Social Studies

1. Important Documents
&
Laws passed by Congress

2. Important Documents
Magna Carta (1215) -
English agreement that guaranteed
certain rights to all Englishmen;
Influenced the American Bill of Rights

3. Important Documents
Mayflower Compact (1620) –
Signed by many pilgrims on their way to
the new world; helped establish the idea
of self government

4. Important Documents
Common Sense –
Influential pamphlet written by Thomas
Paine, it urged Americans to declare their
independence.

5. Important Documents
Declaration of Independence (1776)-
Announce the separation of the colonies
from England.

6. Important Documents
Constitution (1787) –
Blue print for the American Government

7. Important Documents
Federalist Papers –
Series of essays about the nature of
government; written by Hamilton,
Madison and Jay; written to help get the
Constitution ratified.

8. Important Documents
Bill of Rights –
first 10 amendments of the Constitution

9. Important Documents
Monroe Doctrine –
Presidential message that said Europe
should not interfere in the affairs of Latin
America and the U.S. would not interfere
in European affairs

10. Important Documents
Emancipation Proclamation –
Executive order by Abraham Lincoln that
freed slaves in rebelling states of the
confederacy

11. Important Documents
Gettysburg Address –
Speech by Lincoln that stated the Union
was worth fighting for

12. Magna Carta (1215) - English agreement that guaranteed certain rights to all Englishmen; Influenced the
American Bill of Rights
Mayflower Compact (1620) – Signed by many pilgrims on their way to the new world; helped establish the
idea of self government
Common Sense – Influential pamphlet written by Thomas Paine, it urged Americans to declare their
independence.
Declaration of Independence (1776)- Announce the separation of the colonies from England.
Constitution (1787) – Blue print for the American Government
Federalist Papers – Series of essays about the nature of government; written by Hamilton, Madison and Jay;
written to help get the Constitution ratified.
Bill of Rights – first 10 amendments of the Constitution
Monroe Doctrine – Presidential message that said Europe should not interfere in the affairs of Latin America
and the U.S. would not interfere in European affairs
Emancipation Proclamation – Executive order by Abraham Lincoln that freed slaves in rebelling states of the
confederacy
Gettysburg Address – Speech by Lincoln that stated the Union was worth fighting for
Important Documents

13. Laws Passed by Congress
Northwest Ordinance –
established government for the
Northwest Territory and described how a
territory becomes a state

14. Laws Passed by Congress
Missouri Compromise (1820) –
Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as
a free state, and prohibited slavery north of
Missouri maintaining balance between free and
slave states in Congress

15. Laws Passed by Congress
Compromise of 1850 –
preserved balance of free and slave states
and said that congress would not regulate
slavery in territories

16. Laws Passed by Congress
Northwest Ordinance – established government for the Northwest
Territory and described how a territory becomes a state
Missouri Compromise (1820) – Admitted Missouri as a slave state
and Maine as a free state, and prohibited slavery north of Missouri
maintaining balance between free and slave states in Congress
Compromise of 1850 – preserved balance of free and slave states
and said that congress would not regulate slavery in territories

17. The End.