1. From Ideas to Independence Timeline
Using all available resources, put the following events in order of when they occurred starting from the earliest date to the latest. You only have to list the date by year (Ex: 1776) For each event you should have: 1) the date, 2) the title of the event, and 3) a brief description of what occurred.
Before putting the events on the timeline, use a scratch sheet of paper to find the dates for all of the events and put them in order before putting them on your timeline sheet (sheet of copy paper I have provided).
Events:
Virginia House of Burgesses - End of French and Indian War
English Bill of Rights Constitution Goes Into Effect
Magna Carta Declaration of Independence Approved
Mayflower Compact Petition of Right
Stamp Act Constitutional Convention
1st Continental Congress Articles of Confederation Approved
Lexington and Concord

2. Formation
of the
United States
Government

3. American Revolution America was originally a British colony
The U.S. won it’s independence and became it’s own country during the American Revolution
The Declaration of Independence was written and approved during the American Revolution to formally announce separation from Great Britain

4. Declaration of
Independence

5. Written by Thomas Jefferson
I will tell you a brief story of how one decision made by Jefferson changed the course of history.
Approved on July 4, 1776
Provides persuasive argument for why Americans want independence from the British king

6. Articles of
Confederation

7. First law of the land of the U.S.
Went into effect in 1781
Created a loose confederation of states

8. First president of Congress under the Articles
John Hanson

9. The nation’s first government included a
The nation’s first government included a single-chamber Congress, with limited powers.
Each state had one vote, but it had no executive branch or court system.
Executive office of president was more of a “ceremonial position”

10. Why don’t we still have it?
IT WAS TOO WEAK!!!
No executive branch of government
Congress could not tax, regulate trade between states, or enforce laws

11. Why don’t we still have it?
IT WAS TOO WEAK!!!
Amending the Articles required approval of all the states.
Shays’ Rebellion showed the government was too weak to handle a crisis and led to a call for a constitutional convention to fix the problem.