Important Documents

Magna Carta First document that limited the power of the King

English Bill of Rights First set of rights given to all English men

Virginia House of Burgesses First representative body to begin in America

Mayflower Compact Social contract that allowed for the Plymouth colony to have self-government and majority rule

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut First Constitution in the United States

Common Sense Writing by Thomas Paine that said it was common sense for all people to rebel against a government that is ruling harshly

Declaration of Independence Written by Thomas Jefferson on July 4, 1776 Declared independence from England

Treaty of Paris Ended the Revolution Extended land of America to Mississippi River

Constitution Supreme law of the land Ruling document of America, still today

Federalist Papers Papers written by James Madison, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton to defend the Constitution during the ratification process

Anti-Federalists Papers Papers that were written to fight against the Constitution Argued for the need of a Bill of Rights

Northwest Ordinance Outlined what was needed for a territory to become a state: 60,000 total population Total male population of minimum 5000 men who own 50 acres Establish self-government

Washington’s Farewell Address Warned citizens against political parties and to stay neutral with foreign powers

Treaty of Ghent Treaty that ended the War of 1812 that returned everything to the way it was before the war began

Monroe Doctrine All European countries must stay out of Central and South America/Latin America/Western Hemisphere

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo Ends Mexican-American War Grants US the Mexican Cession for $15 million-including territory in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and California

Lincoln/Davis Inaugural Address 1st Address: Abolish slavery, preserve the Union and illegal to secede 2nd Address: Slavery was the cause of the war, restore the Union, government will be preserved Davis: Right of the South to secede to preserve what they want

Emancipation Proclamation Following the Battle of Antietam, freed the slaves in all of the rebelling states

Gettysburg Address Lincoln speech following the Battle of Gettysburg Commemorated the battlefield as a memorial for all of the soldiers that died

Homestead/Dawes/Morril act Homestead Act: Government grants people 160 acres if they live on the land for 5 years and pay taxes Dawes Act: Government allowed to break up reservation land to individual members of the tribes Morril Act: Western states establish colleges for the citizens, with schools including Texas A&M, Nebraska and Clemson