else; to this day, the idea of leaving one's "John Hancock" on paperwork has meaning.

  • Thomas Jefferson

    Thomas Jefferson
    Thomas Jefferson, born on April 13, 1743 was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third President of the United States.

  • French and Indian War

    French and Indian War
    The English and the French battled for colonial domination in North America, the Caribbean, and in India from 1756 to 1763. This was also known as the seven years’ war, and America won.

  • Boston Massacre

    Boston Massacre
    On March 5, 1770, a street fight broke out due to the unwelcome British troops. The troops then fired on a jeering crowd and killed 5. This led to the revolutionary war.

  • Boston Tea Party

    Boston Tea Party
    On December 16, 1773, the American Colonists decided they were fed up with the excessive tax on the tea, so they dressed up as Indians and boarded three trade ships in Boston Harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard.