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Founding of Jamestown
Virginia Company explorers landed on Jamestown Island and established a colony.
First permenant English colony. -
House of Burgesses
Was the first legislative assembly of elected representatives in North America.
It changed American life -
Mayflower Compact
First governing document of Plymouth Colony.
People had their different opinion, so they decided to put together a government.
From then on, instead of fighting, we have leaders in charge to make decisions -
Founding of Plymouth
America's first permanent Puritan settlement -
Fundamental Orders
The orders describe the government set up by the Connecticut River towns, setting its structure and powers.
It has the features of a written constitution, and is considered by some as the first written Constitution in the Western tradition. -
Albany Plan of Union
A proposal to create a unified government for the Thirteen Colonies.
The Plan represented one of multiple early attempts to form a union of the colonies. -
French & Indian War
Was fought between the colonies of British America and New France.
Lasted from 1756 to 1763.
France’s expansion into the Ohio River valley repeatedly brought it into conflict with the claims of the British colonies. -
Stamp Act Congress
A meeting to devise a unified protest against new British taxation. -
Boston Massacre
British Army soldiers killed five male civilians and injured six others.
The riot began when about 50 citizens attacked a British sentinel.
It was an event that lead to the Revolutionary War. -
Sons of Liberty
An organization of dissidents that originated in the North American British colonies. The secret society was formed to protect the rights of the colonists and to take to the streets against the abuses of the British government. -
Boston Tea Party
Political protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston.
Destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company, in defiance of the Tea Act.
Tea drinking declined during and after the Revolution, resulting in a lasting American preference for coffee -
First Continental Congress
Convention of delegates from twelve colonies,
It was called in response to the passage of the Intolerable Acts by the British Parliament. -
Second Continental Congress
A convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting in the summer of 1775 -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Challenged the authority of the British Government and royal monarchy.
Was the first work to ask for independence from Great Britain.
This was the first time someone argued for independence -
Declaration of Independence
It was written to declare our independence from Britain.
Consisted of griefs they had with the king and with Britain.
It shaped the rules and laws we have today. -
Articles of Confederation
A document signed amongst the 13 original colonies that established the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states
Wanted to be independent and set rules
It changed America -
Annapolis Convention
National political convention at Annapolis, Maryland, in which twelve delegates from five states gathered to discuss and develop a consensus about reversing the protectionist trade barriers that each state had erected. -
Constitutional Convention
Drew up the Constitution for the United States.
Operating under the Articles of Confederation. -
Northwest Ordinance
The ordinance created the Northwest Territory, the first organized territory of the United States, from lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains. -
Federalist Papers
Collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. -
Delaware Ratifies
First state to ratify the Constitution
Delaware's ratification indicated that the states were indeed willing to consider an extra-legal document drafted behind closed doors
It was like the second American Revolution
The United States got the changes made that they wanted -
New Hampshire Ratifies
New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution.
With its ratification, the Constitution became in effect.
It made an impact and a change for our country, and other states followed. -
Rhoade Island Ratifies
Rhode Island became the 13th state to enter the Union after ratifying the Constitution.
Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention. -
Bill of Rights Ratified
The first 10 ammendments in the Constitution.
The amendments were designed to protect the basic rights of U.S. citizens.
The United States still goes by these ammendments
