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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
Issued in Latin, the Magna Carta was a document forced upon King John by the feudal barons in hope to limit his power and protect their villages. -
Jamestown settled
The first settlement of the Virginia colony, served as the capital till 1699. Jamestown was settled by 105 men and boys and 39 crew-members, by Captain Christopher Newport. -
Mayflower Compact written
The Mayflower Compact was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the Separatists, also known as the "Saints", fleeing religious persecution from James VI and I. -
Petition of Right
After disputes between Parliament and King Charles over the execution of the Thirty Years War, this was created. The Petition of Right is a constitutional document that sets out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing. -
English Bill of Rights
A restatement in statutory form of the Declaration of Right. It laid down limits on the powers of sovereign and sets out the rights of Parliament and rules for freedom of speech in Parliament. -
Albany Plan of Union
Ben Franklin wrote the Albany Plan of Union in 1754, so that all 13 colonies would join together to win the French and Indian War. It was an attempt to form a union of the colonies but was rejected. -
American Revolution begins
Era began in 1763, after a series of victories by British forces at the conclusion of the French and Indian War . The colonies were then treated and taxed unfairly and tried to pull away from Britain, starting the American Revolution. -
Stamp Act
A direct tax imposed by British Parliament on the colonies. The tax was put on to help pay for British troops positioned in the colonies. -
Boston Massacre
Incident in Boston, Mass. where British troops killed five civilian men and injured six others. When a large crowd formed, the troops fired without orders. -
Boston Tea Party
A political protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts against the tax policy of Britain. After officials in Boston refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, colonists boarded the ships and threw the tea into Boston Harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
Series of laws passed by British Parliament to punish the colonies for the Boston Tea party. -
First Continental Congress
After being punished for the Boston Tea party, 56 members were appointed by legislatures of 12 of the 13 colonies to attend this convention. The convention was put together to deal with the Intolerable acts inforced on the colonies by Britain. -
Second Continental Congress
Convention of delegates from the 13 colonies that met to manage the colonial war effort and adopt the Declaration of Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
Adopted by the Continental Congress, it was a statement annoucing that the colonies were indepenent states, no longer part of Britain. -
Articles of Confederation
An agreement among the 13 states that established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and served as its first constitution. The Continental Congress began drafting it in mid 1776; approved in 1777. The 13 states completly ratifed it in early 1781. -
Shay's Rebellion
A rebellion in central and western Massachusetss led by Daniel Shays, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War and one of the rebel leaders. The rebellion was due to many factors but mainly financial difficulties. -
Constitution Convection
This is a meeting in Philadelphia where the Constitution was written in the founding fathers. George Washington being elected President. -
Philadelphia Convention
Convention to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Great Britain. -
Connecticut Compromise
An agreement between large and small states that was reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It in part defined the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the United States Constitution.
