The History Of Our Democracy

By Gh1355
  • Jan 1, 1100

    England Monarchs

    Monarchs rules but noble families gained power via land in exchange for loyalty, tax $, and military support.
  • Jan 1, 1215

    Magna Carta

    nobles force King John, who was treating them harshly, to sign a document.
    - limited power of Monarch - no one could be above the law.
    - everyone could get equal treatment under the law.
    - trial by ones pears.
  • Jan 1, 1300

    Parliament Created

    King develops a group that represents common people - Parliament

  • English Colonies

    • accept common law
    • no ruler is above the law
    • believe everyone should have basic rights protected
    • believed should have a voice in gov't

  • House of Burgesses

    • 1st representative assembly / legislature in Eng. colonies

  • Mayflower

    Established a direct democracy.

  • John Locke

    English writer - people are born free equal & independent
    - born with natural rights to life, liberty & property that no gov't could take away
    - gov't must maintain social contract
    - 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 each town to make laws
    • popular election of governor & judges

  • Massachusetts Body of Liberties

  • Pennsylvania Frame of Government

  • Glorious Revolution

    Parliament removes King James III & replaces him with his daughter Mary & her husband William
    - from this time on, no ruler would have more power than Parliament

  • Bill of Rights

    • further restricted monarch's power
    • guaranteed free elections to Parliament
    • right to a fair trial
    • eliminated cruel & unusual punishments

  • PA Charter of Privileges

    • establish basis of US Constitution & Bill of Wrights

  • Jean - Jaques Rousseau

    • wrote the Social Contract
    • people alone have the right to determine how they should be governed

  • Baron de Montesquieu

    • divide branches of gov't into different parts to balance each other out so no one can become too strong
    • these 2 men's ideas are cornerstone of declaration and constitution

  • Enlightenment

    • Locke and Montesquieu were Enlightenment thinkers
    • believed God had created an orderly universe
    • the laws of the natural universe could be discovered through the use of human reason
    • laws that governed natural also applied to human life & society

  • 13 colonies are established

    • each colony has a governor elected by the colonist or appointed by the King
    • each has a legislature with representatives elected by free adult males

  • Mid 1700s

    • colonist are not felling they have the rights of native English people because of taxes & limitations placed
    • they had been self-sufficient, representative gov't for 100 & years
    • the colonist where not turning back or stopping now - we'll have to fight for independence

  • Albany Plan of Union

    1st discussion of colonies for union against British gov't

  • Proclamation of 1763

    • can't live on the land west of Appalachian mountains, so as not to stir up the native Americans

  • Stamp Act

    Tax on all paper goods

  • Quartering Act

    Colonist must provide barracks & supplies to British troops

  • Stamp Act repealed

    Established Declaratory Act - Parliament has the right to tax & make decisions for American Colonist in all cases.

  • Townshend Act

    Allowed Brit. gov't customs officers to enter anywhere suspected of smuggling (because many colonists were doing this because of taxes)

  • Boston Massacre

    5 people died, colonist weren't happy about the soldiers coming in.

  • Tea Act

    British could ship tea to the colonies without a tax making it cheaper to buy then colonial tea.

  • Boston Tea Party

    Men dress as Indians and throw the British tea into the harbor, was done by Sons of Liberty.

  • First Continental Congress

    Write to King George III - we demand that you restore our rights as British citizens.

  • Battle of Lexington & Concord

    Shoot heard around the world, 1st battle of the american revolution.

  • 2nd Continental Congress

  • Thomas Paine writes "Common Sense" published

    It moved many undecided colonists toward the belief that independence was the only coarse of action.

  • Declaration of Independence is written

    • list of complaints against King
    • beliefs about individual rights
    • pulled from ideas of Locke & Montesquieu