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Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact, written November 11, 1620, was one of the first governing documents written in the North America. This document was written by the Seperatists of Plymouth Colony. The seperatists wanted to flee religious prosecution and set thisMayflower Compact into action. -
Albany Plan
The Albany Plan, propsed by Benjamin Franklin, was a plan that called for the union of the colonies for the purpose of defense and common interests and in preperation for the Seven Years War. This is important because with the unification of the colonies, later came the creation of the United States. -
The French and Indian War
The French and Indian war was fought primarily between New France and the Colonies of British America and was fought for the the land of the Ohio valley. The war eventually escalated from a regional affair to a world wide conflict. -
The Seven Years War
This war, derived from the French and Indian War, involved many of the world's powers and was considered the first world conflict. The start of the war lead to the creation of many alliances and ememies. The war resulted in the balance of power and territories of several of the participants with the signing of The Treaty of Paris 1763, The Treaty of Hubertusburg 1763, The Proclamation of 1763, and The Quebec Act of 1774. -
Social Contract Theory
The Social Contract Theory implies that a people give up sovereignty to a government or authority in order to receive and maintain socia order through law. Thomas Hobbes, Jean Jaques Rousseau and John Locke all contributed to the Social Contract Theory. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed February 10, 1763, by Great Britian, Spain, France, and Portugal. This agreement ended the French and Indian war with British victory marking the beginning of British dominance outside of Europe. -
Treaty of Hubertusburg
The Treaty of Hubertusburg was signed February15, 1763 and ended the French and Indian War and the Seven Years War with no significant border changes. -
If This Be Treason Speech.Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry gave a speech adressing the Stamp Act, which was created to help aid the debt after the French and Indian War. The Britains required the American colonies to pay taxes, which was not well taken by colonists. Henry's speech is also known as the "give me liberty or give me death!" -
The Stamp Act Congress
A meeting of some of the British colonies of America to discuss the Stamp Act. It was the first gathering of elected representatives from several of the American colonies to plan a protest against new British taxation. -
Townhsend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by the British parliament on the British colonies of America. Many of these laws angered and provoked colonists to resist. -
The Boston Massacre
In time of tension and anger over the laws the British had passed over the colonies, a mob of colonists formed around British sentry in revolt. the incident ended with five dead civilian men killed by British authorities. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest against British government and the East India Tea Company whcih controlled all tea importation into the colonies. -
The Intolerable or Coercive Acts
These series of laws passed outraged many civilians. Four out of these five laws were in response to the Boston Tea Party. With the passings of these laws came the main lead to the American Revolution. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Contintental Congress was an assembly of 12 British colonies of America. The meeting was in response to the Intolerable or Coercive Acts to set in place by the British Parliament and was to discuss options of how to respond to the new acts, one including the boycott of british trades. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military involvement of the American Revolution. The battle occured between the Kingdom of Great Britian and its thirteen colonies. The battles ended with British surrender and the signing of a formal treaty recognizing the independence of the colonies. -
The Siege of Boston
The siege of Boston by the New England militia men, who would later become the Contintental Army, marked the opening of the American Revolution. The army surrounded the town of Boston, Massachusetts, to prevent movement by the British Army trapped within. -
Drafting of The Articles of Confederation
Benjamin Franklin drafts the Articles of Confederation, a plan of union and order of operation for the states now independent from British rule. -
The Fortification of Dorchester Heights
During the American Revolutionary war, the end of the siege of Boston and the withdrawal of British troops from New England resulted from actions by the Continental Army located in Dorchester Heights. -
The Planning for the Decleration of Independence
The Second Contintental Congress meets to plan and draft the Decleration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson was elected to compose the draft. -
The Signing of the Decleration of Independence
On July 4, 1776, the Contintental Congress to make the final declaration that the thirteen colonies stood independent and apart from the British government. -
The Battle at King's Mountain
This battle was fought between the patriots and loyalists of the American Revolutionary War. The Patriots held victorious. -
Articles of Confederation is Ratified
After becoming independent from the British, the 13 states came together to plan their new form of government, this draft was called the Articles of Confederation and was the first constitution. It was not ratified until March 1, 1781. -
The Annapolis Convention
12 delegates from the five states of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and VIrginia met and unanimously agreed to call for the constitutional convention. Dissatisfied with the weak Articles of Confederation, Alexander Hamilton of New York played a major leadership role -
The Constitutional Convention Opens
This covention opened May 14,1787 to to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Great Britain. At this time during the conventions, only 5 states were present. -
The Closing Speech at the Constitutional Convention
Before the closing of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin wanted to give a speech prior to the signing of the final draft of the United States Constitution. He did not himself deliver the speech, as he was too weak. Instead, the speech was given by James Wilson. With this speech on how important the signing of this document was and the hope for its success, came the closing of the United States Constitutional Convention, and the American Constitution. -
First United States Congress
The First United States Congress, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, ran from March 4, 1789 to March 3, 1791.
