Main Page/Historical events
4-14-1772 - The Pine Tree Riot breaks out in Weare, New Hampshire, protesting the king's collection of fines (taxes) on the harvesting of pine trees in the colonies.
3-23-1775 – Patrick Henry says, "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" in a speech at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia.
4-18-1775 – Paul Revere and William Dawes, ride from Boston to Lexington warning that "The British are coming" to seize John Hancock, Sam Adams and the colonial guns and ammo in Concord.
5-10-1775 – The Second Continental Congress meets, elects John Hancock president, raises the Continental Army under George Washington as commander and authorizes the colonies to adopt their own constitutions.
6-14-1775 – The Continental Congress selects George Washington as commander of the Continental Army.
7-5-1775 – The Continental Congress offers the Olive Branch Petition, in hopes of reconciliation with the British.
7-6-1775 – The Continental Congress issues the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, stating: "...Our cause is just... being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves...".
8-23-1775 – Refusing to even look at the Olive Branch Petition, King George issues a Proclamation of Rebellion against the American colonies.
1-10-1776 – Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet Common Sense arguing for independence from British rule in the Thirteen Colonies.
3-9-1776 – Adam Smith publishes The Wealth of Nations in London, greatly advancing understanding of free market economics.
5-4-1776 – Rhode Island is the first colony to renounce allegiance to King George III of Great Britain.
7-2-1776 – The Declaration of Independence is completed by the Continental Congress. The Lee Resolution is passed declaring the colonies to be independent of the British Empire.
7-9-1776 – An angry mob in topples a statue of George III of Great Britain in Bowling Green, NY.
12-23-1776 – Thomas Paine begins publishing The American Crisis, which includes the famous phrase, "These are the times that try men's souls."
1-3-1783 – Great Britain acknowledges the independence of the United States.
4-15-1783 – Preliminary articles of peace ending the American Revolutionary War are ratified.
1-14-1784 – The Congress of the United States ratifies the Treaty of Paris with Great Britain officially ending the Revolutionary War.
11-28-1785 – The Treaty of Hopewell is signed between the United States of America and the Cherokee Nation.
1-3-1786 – The third Treaty of Hopewell is signed between the United States of America and the Choctaw.
9-11–1786 – Annapolis Convention held, resulting in scheduling of the Philadelphia Convention.
2-4-1787 – Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts. War veterans take up arms because of poor treatment by the government.
5-14-1787 – In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, delegates begin arriving for a Constitutional Convention
9-17-1787 – The United States Constitution is adopted by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
10-27-1787 – The first of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays calling for ratification of the U.S. Constitution, is published in a New York paper.
12-7-1787 – Delaware ratifies the Constitution and becomes the first U.S. state.
12-12-1787 – Pennsylvania becomes the second state to ratify the United States Constitution, five days after Delaware became the first.
12-18-1787 – New Jersey becomes the third U.S. state.
12-15-1791 – The Bill of Rights is ratified by the states.
2-7-1795 – The 11th Amendment is ratified by the states, limiting federal jurisdiction in law suits against states by out-of-state entities.
4-7-1795 – Adoption of the metric system in France.
8-3-1795 – Signing of the Treaty of Greenville puts an end to the Northwest Indian War.
8-22-1795 – The French Constitution of 1795 is ratified by the National Convention.
10-27-1795 – The United States and Spain sign the Treaty of Madrid, establishing the boundaries between their respective lands in America.
6-15-1804 – The 12th Amendment is ratified by the states, changing the presidential election proceedures.
12-30-1816 – Treaty of St. Louis signed by the United States and the united Ottawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi Indian tribes.
12-30-1825 – Treaty of St. Louis signed by the United States and the Shawnee Nation.
12-6-1865 – The 13th Amendment is ratified by the states, abolishing slavery.
July 9, 1868 – The 14th Amendment is ratified by the states, extending due process, equal protection, and other protections to citizens within state jusidiction.
2-3-1870 – The 15th Amendment is ratified by the states, recognizing the right to vote for all races.
2-3-1913 – The 16th Amendment is ratified by the states, granting the federal government the power to tax income.
4-8-1913 – The 17th Amendment is ratified by the states, establishing the direct election of Senators by popular vote.
11-9-1942 – Supreme Court issues its decision in Wickard v. Filburn, stating that, based on the Commerce Clause, the Congress has unlimited power to prohibit any activity.
12-12-2000 – The United States Supreme Court releases its decision in Bush v. Gore, selecting the President.
