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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is a charter that was drafted to make peace between an unpopular king and his people. The Magna Carta promised protection of church rights, protection for the people from wrongful imprisonment, and to limit the power of the crown through a council of 25 barons. The Magna Carta limits the government's power and protects the people's rights, something that is included in the U.S constitution also. -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was the first document that governed people in a democracy. The Mayflower Compact was written up by passengers of the Mayflower because they made their settlement in Massachusetts instead of Virginia, so the pilgrims would be able to make their own government. The Mayflower Compact can be considered the first document concerning a democratic government, which the U.S constitution is also a document describing a democratic government. -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut sets the structure and power of the towns near the Connecticut River. This gave the government access to ocean trading. Many of the fundamentals used in the US constitution are found in the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, such as each individual's rights, and how the government will protect them. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was a bill that was passed in England that limits the power of the monarch and in fact divides it among the government. It also gave people the right to vote and gave them free speech. The US constitution adopted this ideal of dividing the powers and giving people the right to free speech. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, also called the seven years war, was fought between the new British colonies and New France. Many Native Americans sided with the French colonists thus giving it its name. The war ended with several Treaties being signed such as the Treaty of Paris, and the Treaty of Hubertusburg. These treaties ensured that the Mississippi River was open to vessels from all nations. -
Albany Plan of Union
The Albany plan of Union created a unified government for the thirteen colonies. This ensured that there was an organized defense for the colonies and other purposes. The Constitution of the United States establishes a unified government with separation of powers, and provides an national defense. -
The Acts
Acts such as the Stamp Act and the Tea act imposed taxes on the colonists that were deemed unfair. The colonists then had several protests and even an revolution against these acts. The colonists then drafted the constitution with the idea of avoiding such acts. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting between twelve of the thirteen colony delegates at Carpenter's Hall. They discussed the intolerable Acts the British had imposed on them. The constitution was created with the idea of avoiding Acts like the Stamp tax and other intolerable acts, so the First Continental Congress had an effect on the Constitution. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress succeeded the First Continental Congress. The Second Continental Congress moved towards independence and eventually drafted the Declaration of Independence. The Second Continental Congress discussed many of the ideals they wanted the country to have, and were later included in the US Constitution. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is considered most of the most crucial documents to be signed in the United States. It declared Independence from the British and established the US as its own country with the ability to be governed how the people deemed fit. The Declaration of Independence made the US constitution possible. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation served as the US' first constitution. The constitution preserved the people's individual rights. The current US constitution continues this ideal of protecting the individual's rights. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion defines a list of protests that occurred between 1787 and 1787. The rebellion had American farmers against state and local tax collections. The high taxes threatened the farmer's way of life. Shay's rebellion caused a reformation of the Articles of Confederation. -
Three-Fifths Compromise
The Three-Fifths compromise gave plantation and slave owners the benefit of counting their slaves as three-fifths of a vote. The slave owners were able to have their slaves population count towards their vote. This article was added to the constitution in 1789. -
Virginia Plan
The Virginia plan is a proposal for a population weighted representation. This would give larger states more power in the government and the smaller states would not get much representation. The Virginia plan eventually sparked the idea of the New Jersey plan, and helped establish the electoral college. -
New Jersey Plan
The New Jersey plan was a proposal for the structure of the United States Government. It was a response to the Virginia plan. The plan called for greater representation of the smaller states, so the bigger states would not control the government. This plan had an impact on the US constitution and help form the electoral college.
