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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
Signed by King John, it was intended to protect a group of 13th-century barons rights and property against a tyrannical king. Even though the Magna Carta failed resolve the conflict, it served as inspiration during the American Revolution. The colonists believed they were entilted to the same rights that Englishmen were guaranteed in the Magna Carta. -
Jamestown Settled
America's first permanent English colony, 13 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in Massachusetts. -
Mayflower Compact written
Written agreement composed by a consensus of the new Settlers arriving at Plymouth. -
Petition of Right
Petition sent by Parliament to King Charles I, complaining of a series of breaches of law. The petiont was set out to recongize the 4 principles: no taxation without the consent of parliament, no imprisonment without cause, no quartering of soldiers on subject, and no martial law in peacetime. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights quaranteed the rights of the citizens of England from encroachment by the king. The American Bill of Rights was influenced by the English Bill of Rights. -
Albany Plan of Union
Was a plan to place the British North American Colonies under a more centralized government. The plan was never carried out, it was the first important plan to conceive of the the colonies as a collective whole united under one government. -
Stamp Act
The act required the use of stamped paper for legal documents, diplomas, almanacs, broadsides, newspapers, and playing cards. The presence of the stamp on these items was to be proof that the tax had been paid. -
Boston Massacre
A street fight between a patriot mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squadd of British soldiers. The riot began when about 50 citizens attacked a British sentinel. In the riot, 3 people killed, 8 wounded, and 2 died later. -
Boston Tea Party
It started with the Tea Act, which allowed English East India Compnay to sell tea to the colonists at a low price. The British reasoned that the Americans would willingly pay the tax it they were able to pay a low price for the tea. Samuel Adams and his follows boarded a cargo ship and the threw the tea overboard. -
Intolerable Acts
The acts were laws that were really punishments that King George III put on the colonies. He did this to the colonists because he wanted to punish them for dumping tea into the harbor at the Boston Tea Party. -
First Continental Congress
Met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. All the colonies except Georgia sent delegates. The colonies presented there were united in a determination to show a combined authority to Great Britain. -
American Revolution Begins
American forces win Battle of Lexington and King George III declares colonies in a state of rebellion. -
Second Continental Congress
Was presided over by John Hancock, who replaced the ailing Peyton Randolph, and included some of the same delegates as the first. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were additions the meeting. -
Declaration of Independence
The Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania State House approved the Declaration of Independence. -
Articles of Confederation
They created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. The need for a stronger Federal government led to the constitutional Convention in 1787. The Articles of Confederation were replaced on March 4,1789 by the United States Constitution. -
Shay's Rebellion
Outraged by the denial of paper money to prevent foreclosures on the lands of hardworking farmer, Daniel Shay led a rebellion against the government to prove how serious the farmers of the time were. -
Constitution Convention
The original states appointed 70 individuals to the Constitutional Convention. 55 delegates attended the Constitutional Convention. -
Philadelphia Convention
Assembly that drafted the Constitution of the United States. All states but Rhode Island sent delegates. The delegates decided to replace the Articles of Confederation with a document that strengthened the federal government. -
Connecticut Compromise
Was an agreement between large and small states reached during the Philadelphia Convention.
