-
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is a Charter of rights signed by King John. King Johns nobility was fed up with him abusing his power on the throne. The Magna Carta limited the power of the King and gave more power to the nobility. This is the first idea of limited government. -
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is the ideology of trading internationally to benefit your nation's economy. The goal of mercantilism is to export more good then you import, this helps aim to reduce a possible loss in current assets or gain surplus assets. Mercantilism encouraged nations to got to war as well as influencing colonial expansion. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules set by the pilgrims when colonizing America. The document was a way of self-governing the community. The pilgrims were not under any rule of the king back in England, they established order to ultimately stop a rebellion. -
English Bill of Rights
The engish Bill of Rights was an act the was written to limit the power of the monarchy and create a separation of powers. It was written during the Glorious Revolution, the current king had fled the country after not fulfilling his responsibility as a king. His daughter and her husband were next in line but they had to sign the compact before they could fulfill the role. It states that the monarchy can't interfere in the law or create more laws without the parliament -
Cato's Letters
Cato's letters were a series of newspapers Written by the author's stage names Cato senior and Cato Junior. These articles were written to argue and discuss new liberal ideas. they were distributed in America's thirteen colonies and influenced many of the ideas included in the American Constitution. -
Period: to
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was an imperial struggle between Frane and Britain. otherwise, known as the seven years war, the French colonies expansion into the Ohio River valley caused conflict over territory with the British. In the end, Britain was able to claim Canada from the french and Florida from the Spanish but gave Louisiana to Spain and let the french keep the West Indian sugar islands. -
Stamp Act
The stamp act was a law imposed by the British parliament to impose taxes on every sheet of paper shipped to the colonies.
including legal documents, newspapers, letters, stamps, even playing cards were taxed. The colonists didn't agree with this new taxation, it set a standard that everything was going to be taxed from the colonists making life harder. the law was set out to raise money for the British without the consent of the colony legislature -
The Declaratory Act
The Declaratory Act was a declaration o the British parliament repealed the stamp act. it stated that the taxation in the colonies was the same as the British. This act was followed due to the distasteful actions of the stamp and sugar act where the British attempted to gain profit off of the colonies. This act main purpose was to assure the Colonies weren't being treated unfairly which is ironic because a year later the Townshend act was passed, making the Declaratory act less credible. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend act was a collection of laws passed by British parlimant that stripped the colonies of some of there freedoms and added new taxes that would make it harder for the colonial economy to flourish. They taxed paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea. The act also allowed British officials to search the home of any colonist without a legal document. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston massacre was a confrontation between the colonial army and a group of colonists. The colonists shot and killed many people within the mob that was harassing them on kings street in Boston. The event was metaphorically the shot heard around the world because it was supposedly the spark that started the revolutionary war. -
The Tea Act
The tea act was another one of the laws imposed on the colonies in hopes to help fix Great Britains Financial problems. The act allowed the tea to be sold directly to the colonies; it didn't have to go through Britain first. it gave east India a monopoly in the tea industry. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston tea party was an event where colonists raided many merchant ships that sold tea to the colonies. The Colonists took the tea from the ships and threw the boxes overboard into the harbor. the Colonists did this to protest against the tea act imposed by British parlimant that taxed the colonists unfairly. -
The Intolerable Act
The Intolerable Act was a punishment on the colonies the was passed in 1774. The act was in retaliation to the Boston tea party which was a protest against Britain for there cruel taxations. It aimed to remind the colonies of Britains authority and quiet down the rebellion. -
Period: to
First Continental Congress
The first continental congress is the first meeting of colonial delegates of the thirteen colonies. it was a form of government before the formation of the united states. The formation of this congress as a result of the Intolerable act that damaged the well being of the thirteen colonies -
Common Sense
Common sense was written by Thomas Paine in 1775 that acted as a persuasive pamphlet for America to take action and gain independence against Great Britain. Its language was simple enough that the common folk could understand the article. The accessibility gave the message more of a following which gave the ideas more power. The declaration of independence was written later that year -
Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the revolutionary war. On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord in order to seize an arms cache. This is the war where Paul Revere made his famous ride warning the militia of the attack. the Colonists were able to drive away enemy forces using guerilla warfare. -
Second Continental Congress
The second continental congress was another gathering of people of high authority during the revolutionary war. They were essentially responsible for the battle plan during the war. Congress successfully aided the war effort and stayed as a provisional government until 1871 -
Declaration of Independence
The declaration ofindepence was written on July 4, 1776. The document stated the separation from British rule. It was signed by all the members of the second continental congress.
