Download Historical Documents - Crestwood Local Schools

The Magna Carta
ENGLAND - 1215
 Magna Carta is Latin for "Great Charter" (literally - “Great
Paper”).
 The Magna Carta was the most significant early influence on
our constitutional law today.
 It guaranteed people a right to trial by jury.
 It guaranteed basic rights to noble and free citizens in England.
 Approved by King John.
English Bill of Rights
ENGLAND -1689
 Enacted by English Parliament when William and Mary came
into power.
 It is a famous, basic document of English law (along with the
Magna Carta).
 It is a statement of certain rights that English citizens have.
 It grants English citizens the right to petition, the right to bear
arms for defense, and the right to have a government ruled by
the consent of the people.
 It made the legislature (Parliament) more powerful than the
monarchy.
Mayflower Compact
MASSACHUSETTS - 1620
 It was an agreement established by the men who sailed to
America aboard the Mayflower.
 It set forth the idea of self government.
 Established laws for the benefit of all the people and for the
good of the colony.
 Passengers on the Mayflower knew that earlier New World
settlements failed due to a lack of government. The Mayflower
Compact was a social contract in which the settlers agreed to
follow the rules for the sake of survival.
 This document said that the government would derive its power
from the consent of the governed.
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
CONNECTICUT - 1639
 The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut is a short document
that contains principles that were later used to create the United
States government.
 It says that government is based on the rights of an individual
and allows free men to vote.
 Taken to England by Governor John Winthrop and approved by
King Charles II. The colonists viewed the charter as a
continuation of their fundamental rights in America.
 Today, the individual rights in the FOC, with others added over
the years, are part of the Declaration of Rights in the first
article of Connecticut’s current Constitution, adopted in 1965.
Albany Plan of Union
USA - 1754
 Drafted by Benjamin Franklin.
 It was a plan to unite the individual colonies and have them
work together.
 Modeled after the Iroquois League.
 Each colony would send a representative to the Grand Council
in Albany and they would govern the colonies.
 The plan never happened - individual colonies didn’t want to
give up any control of their own state.
The Olive Branch Petition
USA - 1775
 Second Continental Congress sent this document to King
George III.
 An “olive branch” is a symbol of peace.
 This document requested that the King end all conflict with the
colonies, repeal the Coercive Acts, and guarantee American
liberties.
 After reading this document, the King considered the colonists
in a state of rebellion and he refused any further requests.
Declaration of Independence
USA - 1776
 Adopted on July 4, 1776
 This document declared that the US was completely free from
Britain and British control.
 Written mostly by Thomas Jefferson, who based his ideas on
John Locke’s theory that if a government doesn’t provide life,
liberty and the right to own property, then that government
should be overthrown.
 An enlarged copy of the Declaration is on display in
Washington, D.C.
 John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of
Independence.
Articles of Confederation
USA - 1777 (ratified in 1781)
 The first governing document of the United States of America.
 Adopted by the Second Continental Congress
 The Federal government could declare war, negotiate treaties,
resolve problems in the west, print money and borrow inside
and outside the US.
 The Federal government couldn’t enforce laws or collect taxes;
it had to rely on donations from the states.
 Each state only had 1 vote which bigger states found unfair.
 They were replaced by the U.S. Constitution on June 21, 1788.
Treaty of Paris (there is more than one Treaty of Paris - year is important)
PARIS, FRANCE - 1783
 This Treaty ended the American Revolutionary War.
 Terms of the Treaty:
 Britain keeps Canada
 England recognizes the 13 colonies as free and
independent States.
 USA gains all territory west to the Mississippi.
 Gave fishing rights to U.S. fishermen off the coast of
Newfoundland and in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
 All debts to be paid to creditors on both sides
 All Prisoners-of-War on both sides are to be
released
Preamble to the Constitution
USA-1787
 It is a part of the US Constitution.
 It is the introduction and explains why the constitution is being
written.
 It outlines the purpose of the Constitution:
 The purpose is to keep all Americans peaceful, safe,
happy and free
 It includes Americans who would be born after the
document was written.
US Constitution
PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA -1787
 AKA - “The Supreme Law of the Land”
 James Madison was the primary author along with the rest of
the Founding Fathers.
 It replaced the Articles of Confederation.
 It divides the government into 3 branches.

Legislative, Executive, Judicial
 It has been amended twenty-seven times.
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13th Freed slaves
14th Made slaves citizens
15th Gave black males the right to vote
19th Gave women the right to vote
26th allowed 18year olds to vote
American Bill of Rights
USA -1791
 It is actually part of the Constitution.
 It is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. (An
amendment is a change or addition to a document)
 It is a formal list of individual citizen’s rights and freedoms.
 These amendments limit the powers of the federal government,
protecting the rights of all citizens, residents and visitors on
United States territory.
Federalist Papers
USA - October 1787-August 1788
 The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 articles advocating
(promoting) the ratification of the United States Constitution.
