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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
a charter of liberties agreed to by King John of England, it made the king obey the same laws as the citizens -
The English Bill of Rights
The english Bill of rights limited the power of the english sovereign, and was written as an act of Parliament. -
French and Indian War
This war was between France and Great Britain. Indian tribes fought on both sides. They fought over the Ohio River Valley, and it was known as "Seven Year War." Great Britain won, after they signed the Treaty of Paris. Also the Wampanoag tribe oppesed the New England colonists by taking their land,(ohio river valley) The French wanted to still fur trade with the Indians and gain land. -
Sugar Act
The British passed the Sugar act to raise money for the colonies in Britain. They taxed the colonists on sugar, -
Stamp Act
This act made colonists pay for an offical stamp, or seal when they bought paper items like: documents,playing cards, and pamphlets. Stamp act was Parliaments attempt to raise money by taxing the colonists directly rather than imported goods. -
Quartering Acts
This required the colonists to house the British soldiers. The soldiers would take their food,and the best bedroom. The colonists were very mad about this. -
Organization of the Sons of LIberty
A group that used tactics to scare tax collectors and promoted ways to avoid paying taxes to Britain. -
Repeal of Stamp Act
People issued a declaration that the stamp act was a violation of their rights and liberties. It grew quickly to repeal it, and added a lot of pressure to the Parliament. They repealed it in 1766. -
Declaratory Act
This act stated that the Parliament had the power to make laws for the colonists. This act later stripped away much of the independence of the colonists and they became very worried. -
Townshend Act
This act placed tax on glass, lead, paints, paper and tea. This also gave tax collectors right to search for smugglers goods. The colonists boycotted many of the British goods. -
Boston Massacre
A crowd of colonists started to taunt the redcoats. (British soldiers) One of the soldiers shot into the crowd killing 3-5. The colonists used this as a propaganda aganist the British. -
Tea Act
Act that allowed the British East India Company sell tea to the Colonists. Many people feared that the cheap tea will put the colonists out of business. Boats of tea landed in the Boston Harbor. This was part of the townshend acts. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists were so madd about the British taxing them on tea, so they dressed up as indians and went on 3 boats. They dumped out all of the tea on the boats in the ocean. This caused a lot of tension/conflict. -
Governor of Massachusetts changed by king
The governent act in Massachusetts made the King very mad because it gave all the power to the local governor. The king order that Thomas Hutchinson had to leave power and a british soldier later took power. -
Intolerable Acts
The British were so mad about the Boston Tea Party, that they passed the Coercive acts. This act later closed the boston harbor. Had the Massacheusetts charter cancelled. Came up with the Quartering Acts, and Quebec act. Intolerable means unbearable. -
Closing of Boston Harbor
As the result of the Boston Tea Party, the British closed the Boston harbor and made the colonists pay for the dumped over tea. Thos caused tension between the colonists and the British. -
First Continental Congress
This was a meeting of colonial delegates in Philadelphia to decide how to react to the closing of the Boston Harbor. Also about the increased taxes and abuses of authority by the British government. Colonists delegates petitioned King George III, by listing the freedom they thought the colonists should have and enjoy having. -
Massachusetts charter canceled
The British were still mad about the Boston Tea Party, so they canceled Massachusetts charter. The charter was canceled due to protests and outbreaks of this colony.(also because of Boston Tea Party) -
Patrick Henry's speech
Henry made a speech stating that we are strong and either give us liberty or give us death. Mant colonists agreed with him and later were called patriots which fought for their independence from Great Britain. -
Governor Gage's seizing of colonists stockpile of weapons
Governor Gage found out that there were stockpiles of weapons in Concord. He tried to keep it a secret, but it later came into the Lexigton and Concord battle. -
Paul Revere's ride
Mass. Governor, Thomas Gage learned that a stockpile of weapons was stored in Concord. He thought he would get away with it, but there were many spies. When Paul Revere saw a sign that the Britsih were coming, he set off on horseback and told everyone. -
Battle at Lexington and Concord
The British arrived at Lexington where they found 70 minutemen standing there. The patriot then said "don't fire unless fired upon. If this means war, let it start here." Someone then fire and it was known as the "shot heard around the world." The lexington battle only lasted a couple of minutes, when the British marched to Concord. They were very mad when they found out that the weapons were hidden. This causes conflict and another battle came upon. -
Second Continental Congress
A meeting of colonial delegates in Philadelphia to decide how to react to the fighting at Lexington and Concord. -
Benedict Arnold's Ticonderoga fort seizure
Boston leaders sent Benedict Arnold and 400 other men to New York State to attack the British at Fort Ticonderoga. Arnold then captured the fort and all its supplies of weapons. -
