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1215
Magna Carta
Chartered in 1215 by King John of Great Britain. The Great charter gave liberties to the common man. It was seen as a symbol from oppression. -
English Bill of Rights
Accepted by King William and Queen Mary in 1689. A speedy trial, trial a jury of one's peers, those rights included taxation only by consent of property owners, a presumption of innocence no standing army in peacetime without consent, no quartering of troops in private homes, freedom of travel, and guarantee of regular legislative sessions -
King George lll
Succeeded his grandfather in 1760, hoped to lower the debt of the nation. In 1763 chose George Grenville as a prime minister. -
John Locke
One of the key enlightenment thinkers, and an english philosopher, said people have the rights to life, liberty and property. People have the right to overthrow or fight the government. -
Sugar act
Halved the duty on foreign-made molasses hoping to lower tax rather than to risk smuggling. Placed duties on imports that had not been taxed. It provided that colonists accused of violating the act would be tried in a vice-admiralty court rather than a colonial court. Each case would be decided by a single judge rather than by a jury of sympathetic colonists. Merchants complained saying the tax would reduce their profits. -
Samuel Adams
One of the founders of the Sons of Liberty. Also led many of the acts during the 1767s -
Stamp Act
March 1765, imposed a tax on documents and printed items such as wills, newspapers and playing cards. -
Boston Massacre
March 5th, 1770 a mob gathered in front of the Boston Customs House and taunted the british soldiers. Shots were fired and 5 colonists, including crispus attucks. -
Boston Tea Party
1773, Lord North devised the Tea Act to save the almost bankrupt British East India Company. The act granted the company the right to sell tea to the colonies free of the taxes that colonial tea sellers has to pay. In December 16th, 1773 a large group of Boston rebels disguised as Native Americans and dumped 18,000 pounds of the East India company's off the three british tea ships into the boston harbor. -
Second Continental Congress
May of 1775, colonial leaders, some called for independence and some argued for reconciliation with great britain. Congress agreed to recognize the colonial militia as the continental army and appointed George Washington as its commander. -
Lexington and Concord
April 18th 1775 the redcoats headed for Concord and Lexington. Paul revere, william dawes and Samuel Prescott warned everyone that the kings soldiers were coming, on April 19th the first battle of the revolutionary war lasted only 15 minutes. Colonists became enemies of Britain. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Took place on june 17th 1775, in charlestown MA, was the first important battle of the American war of independance. -
Common Sense
50 page pamphlet Thomas Paine wrote to attack king george and the monarchy arguing that responsibility for british tyranny lay with “the royal brute of britain”. -
Thomas Jefferson
Chosen to write the final draft of the Declaration of independence. -
Declaration of Independence
A document stating that all men are created equal and have the same rights. 1776