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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is known as the first document to guarantee the rights of the average citizen in England. This document set the groundwork for the English Common Law, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. It stated that the king could not impose his will on any citizen and that people could not be punished except through the law. -
Jamestown settled
The Virginia Company of London sent an expedition to establish a settlement in the Virginia Colony in December 1606. 105 men and boys and 39 crew-members were loaded onto a chosen spot in Virginia. They chose that particular spot becuase it could be easily defended. -
Mayflower Compact written
The Mayflower Compact was signed on 11 November 1620 on board the Mayflower. With no government in place, some didn't feel loyal to stay within the colony. This document was used as a temporary type of government until a long term one arrived. -
Petition of Rights
The Petition of Right is a major English constitutional document that sets out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. Te Petition contains restrictions on non-Parliamentary taxation, imprisonment without cause, and restricts the use of martial law. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union, was a proposal from Ben Franklin in 1754. He proposed a constitution-like plan that would put all the colonies under one government. -
Stamp Act
This was the first direct British tax on American colonists. Every newspaper, pamphlet, and other public and legal document had to have a Stamp, or British seal, on it. This stamp cost money, of course.They responded by making the Stamp Act Congress -
Boston Massacre
Colonists were outraged about the new taxes and laws that were being passed. Military troops were being asked to enforce these new laws. A small group of colonists began throwing snowballs and started to taunt the soldiers, so the soldiers opened fire and killed 5 men. -
Boston Tea Party
A tax was put on tea, and this angered many Americans. A group of them dressed up like Native Americans and boarded three ships (the Eleanor, the Dartmouth, and the Beaver) and dumped crates of tea into Boston harbor. -
First Continental Congress
Two groups of people from the 13 colonies came together to discuss liberty. They met together in response to the Intolerable Acts. -
Intolerable Acts
A series of laws passed by the British Parliement relating to Britains Colonie's in America. The acts triggered outrage and resistance in the Thirteen Colonies that later became the United States, and were important developments in the growth of the American Revolution. -
Second Continental Congress
The Continental Congress created the Continental Army and named George Washington as commander-in-chief. The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Marines Corps were created from the discussions. -
American Revolution
700 British troops marched into Lexington to find 77 armed minutemen waiting for them. The shot heard around the world was fired from a gun, and the Revolutionary War began. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution for the United States. The articles were written to give the country a sense of unity. -
Shay's Rebellion
This was a movement by New England farmers wanting to get paid for their service in the Revolutionary War. Farmer Daniel Shays took charge of the group and led an attack on an arsenal. Four men were killed and 20 were wounded. -
Constitutional Convention
Delegates were chosen from all 13 states to come together in secret to figure out a new government.Delegates worked for 4 months behind closed doors of the State House to draft a new document known later as the "Constitution." -
Philadelphia Convention
Also known as the Constitutional Convention, this convention addressed the problems in America from the Articles of Confederation. Its purpose was to create a whole new government. -
Connecticut Compromise
This was an agreement large and small states reached that decided the representation each state would have. This gave equal representation to small states as well as larger states in the Senate and House. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights is an act of the Parliament of England and one of the foundations on which British constitutional law was laid. The Bill was prepared with the aim of ensuring certain rights to which citizens and permanent residents would be entitled to. -
Declaration of Independence
A document drafted by Thomas Jefferson which explains why America wants to be its own country. In it it says that all men are created equal, all men have some rights given to them by God, and among those rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
