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First Continental Congress
Colonial delegates met in Philadelphia and sent George III the Declaration of Resolves that demanded a repeal of the Intolerable Acts, to end British military occupation, and give the colonies the power to impose their own tax laws. -
Publication of Common Sense
A 47 page political pamphlet by Thomas Paine explaining that the people must fight against the unfair ways of King George III and the British Parliament. Paine wanted to form a republican government in which people would govern themselves through democratically elected representatives. -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met to discuss how to react between the fighting of colonist and British troops at Lexington and Concord. Congress assumed the role of the government during the Revolutionary War. -
Articles of Confederation
The first written constitution of the United States. The states remain soverign and indeoendent under these articles. Congress was given the authority to make treaties and alliances. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolutionary War and was signed by representatives of King George III and representatives of the United States. -
Shays Rebellion
Shays Rebellion was a series of protests by American farmers against tax collections and judgments for debt. The rebels harassed leading merchants, lawyers, and supporters of the state government. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention addressed the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. -
Federalist Papers
A collection of 85 articles promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. -
Ratification of the Constituion
he Philadelphia Convention aka The Constituitional Convention finalized the drafting process of the Constitution of the United States. -
Bill of Rights
The name for the first ten amendments of the United States Constituion. These were added to the Constituion to address fears raised by the anti-federalists. -
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence announced that the thirteen American colonies were becoming thirteen independent sovereign states and were no longer under British rule
