| A | B |
|---|
| Magna Carta (1215) | English agreement that guaranteed certain rights to all Englishmen; influenced the American Bill of Rights' protections of individual rights |
| English Bill of Rights (1689) | English agreement that guaranteed certain rights to all Englishmen; influenced the American Bill of Rights' protections of individual rights |
| Mayflower Compact (1620) | Signed by many Pilgrims on their way to New World; they agreed to create a new government and follow its law; helped establish the idea of self-government |
| Common Sense (1776) | Influential Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine; it urged Americans to declare their independence |
| Declaration of Independence (July 4,1776) | Written by Thomas Jefferson; announced the separation of the colonies from England |
| Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) | First U.S. government, it was eventually a failure because it created a national government that was too weak |
| Constitution (written in 1787) | Blueprint for the American government |
| The Federalist Papers (1787-88) | Series of essays about the nature of government by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay; written to help get the Constitution ratified |
| Bill of Rights (adopted in 1791) | First 10 amendments of the Constitution; guarantees individual rights |
| George Washington's Farewell Address (1796) | Given at his retirement from public life; he urged America to always remain neutral toward other countries |
| Monroe Doctrine (1823) | Presidential message that said that Europe should not interfere in the affairs of Latin America and the U.S. would not interfere in European affairs |
| South Carolina Expostion and Protest (1829) | Written by John C. Calhoun; outlined the doctrine of nullification, which was a strong statement for the states' rights |
| Appeal...to the Colored People of the World (1829) | Written by David Walker who was a black abolitionist; known as "David Walker's Appeal"; urged slaves to revolt; radical document that made Southerners furious |
| The Liberator (1831-1865) | Newspaper printed by William Lloyd Garrison; most influential antislavery periodical in U.S. history it increased sectionalism between the North and South |
| Lincoln's First Inaugural (1861) | Lincoln said North would defend federal property in the South |
| Emancipation Proclamation (Jan. 1, 1863) | Executive order given by Abraham Lincoln; it freed the slaves in the Confederacy |
| Gettysburg Address (1863) | Famous speech given by Abraham Lincoln; it said that the Union was worth fighting for at any cost |
| Lincoln's Second Inaugural (1865) | Lincoln said Civil War was about slavery and that the Union was fighting to end slavery |
