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Virginia Declaration of Rights
declaration of rights of the citizen, by the constitutional convention of the colony in Virginia, and mostly by George Mason. It was a model for the Bill of Rights added to the U.S. Constitution 15 years later. The rights include life, liberty and the pursue of happiness. -
Ratification of Articles of Confederation
Benjamin Franklin wrote the first draft in 1777 and presented it tothe congress, this showed no significance like the other 3 drafts before Dickinson's draft and ratified in Philadelphia. This provided the basis of the articles, and the draft said that the taxes should be based on the amount of inhabitants, which caused the southern states disagreing. This was significant because, the sovereignty was with the state, and that central government had little power, and first constitution in the US. -
Treaty of Paris
It was negotiated between the United States and Great Britain, ended the revolutionary war and recognized American independence. The treaty was signed by Adams, Franklin, Jay, and Henry Lauren's for the United States and Richard Oswald for Great Britain. Later it was ratified in the continental congress in Philadelphia. This was significant, because it recognized their independence from Britain, and doubled the amount of land the new nation had. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
Act passed by the articles of confederation that created grid system of surveys by which all subsequent public land was made available in Ohio. The congress used this to raise funds from the land gained from Britian, because they couldn't raise taxes. This was significant, because this helped them organize their land, since the natives resisted and caused the grid. -
Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom
A Virginia Bill, written by Thomas Jefferson, that gave recognition and legal equality to all Christian Protestant denominations in Virginia. Furthermore, the statute affirms the rights of Virginians to choose their faiths without coercion; separates church and state; and, while acknowledging the right of future assemblies to change the law -
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Shays’ Rebellion
An uprising in western Massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and stringent economic conditions, led by Daniel Shays. As a result of the rebellion, the Massachusetts legislature enacted laws lift the economic statues of debtors. Shays led a force of 1,200 men in an attack on the federal arsenal at Springfield, and was defeated. Shays’s action became an argument for a stronger and conservative national government, and led to contributing to the movement for the Constitutional Convention. -
Constitutional Convention
The convention met in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, supposedly to amend the Articles of Confederation. All states but Rhode island participated, which was 55 deputies, and of them only 39 signed the constitution. The was the Virginia plan, which favored big states, and the New Jersey plan, which favors the small states. This resulted in the Great compromise, creating a national bicameral legislature, with proportional representation in house and equal in the senate. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
The Ordinance of 1785 made the scientific surveying of the territory’s lands and for a systematic subdivision of them. Land was to be subdivided according to a rectangular grid system. The minimum land of sale was one square mile, and minimum price at 1 dollar per acre. This was important, because it established a method for mapping and admitting new states to the union, than expanding existing states. Also it foreshadowed how the issues of territorial expansion and slavery would become tangled. -
Ratification of Constitution
in 1787, after months of debate led by George Washington, the new U.S. constitution, was signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the convention. As dictated by Article VII, the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. In 1788 compromise was reached which states would agree to ratify the document with a promise of amendments. It was important due to it brought the states together and established how the government was to operate. -
George Washington Inauguration
In New York City, George Washington, the great military leader of the American Revolution, is inaugurated as the first president of the United States. The inaugural ceremony was on the balcony of the Federal Hall on Wall Street. For the most part, his address consisted of him directly addressing the need for a strong Constitution and Bill of Rights and frequently emphasizing the public good. This was important du to him being the first president and the states being united. -
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French Revolution
During this period, French citizens razed and redesigned their country’s political landscape, uprooting centuries-old institutions such as absolute monarchy and the feudal system. Due to this, U.S. was neutral and therefore could both trade with the British and French, which led to a great increase in trade, for the U.S. One challenge because of this for the United states was to keep their neutrality between the two, because they couldn't afford another war. -
Whiskey Rebellion
