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Jan 1, 1215
Magna Carta
Forced king John who was treating them harshly to sign a document Limited power of the monarch
NO ONE above the law
Everyone would get equal treatment under the law
Trialled by ones peers -
Jan 1, 1300
Parliament
King develops a group that represents common people called Parliament. -
1600-1700
Accept common law
No ruler is above the law
Should have basic rights protected
Should have voice in government -
House of Burgesses (V/A)
1st representatives / assembly in English Colonies -
Mayflower compact
Established direct democracy -
John Locke
English writer
People are born free and equal and independent
Born with natural rights to life, liberty and property that government that cannot take away
People give up part of their freedom in exchange for protection of natural rights -
Fundamental order of Connecticut
1st written constitution in America Assembly of elected reps from town to make law Popular election of governor and judges -
Massachusetts Body of Liberties
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Enlightenment
Locke and Montesquieu were Enlightenment thinkers
Believed that God had created an orderly universe
Laws of the Universe could be discovered through the use of human reason
Law that governed nature also applied to human life and society -
Pennsylvania Frame of Government and 1701 PA charter of privileges
Establish basis of US constitution and bill of rights Colonist believed egalitarianism (equality) Part of this was the belief that colonist had all traditional rights of native English people -
The Glorious Revolution
Parliament removes King James III and replaces him with his daughter and her husband. From this time on, no ruler would have more power than parliament -
Glorious Revolution
Parliament removes King James III and replace him with his daughter From this time no ruler has more power than Parliament -
English Bill of Rights
Further restricted the power of Monarch Guaranteed free elections to Parliament- right to fair trial*
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Baron de Montesquieu
Divided branches of government into different parts to make sure one part does not have too much power -
Jean- Jacques Rousseau
Wrote the social contract
People alone have the right to determine how they should be governed -
The 13 colonies established
Each colony has a governor elected by colonists or appointed by the king
Each had a legislature with rep. elected by free adult males -
Mid 1700s
Colonist are not feeling they had rights of Native English people because taxes and limitations placed They had self sufficient, representative government for 100+ years Not turning back or stopping now- we'll have to fight for our independence -
Albany Plan of union
First discussion of colonies for union against British government -
Can't live on other side a Appalachian mountains
They don't want to stir up the Native Americans -
Stamp act
Tax on all paper goods -
Quartering act
Colonist must provide barracks and supplies to British troops -
Day stamp act
Repealed and established declatory act- Parliament has the right to tax and to make decisions for American colonies in all classes -
Townshed act
Allowed British government officers to enter everywhere suspected of smuggling (because many colonist were doing that because of taxes and boycotting) -
Boston Massacre
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Boston tea party
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Tea Act
British could ship tea to colonist without a tax making it cheaper to buy the colonial tea -
Philidalphia
First continental congress- write to king George III- " We demand you to restore our rights as British citizens -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
First battle of American Revolution -
Second continental congress meets
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Thomas Paine " Common Sense"
Moved many undecided colonist toward the belief that independence was the only course of action -
Declaration of Independence
Wrote list of complaints against the king Beliefs about right about independent rights Pulled from ideas of Locke and Montesquieu