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Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta/Great Charter
-King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta when nobles didn't like the idea of being taxed.
-It limited the power of the monarch and stated that he/she was no longer "above the law."
-Mainly put into effect to benefit the nobles. -
Jamestown Colony (established)
Jamestown was founded by 100 English colonists in 1607.
It was the first permanent English settlement in the New World.
The colonists sailed from England on the "Susan Constant," "Godspeed," and "Discovery." -
House of Burgess (est.)
-The first elected legislature by the colonies.
-First meeting was held on July 30, 1619.
-It was also the first legislature in the New World. -
Mayflower Compact
-Upon arriving at Plymouth, the new settlers drew up the compact to lay out the laws of the colony. It was their own government between themselves and was approved by most of them.
-A total of 41 men signed the compact.
-It remained in effect until 1691. -
Plymouth Colony (established)
-The second permanent English settlement in the New World
-Founded by the Pilgrims
-The Pilgrims came to the New World in search of religious freedom -
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
-Signed on January 24, 1639
-It was in effect until 1662.
-It included a preamble and the basic laws of the Connecticut colony between 1639 and 1662.
-Thomas Hooker, John Haynes, and Roger Ludlow were among its writers. -
Mercantilism
-Trade theory where some of the bigger European powers felt they should export more than what was imported and cover the difference with bullion like gold.
-Came to the colonies through the Navigation Acts in 1650.
(Exact Date is unknown) -
Culpeper's Rebellion
-There was no exact date given for Culpeper's rebellion.
-However, it is known to have started in 1677 and to have ended sometime in 1679.
-It was an uprising of the colonists due to the fact that they disagreed with the proprietary rule in the Albemarle region of North Carolina. John Culpeper and George Durant threw the customs collector, Thomas Miller, into jail. Then they made their own government with Culpeper as its governor for two years until he was removed. -
Glorious Revolution
-Began around May 4, 1688, and lasted until 1689.
-William III and Mary II take over as the king and queen of England after James II fled when he lost at the Battle of Reading.
-Known as the "Bloodless Revolution" -
English Bill of Rights
-William and Mary agreed to rule England if, and only if, there was an English Bill of Rights.
-It included:
--Right to Petition
--The monarch can't suspend Parliament's laws, create special courts, impose taxes, or raise an army without having permission from Parliament to do so. (Their power has been limited.)
-(Some dates read 1688, while most agreed that 1689 was the proper year this was signed into English law.) -
Salem Witch Trials
-Three women are accused of withcraft when several young girls, "the afflicted", began behaving strangely.
-The women were tried on a case based upon spectral evidence. -
First Great Awakening
-No exact date could be found.
-Described as an increase in religious activity in Britain and the English colonies from about 1730-1740.
-Jonathan Edwards is credited with beginning this awakening. -
Albany Plan of Union
-A plan for a central government to be formed for the colonies.
-Benjamin Franklin came out with the "JOIN or DIE" symbol to further this plan. -
Pontiac's Rebellion
-The Ottawa chief, Pontiac, leads a group of Native Americans against the British
-They were trying to gain a British fort in Detroit
-Unsuccessful at first, the Native Americans kept the Birtish on their toes for months.
-Eventualy though, Pontiac was forced to withdraw and sign a treaty with Britain. -
French and Indian War
-1756-1763 (The Seven Years War)
-English and French fought it out over control of the land in the colonies.
-Resulted in a British victory.
(The date represents one of the last battles fought during the war.) -
Proclamation Line of 1763
After the French and Indian war, England puts a proclamation line into effect to prevent the colonists from pushing westward into Indian Territory. The colonists were already living in some parts of this land, so some moved past the line anyways. -
Sugar/Revenue Act of 1764
-Originally placed a tax of sixpence a gallon on sugar and products made out of sugar.
-A tax on the colonies to raise money for Britain -
Stamp Act
-Put into effect on November 1, 1765
-It required a "stamp" to be placed on all legal documents, media papers, etc.
-It was a tax imposed on Americans in order to support British military protection. -
Virginia Resolves
In order to pay off their war debts, England brought about the Stamp Act to tax the colonists. Unhappy with this, the Virginia Resolves were put into effect by the Virginia General Assembly. With them, they brought along the cry "No taxation without representation." The resolves consisted of the ideas that the British in America should be treated rightfully, as well as all of the colonists. The rest dealt with taxes. -
Sons of Liberty
This was the date the Sons of Liberty first came into the picture when they were suspected of hanging a man who was set to give out stamps in Massachusetts.
