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Feb 5, 1215
Magna Carta
Made peace between unpopular king and a group of rebel barons. It promised the protection of church rights. -
Petition of Right
a major English constitutional document that sets out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. the Petition contains restrictions on non-Parliamentary taxation -
English Bill of Rights
English Precursor of the constitution. It limited the power of the English soverign and was written as an act of parliment -
Albany Plan of Union
A Proposal to create a unified government for the 13 colonies. A plan to place the North American colonies under a more centralized government -
Boston Massacre
The killing of 5 colonists by Britis regulars. It was the culmination of tensions to enforce heavy tax burder imposed by the Townshend Act. -
Boston Tea Party
Group of colonists protest 13 years of increasing British opression. They attacked merchant ships in the Boston Harbor -
First Continental Congress
The meeting of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies. They talked about issues such as economic boycott of British trade and rights. -
American Revolutionary War
Essentially a conservative movement that did not drastically change the colonists way of life. it's primary goal was to restore rights the colonists felt were already theirs as british subjects -
Second Continental Congress
Convension of deligates from 13 colonies in Philidelphia, PA. This was formed after warware in the American Revolutionary War began. -
Declaration of Independance
Stated grievances against the British monarch and declares our Independance. It was adopted by the Continental Congress -
Articles of Confederation
First constitution of the US. It established a nationwide legislature, the constitutional congress, but most athority rested with state legislatures. -
Shay's Rebellion
Series of attacks on the courthouse by small band of farmers to block foreclosure proceedings. It was led by Revolutionary War captain, Daniel Shays. -
The aborted Annapolis meeting
A handful of learders assembled in annapolis, maryland to discuss problems with the Articles of confederation and suggest solutions. It was an abortive attempt to reform. -
Virginia Plan
Proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for repsentation of each state in congress. This was drafted by James Maddison -
Philadelphia Convention
Adressed problems in governing the US, which had been opperating under the articles of confederation. This meeting was intended to revise the Articles of Confederation -
New Jersy Plan
a proposal for the structure of the United States Government presented by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention. The plan was created in response to the Virginia Plan, which called for two houses of Congress -
Connecticut Compromise
The compromise reached at the constitutional convention that established two houses of congress. Representation is based on the state's share of the US population. -
Federalist Papers
A collection of 85 articels written by Hamilton, Jay, and Madison under the name "publius" to defend the constitution in detail. It reflected the thinking of the farmers. They began to appear in New York newspapers as the ratification debate -
Marburry v. Madison
Chief justice John Marshall and his associates first asserted the right of the supreme court to determine the meaning of the consitution. The decision established the court's power of judicial review over acts of congress -
Equal Rights Amendment
Constitutional Ammendment passed by congress. This stated that equal rights under the law shall not be denied on account of sex.
