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Virginia Declaration of Rights
In May 1776, the Virginia Declaration of Rights was created and was ratified on June 12, 1776. The Virginia Declaration of Rights was drafted to proclaim the inherent rights of men, including the right to reform or abolish inadequate government. George Mason was the principal author of this Declaration. -
Ratification of Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were originally signed by Congress in November 1777. It was then sent out to the states for ratification, although there were land disputes between Virginia and Maryland. Finally on March 1, 1781, the Articles were ratified. With these articles, the states were sovereign and independent. Additionally, Congress as given the power to make treaties and alliances, maintained armed forces, and coin money. -
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris of 1783, was signed on September 3, 1783 by King George III of Great Britain and representatives from the United States in Paris. This treaty resulted in the end of the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States. The signing of the treaty is significant because it set boundaries between the British Empire and the new country.Fishing rights and restoration of property and prisoners of war were given to the United States, -
Land of Ordinance of 1785
On May 20, 1785, the Land of Ordinance was adopted by the United States Congress of Confederation. The Land of Ordinance developed a standardized system in which settlers could purchase title to land in the undeveloped west to farm. These land sales provided important revenue to Congress, since they didn't have the authority to raise revenue by direct taxation. -
Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom
In 1777, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom. This bill is important because it provides arguments for freedom of belief and separation of religion and state. Though drafted in 1777, the bill was not passed by the state legislature until 1786. -
Shays' Rebellion
From August 31, 1786 to June 1787, there was an armed uprising in Massachusetts known as Shays' Rebellion. Daniel Shays led 4,000 rebels against economic policies, aggressive tax and debt collection and political corruption. The intention of this rebellion was a reform of the state government and later overthrow it. This rebellion was significant because it demonstrated the weakness of the Articles of Confederation. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
On July 13, 1787, the Congress of Confederation of the United States passed the Northwest Ordinance Act. This ordinance created the Northwest Territory, the first organized territory of the United States. The Northwest Territory included lands beyond the Appalachian Mountains, and the upper Mississippi River formed the western boundary. The act was passed in response to pressures such as the westward expansion of American settlers and the weakness of the Articles of Confederation. -
Constitution Convention
In May 25 to September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The original purpose of the Constitutional Convention was to revise the Articles of Confederation, however a new Constitution was created. George Washington was the chief delegate who presided over the convention. The result of the convention was the creation of the United States Constitution. -
Quasi War
The Quasi War was an undeclared war between the United States and France that occurred from 1789-1800. After the fall of the French crown during the French Revolutionary Wars, the United States refused to keep repaying its debt to France on the grounds that it had been owed to a previous regime. The French became outraged and attacked on American shipping. -
George Washington Inauguration
George Washington took the oath as the first president of the United States on April 30, 1789. After taking the oath, Washington and members of Congress moved to the Senate Chamber and Washington delivered the first inaugural speech to a joint session of Congress. -
French Revolution
The French Revolution lasted from 1789-1799. It was a series of European Wars, forcing the United States to articulate a policy of neutrality to avoid in order to avoid being a part of the conflicts. The French Revolution influenced the United States politics. Pro- and anti- revolutionary factions sought to influence American domestic and foreign policy. -
Ratification of the Constitution
Starting December 7, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut ratified the constitution in quick succession. The constitution was narrowly ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina. On May 29,1790, Rhode Island voted to ratify the constitution and was the last of the original colonies to join the United States. -
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion was a tax protest that began in 1791 in the United States during George Washington's presidency. The "whiskey tax" was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government. The tax was resisted by farmers in the western frontier region because they were accustomed to distilling their surplus grain and corn into whiskey. -
Treaty of Greenville
On August 3, 1795, at Fort Greenville, the Treaty of Greenville was signed. This treaty ended the Northwest Indian War in Ohio County and limited strategic parcels of land to the north and west. The parties of the treaty included a coalition of Native American tribes, Western Confederacy, and the United States government, represented by General Anthony Wayne. -
Pinckney Treaty
On October 27, 1795, in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Pinckney's Treaty was signed. This treaty established intentions of friendship between the United States and Spain. Additionally, it defined the boundaries of the United States with the Spanish colonies and guaranteed the United States navigation rights on the Mississippi River. Thomas Pinckney negotiated this treaty with Don Manuel de Godoy, who represented Spain. -
Jay Treaty
The Jay Treaty, between Great Britain and the United States was a 1795 treaty that was credited for preventing war, resolving issues that sill remained from the Treaty of Paris of 1783, and facilitating ten years of peaceful trade between the United States and Great Britain in the middle of the French Revolutionary Wars. The terms of this treaty were designed by Alexander Hamilton and was strongly supported by John Jay. It took effect on February 29, 1796. -
Washington Farewell
George Washington's Farewell Address was a letter directed towards the people of the United States. Washington wrote this letter near the end of his second term as president. On September 19, 1796, the letter was reprinted everywhere. In his letter, Washington expressed his support for the government after the creation of the Constitution and gave the people of the United States advice. -
Election of 1796
The Election of 1796 was the third quadrennial presidential election. It occurred from November 4 to December 7,1796. This election was the first contested American presidential election and the only one In which a president and vice president were elected from opposing tickets. The elected president was John Adams, a Federalist. -
Alien and Sedition Acts
The Alien and Sedition Acts were four bills passed by the 5th United States Congress that was Federalist-dominated. These four bills were later signed into law by President John Adams in 1798. These acts made it harder for an immigrant to become a citizen, allowed the president to imprison or deport non-citizens who were deemed dangerous, and criminalized making false statements that were critical of the federal government. -
XYZ Affair
The XYZ Affair was a political and diplomatic episode in 1797 and 1798, during the beginning administration of John Adams, involving a confrontation between the United States and the Republican France that led to an undeclared war known as the Quasi War. -
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were passed as a response to the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. These resolutions were created by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The resolutions argued that the federal government had no authority to exercise power not specifically delegated to it in the Constitution. -
Election of 1800
The Election of 1800 was the fourth quadrennial presidential election of the United States. It occurred from October 31 to December 3,1800. In this election, Vice President Thomas Jefferson defeated President John Adams. This election was a realigning election that ushered a generation of Democratic-Republican Party rule.
