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Economic Crisis of the 1780's (E)
Post-war inflation lead to an economic depression in the United States. -
Annapolis Convention (P)
A conference of state delegates met in Annapolis, Maryland, to call for a convention to meet in Philadelphia the following year to discuss and make fundamental changes. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787 (S)
The Ordinance lead to the creation of new western states and accelerated the westward expansion of the United States. -
The Constitutional Convention (P)
Delegates met in Philadelphia and created a new Constitution that was to replace the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution proposed a plan that created a national legislature with 2 houses. This plan created a strong national government while still providing an important role for the states. -
Tariff of 1789 (P)
This tariff was the first passed by Congress. -
Judiciary Act of 1789 (P)
Act implimented by Congress that created the judiciary clause, which established the Supreme Court and a system of lower courts. -
First President of the US is Inaugurated (P)
George Washington becomes the first president of the US. -
Second Great Awakening (S)
This religious revival took place in the South among African Americans. They adopted Christianity, and it changed overtime to create a unique African American culture. -
Hamilton's Fiscal Program (E)
Hamilton created a plan that address debt from the Revolutionary War, established of a Bank of the United States, and encouraged the development of an industrial economy. -
Whiskey Rebellion (P)
The government tried to supress opposition to a tax on whiskey. The tax was repealed when the Republican Party came into power; this was yet another example of how opposing parties worked against each other. -
Ratification of the Bill of Rights (S)
Congress created a bill of rights that protected the people from being abused by the Constitution. The bill of rights was proposed by Anti-Federalist delegates, whom were afraid of absolute government power. -
War Between France and England (E)
America declared neutrality, and profited imensely from trade with the two nations. -
Invention of the Cotton Gin (E)
This invention made cotton production much more efficient, and the industry boomed. -
Citizen Genet Affair (E)
America's neutrality rights were violated by France. -
British Take Over American Ships (E)
The British violate America's neutral trading rights. -
Chisholm vs. Georgia (P)
This was the first signifigant case that the Supreme Court dealt with. Because of this case, the 11th Ammendment was added to the Constitution in 1795. -
Battle of Fallen Timbers (P)
This was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War. It lead to the signing of the Treaty of Greenville. -
Jay's Treaty (E)
This treay was created to avoid America going to war with England. One of the terms was that the Americans were granted limited trade rights. Jeffersonians opposed the treaty because they didn't want close ties with England, but it passed anyway. -
Pinckney's Treaty (E)
This treaty established friendship between Spain and the US. It outlined borders between the US and Spanish colonies, and gave the US rights on the Mississippi River. -
Treaty of Greenville (S)
This treaty ended hostilities between the Indians and Americans, and established a boundry line. -
Thomas Paine published "The Age of Reason" (S)
This pamphlet challenged institutionalized religion and challenged how legitimate the Bible was. It inspired many people. -
John Adams Becomes President (P)
John Adams, an anti-federalist, barely won the election. His elected vice president was a member of the opposing party. -
French Seized American Ships (E)
The French violated Jay's Treaty and America's neutrality rights. -
XYZ Affair (S)
American diplomats went to France to negotiate to avoid a war. However, France's demands offended the Americans and they left without a resolution. This failure led to the "Quasi-war". -
"Quasi-War" With France (E)
This undeclared war was fought mostly at sea between the US and France. They came to a diplomatic resolution in 1800. -
Kentucky and Virginia Resolves (P)
These resolves declared the Alien and Sedition Acts unconstitutional. -
Alien and Sedition Acts (P)
Federalist-controlled Congress passed 4 Acts that made it harder to become a US citizen and restricted critical speaking out against the government. These laws were intended to silence and weaken the Republican Party. -
Early American Art and Literature (S)
Promoted the colonies. -
Gabriel's Rebellion (S)