Forming the Continental army
The Continental Army was formed by the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Also formed by the colonies. Congress created the Continental Army. George Washington later took commander. -
Named George Washington commander of Continental army
Second Continental Congress unanimously voted George Washington as commander. He later on lead a great group of men. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Patriots had the British pinned down in Boston and made them move to Breed's Hill. British were low on gun powder, but still fought. The colonists later had to quit because they ran out of supplies. The patriots lost, and the British won a tragic victory. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was a letter to King George III, from members of the Second Continental Congress, that represents the last attempt by the colonists to avoid a war of independence against Britain. -
Fort Ticonderoga
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Battle at Quebec
Leaders: General Richard Montgomery, and for British: Benedict Arnold. Montgomery and Arnold met to fight over Canada. In the end, the Patriots lost and the British had one another battle -
Canada Invasion
Leaders: General Richard Montgomery and British Benedict Arnold fought over Canada. Arnold tried to take over the city of Quebec but when that failed the British and the Patriots attacked. The Patriots lost again. -
Thomas Paine's common sense
Common Sense was 47 page pamphlet thatwas distributed in Philadelphia. This was a need to break away from Britian, and the colonists used this a propaganda. It was created by Thomas Paine. -
Battle of Nassau
The British had a supply stock in the Bahamas. The Patriots attacked the supply base, and seize it. The Patriots then focused on making the British weak. -
Dorchester Heights
George Washington moved his troop to Dorchester Heights, which was an area that overlooked Boston from the South. He had everyone station the cannons and themselves on Nook's Hill. The British later woke up and saw them, fleeing to Canada. -
Declaration of Rights draft
In 1776 a draft was documented to express the right of men also including the right to rebel against unsuitable government. Later on the Declaration of Independence and many more documents were influenced by this draft. -
Signing of Declaration of Independence
This document was adopted by the continental congress and signed that the 13 orginial colonies and states "we were free of the British empire." For now on ever JUly 4th we celebrate our independence, -
E pluribus unum
E pluribus unum means "out of many, one." It is now on the United States of America Seal. It was created by John Adams, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. -
Battle of Long Island
The British Army moved againist the Continental Army. The battle was part of a British campaign to take control of New York and isolate New England. The British attaked in Long Island and Washington took his troops to New Jersey. The British had another victory. -
Battle of Trenton
Leaders: George Washington and Johann Rall. The Patriots circled the British while Washinton attacked. The patriots had come up with a strategy. This was very important becuase Patriots had won finally. -
Battle of Saratoga
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2nd Battle of Ticonderoga
The British had captured the Americans. Fort Ticonderoga was important symbol to the Americans, it showed how the British couldn't invade the Northern colonies. -
Articles of Confederation
A document that created the first central government for the u.s that made the states have all the power and the central government barely any at all. The Articles of Confederation were too vauge, so it was replaced by the constitution in 1789. -
Battle of Charleston
The British started loosing so their stategy was to capture all the southern cities. The British tried to capture Charleston. The city had surrendered to the British. -
Battle of King's Mountain
This war was between the Patriots and the Loyalists. It took place in South Carolina. The Loyalists suffered big time, with their leaders suicidal charge down the hill killing him. HIs troop tried to surrender but they were all shot. -
Battle of Yorktown
This was the last "major" battle of the Revolution. Patriots were very low on supplies. The Americans then joined with France to take down the British. Both troops surrounded the Britsh. The Americans and French won. -
Land Ordinance
Legislation passed by Congress authorizing surveys and the division of public lands in the western region of the country. -
Shay’s Rebellion
In Massachuetts, many Farmers suffered from high debt as they tried to form new farms. Massachuetts didn't pay attentiom to this crisis, and threw farmers in jail if they couldn't pay it off. This caused a rebellion with farmers, under the leader Daniel Shays. This made the central government look weak. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Legislation passed by congress to form a political structure for the Northwest Territory ( Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsion,
and a small part of MInnesota.) This created a system for the admission of new states. -
Constitution Ratification
The constitution was as set of principles that the citizens should follow. The constitution would give most of its power to the central government. 9 out th 13 states rafified it, and it became part of our country.
