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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
Magna Carta BackroundKing John was facing down a possible rebellion by the country's powerful barons and was forced to sign, and it limited the king's power and stated that no "freeman" or "non-serf" could be punished except through the law of the land. The picture depicts King John signing the Magna Carta forced on by the barons. The link given is a thorough explanation of what the Magna Carta is, and it's legacy -
Mayflower Compact
It was the first written framework of goverment established in the New World (what is now the United States). It was written to prevent dissent amongst Puritans and non-separist Pilgrims who had landed at Plymouth a few days earlier. The image depicts the signing of the actual compact document. -
Petition of Rights
The Petition of Rights granted restrictions non-parliamentary taxation, forced billeting of soldiers, imprisonment with out cause, and restricts the use of martial law. The petition was signed by King Charles I. -
English Bill of Rights
The document lays down limits on the powers of the crown and sets out the rights of Parliament. It officially set up England as a joined sovereignty between Parliament and the monarchy. William and Mary, the monarchs of the time, signed the English Bill of Rights to end the Glorious Revolution. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was a plan adopted by the representatives from seven of the British North American colonies. The plan was to unite the British North colonies under a more centralized government, but it was never carried out. The famous political cartoon depiciting a snake that is severed into pieces with the caption "Join or Die" represents the Albany Plan of Union and was created by Benjamin Franklin. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War erupted after increasing hostilities between the French and British, who were battling to hold the most territory in America. Major battles in this war include the Battle of Quebec, where the British were able to seize the French territory in an uphill battle, and the French surrender at Montreal, where the outnumbered French fianlly gave in to British forces. The British were ultimately victorious. The picture shows a battle won by the the British. -
King George III takes power
King George III reigned for 59 years. He changed the relationship between the British and the colonies when he decided that the colonies should have to pay for part of the French and Indian War and enforced acts that resulted in heavy taxation for the colonies. The image given is a picture of what King George III looks like. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act required that all legal documents, magazines, newspapers, and other papers throughout the colonies be taxed. The Colonists then rebelled by not sending representatives to Parliament. Their notion caused problems because it couldn't have influence on what was taxes were raised, how they were levied, or how they were spent. The image represents the type of stamps used for taxing. -
Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre ExplanationThe Boston Massacre was the killing of 5 colonists by British regulars. It was the culmination of tensions in American colonies that had been growing sihnce Royal Troops first came to Massachusetts and enforced the Townshend Acts which involved heavy taxation. The image shows Brithish troops shooting at civilians in Boston. The link that's provided gives a detailed excerpt on the Boston Massacre. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest led by a group of Massachusetts Patriots against the monopoly on American tea importation that was granted by Parliament to the East India Company. They seized 342 chests of tea and threw them into the harbor. It was organized by the Sons of Liberty. Parliament responded in 1774 with the Intolerable Acts which ended local self-government in Massachusetts and closed Boston's commerce. The picture shows members of the Tea Party dumping tea out into Bosotn harbors -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were passed due to the events that occured during the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Port Act closed the ports of Boston until the EIC was repaid. The Massachussets Goverment Act altered Massachusetts' goverment to bring it under control of British goverment. The Administration of Justice Act allowed govenors to move trials of royal officials to another colony. The Quarting Act allowed a govenor to house soldiers in other buildings if suitable quarters weren't provided. -
First Continental Congress
The first Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. Some of the major personalities involved include George Washington, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, Edmund Pendleton, Benjamin Harrison, Richard Bland, and Peyton Randolph. The point was to figure out how to communicate the grievances of the colony to Great Britian and convince them to abolish the Intolerable Acts. As a result, the first United States Congress was established. The image shows the meeting that took place. -
Lexington and Concord
Battle Lexington and Concord Video Explanation Lexington and Concord were the battles that started the Revolutionary War. The generals invovled were Colonel Smith, Major Pitcairne, and Lord Percy of the British Army. Paul Revere warned the Colonists en route to Concord & Congress. The image and link give a detailed visual of the battles that took place. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was held in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. The main topics discussed at the meeting were discussions of the Olive Branch Petition, Declaration of Causes & Necessity of Taking Up Arms, the Declaration of Independence, The Model Treaty, and the Articles of Confederation. The key people of the Continental Congress were John Hanock, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Charles Thompson. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress announcing the thirteen American colonies regarding themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. The thirteen colonies formed the United States of America. The image shows the key members of the Continental Congress, like Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock, signing the Declaration of Independence in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was an agreement among the thirteen founding states that established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states. The first president to fall under the Articles of Confederation was John Hanson. -
Treaty of Paris
The US representatives in the Treaty of Paris were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay. The treaty stated that the US gets access to the Mississippi River, establishes boundaries with US & British North America, and extend US territory to the New Nation west of Mississippi River and south to Spanish Florida. The document that the English finally agreed on was the Jay Treaty. -
Start of Constitutional Convention
The events that started the Constitutional Convention first occured from May 25th to September 17th. The main event that took notice was the Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government. The initial cause was to revise the Articles of Condeferation, but it came to be later that it was to create a new government rather than fixing the existing one.
