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Jun 15, 1215
The Magna Carta
The Magna Carta was a document designed to restrict the rights of King John and protect the nobles who he had abused to the point of full out rebellion. The document was written without the common man in mind, but it could very well apply to them too. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/magna_carta/ -
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact was signed by the men of the Mayflower to establish a colony belonging to England that also governed and organized itself, but only in reverance to the King.
http://www.ushistory.org/documents/mayflower.htm -
Formation of the New England Confederation.
A meeting was held at Boston between Plymouth, Connecticut, Massachuesetss, and New Haven to create the 12 articles of confederation that the New England Confederation, made up of those four states, would abide by.
http://www.colonialwarsct.org/1643.htm -
The French and Indian War
Disputes over ownership of land beyod the Appalacian Mountains lead to war between France and Enland which the colonies played a part in. The first battle of the war (which hadn't been declared yet) was an invasion by colonial forces lead by George Washington into french territory.
http://frenchandindianwar.info/ -
Albany Plan of the Union
The plan to centalize the North American colonies to be better governed and to strengthen them in case of attack. http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/AlbanyPlan -
Treaty of Paris
This treay was to end the Seven Years War that was costly on France and Britain. It gave Britain the land beyond the Appalachian Mountains, which they forbade the colonists from expanding to in order to keep up trade with the natives. The colonists having fought for the land and now being taxed for the war weren't too happy about that.
http://history.state.gov/milestones/1750-1775/TreatyofParis -
Royal Proclamation
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 forbid colonials from expand past the Appalacian Mountains into native territory. The colonists were not happy about not having access to the land they fought for.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/proc63.htm -
Sugar Act
A British tax renewed and adjusted to tax more foreign and be more heavily enforced, disrupting the colonial economy.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htm -
Stamp Act
A tax on all printed papers. The colonists saw this as just a way to make money off them, unlike the taxes that regulated commerce that they were fine with.
http://www.history.org/history/teaching/tchcrsta.cfm -
Stamp Act Congress
Colonial legislatures gather in New York to send a message to the King and Parliament that they took issue with the taxation without representation.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/10a.asp -
Townshend Acts
An act which put taxes on glass, paint, lead, paper, and tea for the American colonies. This act was extremely unpopular, sometimes it even lead to the tar and feathering of tax collectors, for the same reason as the Sugar Act and Stamp Act.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/townshend.htm -
Boston Massacre
Anger at British forces stationed in Boston leads to a mob of colonials jeering and assualting them with snowballs until the troops fired on them accidentally, killing 5 colonists and angering the rest of the populace.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.htm -
Boston Tea Party
Bostonians boarded British tea ships attempting to bring tea to the city and dumped the tea into the harbour in a demonstration of their rejecting of taxes without representation.
http://www.boston-tea-party.org/in-depth.html -
Period: to
First Continental Congress
Colonial representatives came together to discuss how best to resolve their grievances with Britain. They agreed to boycott British goods and meet once more if they were still having problems.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/congress.htm -
Second continental Congress
The second meeting of the Continental Congress had the establishment of a Continental Army in response to the battles of Lexington and Concord, and also the Olive Branch Petition, a last attempt to settle grievances between America and Britain without seccession
http://www.ushistory.org/us/10e.asp -
Patrick Henry "Give Me Liberty
Patrick Herny was proposing a militia for Virginia to defend themselves from the British. He presented this idea with a speech in which those famous words were said.
http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/giveme.cfm -
Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Paul Revere was employed by the Boston Committee of Correspondence to bring messages peoples of the colony. On this day he and other riders brought warning of British regulars coming to destroy an ammunition supply and arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. He was caught, but managed to deliver his message.
http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/real.html -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
British and Colonial militia forces started fighting on the Lexington Green, the British then marched to Concord but more militia intercepted them. The british were then chased back to Boston as they retreated.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/11c.asp -
Fort Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen seized the fort from the British for its artillery.
http://www.fortticonderoga.org/story/people/allen -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Colonials entrenched themselves upon Breed's Hill and fired on the British in Boston. It took three waves of British troops to capture the hill from the colonials, so there were a great many casualties for them.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/11d.asp -
Common Sense
Thoman Paine's Common Sense was a call to Americans for independence from the British and for a republic to be formed for the new country after. This helped convince a lot of Americans to support the war for independence.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/10f.asp -
British Evacuate Boston
British eveacuate Boston after 6 month seige. -
Declaration of Independence announced
The signing of the Declaration of Independence was announced to the public.
http://www.ushistory.org/gop/tour_indhall.htm -
Washington Captures Trenton
Washington crossed the Delaware River in the middle of the night for a surprise attack on the Hessians which succeeded and allowed them to take Trenton.
http://www.pbs.org/georgewashington/milestones/trenton_about.html -
The Crisis
Thomas Paine's Crisis served to boost morale in the army and remind people what they were figghting for in the Revolution.
http://www.ushistory.org/paine/ -
British Defeated at Saratoga
In Saratoga New York British forces led by General Burgoyne were finally defeated , with the general surrenduring 10 days later, making a major turning point in the war.
http://battle1777.saratoga.org/ -
Period: to
Winter at Valley Forge
Washington stationed his troops in the Valley Forge through the hard winter. A Prussian volunteer, Baron Von Stueben, offered his services to help train Washington's troops, which he accepted. The training greatly improved the army's ability.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/11f.asp -
John Paul Jones defeats the Serapis
John Paul Jones attacks British trading ships in their own waters and comes up against the British ship Serapis. After a brutal battle he captures the ship and sails it away from his own sinking ship to a Dutch port.
http://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/usnavy/03/03c.htm -
Benedict Arnold found to be a traitor
Benedicts connection to the British, Andre, was captured and his plot was revealed through papers Andre had. Upon learning this he fled to New York.
http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/served/arnold.html -
Articles of Confederation.
