-
Decleration of Independence
The Decleration of Independence was justified on the ideas of Natural rights and Social contract. This document officially declared the 13 U.S. colonies independent from Great Britain. This document outlined the crucial principles of American democracy and declared all men were to be created equal. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was America's first constitution establishing a weak central government the articles main idea was to protect states rights and independence, aswell as allowing states to govern themselves. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years’ War between Great Britain and France, as well as their respective allies. In the terms of the treaty, France gave up all its territories in mainland North America, effectively ending any foreign military threat to the British colonies there -
Shays Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion was brought about by a monetary debt crisis at the end of the American Revolutionary War. In particular, Continental Army and state militia veterans struggled, as many received little in the way of pay or reimbursement for their military service. -
Annapolis convention
In 1785 Maryland and Virginia differed on the matter of rights of navigation on the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. Annapolis Convention was a meeting incipiently aimed at constructing uniform parameters to regulate trade between states during a time of political turbulence and economic strain. -
Constitutional convention
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia met between May and September of 1787 to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. -
Virgina Plan
The Virginia Plan." Written primarily by fellow Virginian James Madison, the plan traced the broad outlines of what would become the U.S. Constitution: a national government consisting of three branches, with checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power -
Three fifths compromise
Three-fifths compromise, compromise agreement between delegates from the Northern and the Southern states at the United States Constitutional Convention (1787) that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. -
Great Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that in part defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution. -
Signing of the Constitution
Drafted in secret by delegates to the Constitutional Convention during the summer of 1787, this four-page document (The Constitution) signed on September 17, 1787, established the government of the United States -
Federalist papers
The Federalist Papers is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States. -
Ratification of the bill of rights
One-by-one, from 1789 to 1791, the states ratified 10 amendments to the nation’s new Constitution. The process had begun when the First Federal Congress sent the states 12 proposed amendments, via a joint resolution passed on September 25, 1789, for their consideration. Once the Bill of Rights was ratified by three-fourths of the states in 1791, it became part of the law of the land