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Virginia Declaration of Rights
George Mason was the main author and creator of this document. It was published to explain the rights of men and that it is possible to reform or abolish "inadequate" government. It later influenced many of the most iconic documents like the Deceleration of Independence, The US Bill of Rights, and the French Revolution's Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. It was also the first constitution that protected an individuals' rights. -
Ratification of Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were the first important sets of laws that Congress had passed that dealt with the powers of the federal and state government. However, the ratification had taken much longer due to the fact that it needed all 13 states' agreement to ratify. Virginia was the first to accept and Maryland was the last. It shows that working together on a main cause takes many changes in order to satisfy the other partner. -
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The British and the American government had come to a compromise in which the Americans had finally ended the revolutionary war. It creates boundaries for what the British could do in America. For example, there was a boundary at the Mississippi River to the western frontier and they had fishing rights off the coast of Canada. However, Americans had to pay debts back to the British. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
This was adopted by Congress, written by Jefferson, and allowed farmers or settlers to develop land unoccupied in the west. Because Congress couldn't directly tax for revenue, they created these land sales to increase their money. It addressed both economical and political needs of the government at that time. Overall, this allowed the US to prosper and at the same time increase in size. -
Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom
Drafted by Jefferson, it disestablished the Church of England as the main religion source in Virginia and allowed the worshiping of other religions including Jewish and a form of protestant Christianity. It was a big influence in the creation of the free exercise clause and the establishment clause in the first amendment. -
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Shays' Rebellion
The Shays' Rebellion was due to the unhappiness and tension between the colonists in Massachusetts and the government policies. Daniel Shays was the leader who collected 4,000 Shaysites and captured the national weapon arsenal. They believed that there was economic injustice and suspension of civil rights. In the end, the rebellion had ended due to a privately raised militia. This led to people wanting a stronger federal government to suppress uprisings and the Articles of Confederation. -
Constitution Convention
Originally supposed to fix the old government rules, this conference had led to a new change and fixed government. George Washington had ruled this convention through the votes of many important leaders, including Adams and Hamilton. In the end, this convention created the US constitution and allowed both the federal government and states to have a bit more power. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Passed by Congress, this was a similar ordinance in which they wanted to make like Jefferson's in 1785. The ordinance had set the rules for creating new states and limited self government. Also, it had prohibited slavery. It showed the sovereign powers of the government and it showed they would expand westward with the creation of new states. -
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Ratification of Constitution
It needed all the states to be in agreement to get the constitution ratified. Jefferson had created the document and needed the state legislature's consent. This is important because it shows that the states have some power compared to the federal government. -
George Washington Inauguration
George Washington was inaugurated and was back in office again. It marked the first four year term of George Washington as president. It showed how strong the public's opinions of him as a leader was and the creation that each presidential term should be a 4 year term. -
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French Revolution (relate to US)
While the French was having their revolution, Washington had decided that the treaty between them was still intact which mean that the Americans didn't have to join the war. However, the Republican party of Jefferson did support the French's ideas. Adams' presidency had led to the Quasi war while Jefferson's presidency was really unkind towards Napoleon. In the end, it led to the Louisiana Purchase, expanding the US territory and increasing the US power as well. -
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Whiskey Rebellion
Earlier, the government had excised taxes, which also included ones on whiskey, which made the citizens angry, since they believed that the people should have taxation with representation and their representative was being ignored. Most of the rebellion was bloodless, although George Washington had 13,000 armed soldiers to stop the rebellion. This resulted in Jefferson repealing the tax. The event is significant because it shows how the government uses force and power to enforce taxes and laws. -
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Jay Treaty
The Jay Treaty was created due to the conflicts between the British and Americans. The British were still occupying forts at the Great Lake region and telling the Natives to attack other sailors. Similarly, most favored nation trade status granted to Britain but the US wasn't recognized worthy for the status because it was a small and new country. The treaty resulted in no war with England, factions in America, increase in criticisms of Washington, and the French claims a violation of treaty. -
Treaty of Greenville
This was a treaty between the Native Americans and the colonists. It had ended the Northwest Indian War and limited land in the north and West. It had created a coalition of Native american tribes called the Western confederacy and allowed the creation of Ohio. It established the Greenville treaty Line which created the boundaries for open settlement of colonists and Native american lands. It showed the compromises and hostilities towards the Native Americans back then. -
Pinckney Treaty
The Pinckney Treaty was a compromise between the Spaniards and the Americans of the settlement in America. This treaty had defined the boundaries of the Spanish colonies being able to settle and that the Americans had navigation rights on the Mississippi River. Spain had recognized the US borders in the Mississippi and the 31st parallel that Spain had granted. It allowed and opened trade of Mississippi Rivers and New Orleans. However, no one had ever thought of the Native Americans' opinions. -
Washington Farewell
George Washington had decided to step down out of office. He had put a letter of his resignation into a local newspaper in order to deliver his idea. Many people were in distraught and angry because George Washington was considered the greatest and only person to fit this role. The main points of his farewell address was that he didn't wish to get involved in European affairs, no permanent alliances with foreign affairs, to not form political parties, and to avoid sectionalism. -
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Election of 1796
After the president, George Washington had shown his Farewell Address, many people were distraught. The main factions were the Federalists and Republicans. It was a presidential race between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. This was a big change for Americans because many people had assumed that George Washington was going to stay president until America was at peace and that created the number of years in a term. Also, the Vice president was indistinguishable between the President on ballots. -
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XYZ Affair
This is a confrontation with the French and American government that led to the undeclared Quasi-Wars. The French diplomats had wanted a bribery and loan in order to begin the compromises and conversations which led to enraged Americans and created tension between the French and Americans. These diplomats were given the nicknames "X,Y,Z". After the war broke out, the federalists took over and made a huge military with this pent up anger. This shows how a compromise is important for no conflict. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Aliens and Sedition Act had been published by the federalist congress of the time.This allowed the government to deport citizens who deem a threat to the U.S. Also, it changed the citizen requirement from living in America for 5 to 14 years. Lastly, it forbade people to speak or write bad of the President, which is similar to how the British Monarchy worked. This is significant because it shows how the federal government had unprecedented power to infringe an individual's rights. -
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Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
This resolution was passed by the Kentucky and Virginian legislatures in which they thought the aliens and sedition acts were unconstitutional. They argued for states' rights and a strict constructionism of the constitution. They said that the state legislatures could be able to call acts of Congress unconstitutional on the theory that states' rights took over federal rights and are able to nullify laws that are unconstitutional. -
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Election of 1800
At the end of Adams' presidential term, there was another election which was between the former president john Adams and a new runner, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was the democratic party while Adams was in the federalist party. However, there was an electoral tie between the votes of Adams and Jefferson which led to the enactment of the 12th Amendment and the use of the 36th ballots. The most important concept was that it showed how the Americans can have a peaceful transfer of power. -
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Quasi War
This was an undeclared war that was fought between the French and the Americans. It is part of the French Revolutionary Wars and these were fought mainly in the seas and ocean. This resulted in the creation of the Treaty of Mortefontaine in which the French-American alliance was severed, ending of the French attacking American ships, and the Americans remaining neutral in French's affairs.