Articles setting up the confederation of colonies that lacked a centralized government and let the colonies govern themselves for the most part.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_of_freedom_4.html -
Cornwallis Surrenders
American and French forces converged at Yorktown to defeat Lord Cornwallis. He surrendered to both armies. This was the first time the French openly alighned themselves with the Americans.
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_yorktown1781.html -
Newburgh Conspiracy
The American Army stationed in Newburgh came under distress while awaiting peace to be declared due to a lack of supplies and pay. A few soldiers accused America of going against their rights with that treatment and threatened to demand compensation or defect to the British. Gearge Washington addressed the soldiers at Newburgh and condemned them for their threat.The soldiers did not take the actions suggested in the Newburgh Address and congress sorted out the issue with pay and supplies. -
Treaty of Paris
Benjamin Franklin negotiated a peace between England and France and also the recognition of an independent America with the Paris Treaty of 1783. http://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/Treaty -
Land Ordinance 1785
The Land ordinance of !785 was the bill adopted by congress to sell off western land gained in the Paris Treaty to reduce national debt.
http://www.bchistory.org/beavercounty/BeaverCountyTopical/GeneralHistoriesofBC/LandOrd1785MW98.html -
Ordinance of Religious Freedoms
The virginia General Assembly passes a bill written by Thomas Jefferson to seperate Church and State and allow people to follow any religion without penalty.
http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/vsrf.htm -
Shays' Rebellion
A Massachuesetts tax reform that forces people to pay taxes in a gold or silver coin causes a large number of farmers to go into debt and be foreclosed on. This leads to many angry farmers protesting and taking up arms against the state courts. The farmers, led by Shay, closed the courts until they were dispersed by the state army.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/15a.asp -
Constitutional Convention Opens
The States organized a meeting to create a new constitution to replace the Articles of Confederation so as to better run the government of the United states. http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/intro.html -
Nothwest Ordinance of 1787
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established away in which to establish new States for the U.S. and chartered a government and bill of rights for the Northwestern territiories ogf the U.S.
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=8 -
The Great Comprimise
The Great Comprimise came as the decision as to how the legistative branch, Congress, would be ordered. They came to the resolution of a bicameral system with a proportionallly voting lower house and an equally voting upper house.
http://www.america.gov/st/usg-english/2008/January/20071116194724xjsnommis0.5400049.html -
Constitution Ratified
The constitution was completed on Sept. 17, 1787, but it wasn't until Congress approved the constitution on Sept. 28 that it became ratified by the states.
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-day/ratification.html -
Anti-federalist Papers
Papers warning of the dangers a federal government have start to appear after congress passes the constitution for ratification. http://www.constitution.org/afp.htm -
Federalist papers
Papers supporting the federal government under the constitutuion appear to convince people federalization is a good idea. http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa00.htm -
Delaware Ratifies
Delaware ratifies the constitution with a unanimous vote.
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-day/ratification.html -
Massachusetts Ratifies
Massachusetts ratified the constitution after a large debate between the Federalists and anti-federalists among the 364 delegates of the state. The ratification in that state led to a stronger support in the federal system.
http://www.masshist.org/objects/cabinet/february2003/february2003.htm -
George Washington Elected President
George Washington was elected first President by electorial college.
http://millercenter.org/president/washington/essays/biography/3 -
New Hampshire Ratifies
New Hampshire ratified the constittution and joined the other federal pillars of states that also ratified it.
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/ratification/federalpillars.html -
Spain closes Mississipi River
Spain closed off U.S. access to the Mississipi river in oreder to undermine their growth and economy.
http://history.state.gov/milestones/1784-1800/PickneyTreaty -
1st Congressional Meeting
The first meeting of Congress was Ney York City's Federeal Hall. The congress decided the various rules to the congress and established departments.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/treasures_of_congress/text/page2_text.html -
Annapolis Convention
A meeting was held at Annapolis between Virginia and Maryland over the navigational rights of the Potomac river. The Virginia delegate invited other states to come and discuss interstate commerce. While the convention cancelled discussion on the topic due to poor attendance they did set up another meeting that called on all states to attend and discuss it.
http://research.history.org/pf/weThePeople/annapolisConvention.cfm -
Bill of Rights sent to states.
Bill of Rights passed by congress and sent to states to be ratified.
http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/ -
Bill of Rights Ratified.
Bill of rights is ratified in two-thirds of the states which ratifies it for all states by majority vote.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bill-of-rights-is-finally-ratified -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
These resolutions asserted that States had a right to nullify federal laws they found unconstitutional, giving states much more power. This would later be used to argue the rights of sates to have slavery from such people as John Calhoun.
http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/primary-source-documents/virginia-and-kentucky-resolutions/ -
Hartford convention during the War of 1812
A convention called to consider New England leaving the Union due to losses sustained in the war. It only called for Constitutional amendmnents to bolster its political power in the end.
America: Pathways to the present
