Important dates Flashcards
Magna Carta
1215, limited King Johns power, gave more rights to the people
Jamestown Founded
1607, first permanent English colony in North America
Mayflower Compact
1620, Pilgrims seeking to establish “a perfect society”, describes how they will govern themselves
English Bill of Rights
1689, Prince William and wife Mary sign, strengthened the rights of the English people and the power of colonial assemblies
Great Awakening
1730’s and 1740’s, revives religion in the colonies and spreads the ideas of liberty and equality
French and Indian War
1754-1763, War between France and Britain, Victory for Great Britain, expanded American empire
Boston Massacre
1770, Five Bostonians killed during a brawl between colonists and British soldiers, causes an outcry of injustice
Intolerable Acts
1774, Parliament passes Intolerable Acts to punish colonists for support of the Boston Tea Party
First Continental Congress
1774, Fifty leaders meet to devise a peaceful solution to the conflicts with Britain
Battles of Lexington and Concord
1775, Lexington and Concord become first sites where British army and colonial militias battle over control of colonies, marked the start of the war for independence
Common Sense
1776, persuades colonists to support the ideas that the colonies should be independent from Britain
Declaration of Independence
1776, Declares that the British colonies are now a free and independent nation
Battle of Yorktown
1781, British army surrenders at Yorktown, Virginia after being trapped by American and French forces
Treaty of Paris
1783, formally ended the war between the U.S. and Britain
Articles of Confederation Adopted
1781, Articles of Confederation were the first plan of government for the U.S, it is too weak to be effective
Northwest Ordinance
1787, plan which Northwest territory will be governed
Constitutional Convention Opens
May 1787, Delegates from 12 states meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, create a new plan of government that becomes the U.S. Constitution, Washington leads convention
The Great Compromise
1787, Proposed by Roger Sherman, Under this plan representatives in the house of representatives is based on state’s population. In the Senate each state has equal representation
Federalist Papers
Oct. 1787, support ratification of the Constitution, series of essays explaining how the Constitution would create a stronger union of states
U.S. Constitution Adopted
June 1788, adopted after being ratified by 9 of the 13 states, provides framework for the organization of government
Bill of Rights Adopted
Dec. 1791, 13 states ratify the Bill, first 10 amendments
Washington’s Farewell Address
1796, Calls for a foreign policy of isolationism, stresses that the U.S. should not entangle itself in other nations’ affairs