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Jun 15, 1215
The Magna Carta
Significance:
This was the first document signed by a Monarch that limited the rulers power. It was the formation of a limited government, meanign the Ruler could only rule to a certain extent, verses unlimited government, whereas the Monarch could do whatever he pleases. -
The Mayflower Compact
Significance:
The compact was an agreement/ social contract between the Pilgrims and the Colonial Americans. The pilgrims would live by the laws of the Colonial Americans, and in return, the Pilgrims could live out their religeon, which is why they sailed the Mayflower to the New World in the first place. This marked the first time the freedom of religion was givin to those forgien to what was then, Colonial America. -
Petition of Rights
Significance:
This petition had gone through the same process that a bill from congress would have. It was also made to give the subjucts under rule from the king unailiable rites. Although the petition was accepted, it was not followed. -
The Navagation Act
Significance:
This act was made to exclude the Dutch from gaining any profit or value from the English trade route. This can be related to today as how there are certain routes for ships that transport goods to America take that are not just strategically placed for efficiency, but also for the protection of the goods and serivces of the international trade. -
The English Bill of Rites
Significance:
This gave the citizens the right to bear arms, and a few other rights that were on the American Bill of Rights that we Americans live by today. This significance was similar to that of the Magna Carta, it gave the citizens more freedom under rule of the Monarch. -
The Proclamation of 1763
Significance:
The proclamation of 1763 was meant to calm the fears of the Native Americans. After the French and Indian war, the Native Americans thought that the American colonialists would expand into the Natives land in celebration of colonialists victory. Instead, the colonialists did not expand, and rather isolated the Native Americans to their own living grounds, where they can strive. -
The Sugar Act
Significance:
This act was made to influence the American colonies to purchase more British and English made products by reducing the tax on the British and English products, and increasing tax on the foriegn products. -
Stamp Act
Significance:
This was the first time that the American colonies had joined together to oppose British government, because they felt that this tax of stamps was unnecessary. -
Boston Tea Party
Significance:
The Boston Tea Party was the first act of rebelliousness showed by the American colonies. The Americans were not willing to pay another seemingly useless tax, so they rebelled. -
The Coercive Act
Significance:
This was an act ment to restore order in Colonial America after the Boston Tea Party. -
The First Continental Congress
Significance:
This was the first meeting of the founding fathers to discuss the idea of independace from Great Britian. However, the idea did not get enough votes to pass in the congress. -
The First Shots Fired at Lexington and Concord
Significance:
This was the first battle between the Americans and Great Britian. It was a battle over a weapons depot for the Americans. No eye witnesses are sure if it was the Americans or the British that fired the first shots, but as soon as the British started marching toward the depot, Paul Revere shouted his famouse warning all down the streets, "The British are coming! The British are coming!" -
The Second continental Congress
Significance:
This was the second meeting of the Continental Congress, and was planned to discuss the possibility of independance from Great Britian. After debating and finally deciding on Independance, the Declaration of Independance was drafted. -
The Declaration of Independance
Significance:
This was the document that was written and signed by the founding fathers of America, and was sent to Great Britian to declare the seperation between the American colonies and Grewat Britians empire. On July 4, as we celebrate every year, was the date the United States of America was born.
