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Articles of Confederation adopted
The Articles of Confederation was the first plan of government that left the central government weak and gave most of the power to the states. -
Treaty of Paris
In 1783 the Treaty of Paris gave the USA most of the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion was when Daniel Shays organized over a thousand farmers to protest against Massachusetts high taxes on farmland. -
The Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was a convention in which 55 delegates worked out what would go in the Constitution. -
Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan was a plan that said that the central government should have three branches; the legislative, executive, and judicial. -
New Jersey Plan
The New Jersey Plan stated that no matter the population, all states should have the same number of representatives. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance was a law that set out a plan for new territories to become states. -
The Great Compromise
The Great Compromise was a plan in which the congress was split into two houses; the House of Representatives, and the senate. -
Preamble
The Preamble is the introduction to the Constitution that showed that the people held the power in the country-that is a democracy, it is also a democratic republic. -
Signing of the Constitution
On September 18, 1787, all of the delegates from the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution. -
The Constitution ratified by first state
On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution. -
Four more states ratified the Constitution
By January 9, 1788, four states-Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut-had ratified the Constitution. -
Constitution ratified by one more state
In 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. -
Cebate over the Bill of Rights
In 1788, a debate over protecting citizen's rights slowed down the ratification of the Constitution -
First President of the United States was elected
George Washington was chosen to be the first U.S. president. -
First President was sworn in or inaugurated
Washington was sworn in on a balcony at Federal Hall in New York City. -
Constitution ratified by the final state
In 1790, Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution. -
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution
THe Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments to the Constitution, written to protect the rights of the citizens. -
Supreme Court granted certain right
In 1803 the Supreme Court earned the right to put a stop to any law passed by Congress or signed by the President that is not allowed by the Constitution.