In order to create a self supporting government, Hamilton created an exercise tax on whiskey. This initiated the rebellion, because farmers used the rest of their corn to distill whiskey on, in order to earn more money. In July, a force of dissatisfied whiskey rebels destroyed the home of a tax inspector. The Rebellion was a significant event in US history because it proved that the U.S. government was willing and able to suppress violent opposition with military force. -
Jay Treaty
A treaty with Britain, where the United Sates made an adjustment to avert war over the British seizure of American ships. Also it declared the Mississippi River open for both, provided for payment of debts earned by Americans to British merchants before the Revolution, and established joint commissions to rule the boundaries between the U.S. and British North America. Also the treaty made it possible for American ships to trade with both England and France, which lead to increase in economy. -
Treaty of Greenville
A treaty in which Native Americans in the Old Northwest were forced to give up most of the present state of Ohio to the United States. The Treaty of Greenville 1795 established a clear boundary between Indian lands and lands open to white settlement. For the first time in it's young history the U.S. was able to govern all it's terrorties. -
Pinckney Treaty
An Agreement between Spain and the United States, fixing the southern boundary of the United States at 31°N latitude and establishing commercial arrangements favorable to the United States. U.S. citizens were it gave free navigation of the Mississippi River through Spanish territory. Each side agreed to restrain Indians within its borders from attacks on the other, and there were provisions to respect freedom on the seas. This was significant, because it allowed settlers to move into the region. -
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Election of 1796
The election of 1796 marked the emergence of the political party system in the United States. The election was closely fought mostly because of the rapidly forming party divide. The result was a narrow victory for Adams, who carried 71 electoral votes to Jefferson’s 68. Adams swept the northeast, while Jefferson won much of south and west. However, the Constitution, not anticipating the rise of the party system, stated that the candidate with the second highest votes would become vice president. -
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XYZ affair
The XYZ Affair was an incident between French and United States diplomats that resulted in an undeclared war known as the Quasi-War. Americans were angered by reports that the U.S. merchant ships were being seized by French warships and privateers. Seeking a peaceful settlement, Dams sent a delegation to Paris to negotiate with the French government. This was important because, the French tried to get America to join them in a war against England but America wanted to stay neutral. -
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Quasi War
The Quasi-War, which at the time was also known as "The Undeclared War with France," was an undeclared naval war between the United States and France. The Quasi War was the first time that American neutrality, by George Washington, found itself under attack. The War was important pushed the United States into a serious debate about the nature and extent of neutrality, the limits of presidential power, and the role of the military in America. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The three alien laws, were aimed at French and Irish immigrants. These laws raised the period for naturalization from 5 to 14 years, permitted the detention of subjects of an enemy nation, and authorized the chief executive to expel any alien considered dangerous. The Sedition Act banned the publishing of false writings against the government and the rouse of opposition to any act of Congress or president. This is important because th federalist using it to stop the growth of the opposing party. -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
Written anonymously by Jefferson the Kentucky resolutions (November 16, 1798), the Kentucky resolutions thus declared the Alien and Sedition Acts to be “void and of no force.” The resolutions made by Madison, almost the same as Jefferson’s, were more restrained. Passed by the Virginia legislature on December 24, 1798, they affirmed state authority to determine the validity of federal legislation and declared the acts unconstitutional. Both of them was against the limitations on civil liberties -
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Election of 1800
The 1800 election was a rematch between Adams and Jefferson, and to forestall the recurrence of the same situation from the 1796 election, and Jefferson as the third president. The election ended in a tie, so the house voted for Jefferson as a president. The election was a catalyst for the adoption of the Twelfth Amendment (1804), under which electors would cast separate ballots for president and vice president. -
Washington Farewell
Drafted primarily by Washington himself, with help from Hamilton, it gives advice on the necessity and importance of national union, the value of the Constitution and the rule of law, the evils of political parties, and the proper virtues of a republican people. His farewell was never presented orally, but printed in the newspaper. This address was read in the senate till the 1970's, and warned of many things that actually happened in the future,