A slave named Gabriel Prosser planned a slave rebellion in Virginia. Rumors of the rebellion spread throughout the South, implanting thoughts of slave revolts in the slaves and raising fear among slave holders. -
Thomas Jefferson Was Elected President (P)
There was a tie in the electoral college, so the election was decided by the House of Representatives, which was dominated by Republicans. -
Louisianna Purchase (P)
The purchase was considered by some to be unconstitutional. Jefferson decided to go along with the purchase anyway, however, because it protected the US from France by removing their presence and allowed for free passage on the Mississippi River. -
Marbury Vs. Madison (P)
This case defined the boundry between the executive and judicial branches. -
Ohio Is Admitted To The Union (S)
The US was expanding rapidly. -
Lewis And Clark''s Expedition (S)
A group of men travel acrossed the newly aquired Western territory, mapping it and documenting new plant and animal species so that everyone knew what was out there as they continued to expandn westward. -
Embargo Act (E)
This Act was created to send a message to England and France, both of which violated America's neutrality rights by seizing ships. This Act proved to be a devastating economic disaster for the US. -
Madison Becomes President (E)
The economy suffers while Madison is in office. -
Battle of Tippecanoe (P)
This battle was between the US and the Indians; however, the US blamed that Indian attack on the British. This event served as a catalyst for the War of 1812. -
Period: to
War of 1812 (P)
The US declared war on England because of trade restrictions, assult of US ships by England, and British support of Indian tribes against American expansion. -
Treaty of Ghent (P)
This treaty ended the War of 1812. However, the final battle was fought after the signing of the treaty. -
Washington DC Was Burned (S)
The burning of the capital deeply upset Americans. -
Battle of New Orleans (P)
Andrew Jackson lead troops to defeat the British in their efforts to seize New Orleans. This battle occured after the treaty ending the war had been signed, and is seen as the greatest American land victory of the war. -
Congress Charters the Second Bank of America (E)
The bank was created to ensure a stable national currency. -
Alabama Fever (E)
Thousands of slaves were forced to migrate to Alabama to satisfy cotton cultivation. -
Adams–Onís Treaty (P)
This treaty between Spain and the US gave Florida to the US and set the boundry between New Spain and the US. -
Missouri Compromise (S)
This agreement between pro-slavery and anti-slavery states established that outlawed slavery above the 36th parallel. Missouri was exempt from this rule. -
Panic of 1819 (E)
Major financial crisis the US faced. -
Denmark Vesey's Conspiracy (S)
A slave rebellion that contributed to the growing fear slave holders had of their slaves revolting. -
Monroe Doctrine (P)
This policy called for all European nations to stop colonizing the Americas. -
"The Liberator" (S)
William Lloyd Garrison began publishing an anti-slavery newspaper that revealed the attrocities of slavery to people who lived in the north and were somewhat oblivious to the cruelties. -
Nat Turner's Revolt (S)
This slave revolt contributed to the rising fear of rebellion among slave holders, as well as Gabriel's Rebellion and Denmark Vesey's conspiracy. -
Nullification Crisis (P)
Nullification was the theory that states could declare federal laws unconstitutional. -
"Flush Times" (E)
A second wave of westward expansion through Alabama and Mississippi to produce cotton. -
Virginia Debates Gradual Emancipation (P)
Virginia legislature proposed a plan to gradually abolish slavery over time so that slave holders would have time adjust. -
The British Free Their Slaves In the Caribbean (S)
This sent a panic through the South, who feared that Congress would try to abolish slavery which they were entirely dependent on. -
Black Codes Are Tightened (P)
Southern legislature fears slave uprisings so they tighten the "black codes" or the laws that African Americans have to follow. -
Abolitionists Vs. Pro-Slavery Mobs (S)
Pro-slavery mobs burn abolitionists literature. There are several encounters and protests throughout the year by both groups. -
"Sociology of the South" (S)
George Fitzhugh publishes a defense for slavery in the South. -
"The Impending Crisis" (S)
Hinton Helper publishes a book attacking slavery. -
"Cotton is King" Speech (S)
James Henry Hammond gave a speech defending slavery and making justifications for it by saying that without slavery, the cotton industry would collapse. In the South, cotton was "king", and the South was too dependent on slavery to produce it.