-They were a group made out of common workers who had their own ways of protesting against Britain.
-This group was involved in the Boston Tea Party. -
Townsend Act
-Put into effect to ease the national debt from the French and Indian War
-Placed an external tax on imported paint, paper, glass, lead, and tea
-Also included the New York Restraining Act and Customs Service Reorganization -
Boston Massacre
-Described as a riot in the streets that began after a mob attacked a British soldier, and the soldiers fired back at them.
-Killed 5 and wounded 6
-Led up to the Revolutionary War -
Gaspee Incident
Lt. Duddington, an enforcer for the Royal Navy, acted without reason supposedly against the Sons of Liberty. In response, John Brown led a group against the Lt. and his crew after the ship, HMS Gaspee, was purposely ran ashore. It was looted and burned. -
Committees of Correspondence
-Adams came up with the idea of putting these particular committees in place in 1772.
-Their goal was to keep the colonists informed about what was going on in the government. -
Tea Act
-An act to boost revenue for the East India Company.
-Colonists thought it was set up to win favor for current taxes and would put stress on local businesses within the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
-Colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians and dumped tea shipments from the East India Company into Boston Harbor. Overall, 342 tea chests were thrown overboard in Griffin's Wharf. -
Intolerable Acts
Consisted of:
-Quebec Act
-Administration of Justice Act
-Boston Port Act: closed off port so that goods couldn't come in
-Massachusetts Government Act: A call for the government in Massachusetts Bay to be regulated better -
First Continental Congress
-Met at Carpenter's Hall from September 5, 1774, to October 26, 1774.
-They were trying to find some form of resolution to make England aware of colony issues.
-Delegates were sent from all of the colonies except Georgia. -
Edenton Tea Party
-Penelope Barker sets up a tea party at Elizabeth King's house in Edenton, North Carolina.
-A total of fifty-one women gather at King's house were they all agree that they will no longer buy British tea or cloth.
-This was done in response to the Tea Act. -
Second Continental Congress
-Met in Philadelphia
-Agreed that a continental army should be created to defend against the British
-George Washington was chosen as the army's commander.
-Also around this time money started being printed and Congress began to really make its mark in the governing process. -
Mecklenburg Resolves
-The Resolves are also known as the "Charlotte Town Resolves."
-The Mecklenburg Committee of Safety agreed on the resolutions in May of 1775.
-The resolves included doing away with the king's and Parliament's laws, as well as the roles of England's military forces and their officials. (If they didn't stop doing their jobs, they were to be imprisoned.) There was also a statement concerning the fact that the other colonies needed to step up and rule themselves. -
Halifax Resolves
-This was the date the Fourth Provincial Congress of North Carolina passed the Halifax Resolves in the county of Halifax.
-It was the first of its kind in that it gave its state's delegates the permission to vote for a separation from Great Britain if ever it should come up in the Continental Congress. -
Declaration of Independence
Americans declare their independence through this document that they sent to British authorities. Among those who signed the declaration and who provided the biggest signature was the infamous John Hancock. -
Articles of Confederation
-America's first constitution
-In effect from March 1, 1781, to 1789. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
It:
-Recognized American independence
-Established American boundaries between the Atlantic on both sides of the Mississippi River and from the Great Lakes, except for Florida and New Orleans.
-Granted American fishing rights for the Newfoundland banks. -It also included the Continental Congress Pledge. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
-Thomas Jefferson proposed this to divide up the western lands into 6-mile townships.
-He was basically just surveying the land. -
Federalist/Anti-Federalist Papers
Federalist papers were written to explain and support the constitution, while Anti-Federalist papers were written against the Constitution. They were written from 1787-1788.
-The Federalist papers were written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in the form of essays. -
Shay's Rebellion
-Massachusetts farmers rise up against the Massachusetts government to stop the foreclosure of their mortgages and to prevent going to prison for all of their debt.
-They were defeated on 2/4/1787. -
Land Ordinance of 1787
-Rufus Putnam and Manasseh Cutler helped the ordinance to actually come about in 1787.
-It created the Northwest territory and allowed people to move there and set up a government. -
Constitutional Convention
May 25, 1787: the convention of 55 delegates met to work on the Articles of Confederation
-Their last meeting in September was to sign the Constitution -
Whiskey Rebellion
-An "excise" tax on whiskey
-Western Pennsylvanian farmers became angry and began rioting.
-George Washington ordered General Henry Lee and his men to go and put these riots to rest.
-Washington even accompanied them himself.
