Origins of American Government

American Revolution

Period: Jan 30, 1200 to Jan 30, 1800

Magna Carta

Jan 30, 1215

A group of determined barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede. The barons who prompted it were seeking protection against heavy-handing and arbitrary acts by the king.

Petition of Right

Jan 30, 1628

This limited the king's power. It demanded that he no longer imprision or otherwise punish any person but by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of land.

Albany Plan of Union

Jul 30, 1754

This was a proposal to create a unified governmnet for the thirteenth colonies. it was suggested by B. Franklin in Pennslyvania.

Boston Massarcre

Jan 30, 1770

Also know as the incident of King Street, this was battle in the street between the british and the colonies. The British killed five male citizens and injured six.

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

This was an act of protest against taxes in whish the sons of liberty desguised themselves as native Americans and dumped tea into the habor.

First Continental Congress

Jan 30, 1774

Parliament passed another set of laws, this time to punish the colonist for the troubles in Boston. These new laws were the Intolerable Acts.

Second Continental Congress

May 10, 1774

When te British government continued to refese the compromise its colonist policies, the Declaration of Rights became even stricter. The congress met in Philadelphia and the revolution began.

The Declaration of Independance

Jul 4, 1776

Adopted by the Continental Congress, this document announced that the thirteen American colonies as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.

Articles of Confederation

Mar 1, 1781

This was the first contiution of the Unitied States. It was mad but the Contintal Congress in 1777 but did not occur unti 1781.

Shay's Rebellion

Jan 30, 1786

A armed uprising that took place in Massachusetts. Historians believes this altered the course of the United States.

Virginia Plan

Jan 30, 1787

Thsi proposal by Virgiana delegates for a bicameral legislative branch. The plan was drafted by James Madison while he waited for a quorum to assemble at the Constitutional Convention.

Philadelphia Convention

Mar 25, 1787

A series of meetings that took place to discuss the problems of the Unitied States. I was meant to revise the Articles of Confederation but ended up in creating a new government.

New Jersey Plan

Jun 15, 1797

This was presented by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention, proposing the structure of the United States government.

The English Bill of Rights

Jan 30, 1989

This document prohibited a standing army in peace time, except with the consent of Parliament. It also required all parliamentary elections be free.