 They appeared in newspapers throughout the U.S.
 A chance for regular people to understand and support the
Constitution.
 The articles were written by Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison and John Jay.
Monroe Doctrine
USA - 1823
 The ideas expressed were originally written by John Q. Adams.
 It stated that European powers could no longer colonize or
interfere with the affairs of the independent nations of the
Americas.
 It stated the US planned to stay neutral in wars between
European powers and their colonies. However, if these wars
were to occur in the Americas, the US would view such action
as hostile toward us.
 President James Monroe stated the doctrine during his seventh
annual State of the Union Address to Congress.
 This is still a defining document in the foreign policy of the
United States. Foreign policy means how we relate to other
countries.
Northwest Ordinance
USA - 1783 (ratified in 1789)
 Created the Northwest Territory - land north of the Ohio River
and east of the Mississippi River.
 Established the plan by which the United States would expand
westward across North America. (Adding more states, not
enlarging existing states)
 Banned slavery in the territory.
 Out of this land we formed 5 territories (states) - Ohio,
Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
Indian Removal Act
USA - May 1830
 President Andrew Jackson called for an Indian Removal Act.
 White people wanted Indians off land for more farm land.
 Georgia, the largest state at that time, wanted to push the
Cherokee off the land because gold had been discovered.
 The Removal Act was passed after bitter debate in Congress
by one vote.
 Native Americans were forced to move to Indian Territory
(Western lands).
 The Trail of Tears was the name of the dangerous and deadly
journey that the Native Americans had to face. There were
elderly and young walking in bare feet on frozen ground with
heavy packs enduring rain and snow, rugged terrain, and a lack
of food, supplies, and clothing.
Missouri Compromise (aka Compromise of 1820)
USA - 1820
 A series of laws that were drafted to keep the balance of power
between the slave states and the free states.
 It accepted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.
 It banned slavery North of the 36º 30’ parallel.
 It was designed to keep peace between the Northern and
Southern states.
Declaration of Sentiments (and Resolutions)
NEW YORK, USA - 1848
 Written by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
 It was read at the Seneca Falls Convention which was
organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
 The document called for voting rights for all citizens, but it was
over 70 years before women got this right.
 In 1920, the 19th Amendment was passed and women got the
right to vote.
 The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions took the
preamble from the D of I and changed it to: “We hold these
truths to be self evident that all men and women are created
equal.”
Compromise of 1850
USA- 1850
 It is a federal law designed to keep the peace between the
North and South.
 Prompted by California wanting to enter the union as a free
state.
 Strengthened the Fugitive Slave Law. It allowed slave owners
to reclaim runaway slaves - the strengthening made it a law that
all people had to assist in the capture and return runaway
slaves.
 Halted slave trade in the District of Columbia. (Slavery was still
permitted in District of Columbia, just not the trading of slaves)
 Allowed California to enter as a free state.
Kansas Nebraska Act
USA -1851
 This repealed or removed the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
 Led to violence between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers.
 Created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opened new
lands for settlement, and allowed the settlers to decide whether
or not to have slavery.
 The act established that settlers could decide for themselves
whether to allow slavery, in the name of "popular sovereignty"
or people voting.
Report to the Massachusetts State Legislature
MASSACHUSSETTS, USA - 1843
 Written by Dorthea Dix
 Dix researched conditions in prison and insane asylums in
Mass and wrote a report explaining to the government the
deplorable conditions inside jails and mental institutions.
 In mental asylums, patients were put in cages and bound with
ropes and chains. Other patients were being put in prison
because there wasn’t any other place to put them and in jail
they received no medical treatment.
 She convinced the legislature to appropriate $ to expand
mental hospitals and help the insane.
 A GREAT example of citizen action!!!!!
Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World
USA - 1829
 David Walker, a black male, was born to a free mother and a
slave father. He was a free man who spent his life trying to end
slavery.
 He wrote a series of articles titled, Appeal to the Colored
Citizens of the World. The intent of these was to call to end
slavery immediately.
 Walker used Christian language to show that slavery was a sin.
 June 18, 1830, Walker died just months after completing the
Appeal. Walker’s sudden and mysterious death caused
speculation that he was poisoned.
 A GREAT example of citizen action!!!!!
Emancipation Proclamation
USA -1863
 Abe Lincoln issued this order.
 It freed all the enslaved people in the rebelling states. This was
a symbolic movement.
 it committed the Union to ending slavery, and invited freed
slaves to join the union army.
 The proclamation did not free slaves in the border states
(Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia).
 The 13th Amendment officially ended slavery in the USA in
1865.
Gettysburg Address
GETTYSBURG, PA, USA - 1863
 A brief speech given by Abe Lincoln to honor fallen Civil War
soldiers.
 It was given at the dedication ceremony for the cemetery in
Gettysburg where 3,500 soldiers were buried.
 The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War
for the Union (North) army.
 Famous words “and that government of the people, by the
people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
 It was a short speech, but explained the importance of
preserving our union.