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Period: to
Colonial Era
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Founding of Jamestown
Jamestown was founded for gold only. This first colony was funded by the joint-stalk company named Virginia Company. This colcony was the first of many and was significant by being one of the first permanet settlements in the new world. -
Founding of the Virginia House of Burgesses
This was a form of goverment made just 112 years after the founding of Jamestown. This was the first representitve goverment in the new world. This document was to later influence other goverments. -
Massachussetts Bay Founding
Plymouth was found by the pilgrims. Later established was Boston a.k.a. "The City Upon a Hill." Was later to be the most populated and the most economicly important. John Winthrop played an important role in the Massachussetts Bay colony. This was significant because it was one of the most important colonies. -
Fundemental Orders of Connecticut
This document set up the first self-goverment in the Connecticut coloney. It established a representitive goverment. These representitives were elected by the popular vote and the governor was elected by the legislative. This document helped establish other self-goverments in the future. -
Maryland Act of Toleration
This act was to avoid intolerance and persecution like the neighboring puritans. This act gave freedom of religion to all the Christian followers. This was only for Christians and no other religion. This was the first act that pushed for religious freedoms. Although a good step in the right direction any other religions were killed. -
Halfway Covenant
This was a way of getting more members in the Congregational Church. This brought people into the church as a half-members they came to church and where involved in chuch activities but did not have to make a formal declaration of there belief. This was significant by bringing more members into the church but also weakend the chuch. -
King Philip's War
A war between Wampanoags and Colonist. This war cause many on both sides to die. The importance of this event was it showed the colonist needed British help for protection. -
Bacon's Rebellion
This event was because indentured servants were not getting the land they were promised. This was lead by a man named Nathaniel Bacon. This event made the colonies switch from indentured servants to African slaves. -
Leisler's Rebellion
Rebellion led by Jacob Leisler where he marched on New York and took control. This is significant because Lesiler took and held powwer for a couple of years. -
The Salem Witch Trials
False accusaions claiming people where witches. 19 women, 1 male, and a dog where all killed. This event that the goverment was vulnerable to lies and listen to the people. -
First Great Awakening
This event was started by two people, Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, it was trying to convert people to Chritianity. This event was also know as "Old LIghts vs. New Lights." This taught the people of the colonies to think for themselves and to rebel also made more denomination. -
John Peter Zenger Trial
This trial was over the topic of Zenger, a Publisher in New York, critizing the goverment. In this Trial Zenger's lawyer, Andrew Hamilton, helped him pleed not guilty. He was found not guilty and helped establish the idea of freedom of press. -
Stono Rebellion
Slave revolt where slaves walked from South Carolina to Florida. this revolt was ended by local militia. This rebellion started to make slaves rebel. -
Period: to
Revolutionary Era
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The French and Indian War
This war was fought between French and British over the Ohio River Valley. This war was ended by the Peace Treaty of 1763. This war gave America more land and gave the colonist the idea that the British could bee beat. -
Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation was by King George III. This told Colonist they could not move past the Appalachian Mt. This made Colonist made because they couldn't move into the land they just fought for. This was the first act that upset colonist at Britian. -
March of the Paxton Boys
This was a march thats purpose was to get goverment to stop indians from raiding and hurting farmers. this was significant because it helped stop indians and them raiding the back country farmers. -
Stamp Act
This was a British tax on the colonies to support the british military. This was a direct tax on paper or documents. This out rage colonist. James Otis even said, "No taxation without representation." Also from this came the Stamp Act Congress and the Sons and Daughters of LIberty. These were all to get parliment to repeal the Stamp Act. -
Boston Massacre
The Sons of Liberty were protesting and were trying to harm officals when Troops fired. 5 were killed including Crispus Attucks an African-American. This event was known as the shots heard around the world. This fueled the rage of the colonist further. -
Boston Tea Party
This event was in protest of the Tea Tax. The colonist dressed as Natives and went on board a British trade ship and dumped 342 chest of tea into the harbor. This made the king angry and the harsh Intolerable Acts were passed. this event was an act of rebellion from the crowns rule. -
Lexington and Concord
The British troops were coming to take the colonists gunpowder and the colonist refused. The minutemen fought to defend the stash and thou the colonist "lost" this was the first shots to be fired. This was also were Paul Revere made his famous ride. the Americans then realized the British could be beaten. -
Olive Branch Petition
Was a peace effort by the U.S. but was ignored by KIng George III. This said the colonies wanted peace as long as the king would give them rights they needed. After this reached the king he already declared war and said there would be no forgiveness. -
Common Sense
This document was writen by Thomas Paine and basically said it didn't make much sense that a small island was ruling a giant country. This document pushed the U.S. more toward independence. It also critized the British goverment. -
Declaration of Independence
Richard Henry Lee was one of the first with the idea of the colonies splitting from England and becoming independent. Thomas Jefferson with five others formed a committee to offically write down Lee's ideas. The declaration was a list of grievances to King George III and his goverment and also declared the U.S. and independent country. It was wrote on Jully 2, andwas adopted July 4. -
Writing of the A.O.C.
This article wrte by John Dickinson and called for a weak central goverment. This goverment only had 1 branch of goverment. this goverment could sign treaties, but they could not tax, regulate interstate commerse, rasie an army and need all 13 colonies to amend it. All this document had many weaknesses under it the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
