-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The first draft made by Thomas Jefferson had eighty-six changes that were made by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and some other people of the committee.
-
The Battle of Trenton was a small battle during the American Revolutionary War. This battle took place on December 26, 1776.
-
Manumission is the act of an owner freeing his or her slaves.
-
Four colonies adopted constitutions even before the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed. In 1777, Vermonters met in a convention and adopted a constitution. It was the first state constitution to prohibit slavery. In 1778, the provincial congress submitted a draft constitution to the voters at town meetings, but they turned it down.
-
This battle was a major turning point in the American Revolution. The American and British Battle of Saratoga started the second year of the American Revolution. During this Battle there was two crucial battles that were only fought eighteen days apart from each other. The American army won this major battle.
-
Howe already captured New York in 1776. He successfully took Philadelphia in September 1777 and led the bombardment of Fort Mifflin and Fort Mercer later that year to open a supply line to the occupied city.
-
In 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to make a plan fro a new central government. The end product of this was the Articles of Confederation. In November 1777 Congress adopted the Articles. The Articles of Confederation established a weak government, Congress had limited powers given from the Articles of Confederation. If Congress needed money or troops they would have to ask the states.
-
In December, 1777 General George Washington moved the Continental Army to their winter quarters at Valley Forge. they were suffering only from cold, hunger, and fatigue.
-
The United States Congress passed an act to prohibit the importation of slaves into any place within the jurisdiction of the United States from any foreign kingdom, place, or country.
-
Spain declares war on Great Britain, creating an alliance with the Americans. Spain's King Charles III would not consent to a treaty of alliance with the United States.
-
John Paul Jones was a Revolutionary War hero known as the father of the U.S. Navy. When the American Revolution broke out, Jones sided with the colonists and joined the Continental Navy. After this he had his greatest victory and he defeated of the British warship Serapis.
-
Americans suffered their worst defeat during the revolution. The British captured more than 3,000 Patriots and a lot of equipment. Losing only 250 killed and wounded in the process.
-
Robert Morris released a Report on Public Credit calling for the Confederation government to assume the entire national debt and impose tariffs and internal taxes to pay the interest costs.
-
During this time British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered his army of 8,000 men to General George Washington at Yorktown.
-
The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution. The Treaty of Paris was the official peace treaty between the United States and Britain that ended the American Revolutionary War. It was signed on September 3, 1783.
-
The treaty provided that the Mississippi River was the western boundary of the United States and also guaranteed Americans the right of free navigation. In 1784 Spain closed the navigation of the Mississippi to Americans. Westerners were outraged and threatened war against Spain.
-
In 1785, the Confederation Congress passed an ordinance that set up a process to survey and sell the lands north of the Ohio River. This land was then divided up into land that was 6 miles long and 6 miles wide. After this they were divided into 36 sections of 640 acres.
-
The Northwest Ordinance chartered a government for the Northwest Territory, provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from the territory, and listed a bill of rights guaranteed in the territory.
-
Shays' Rebellion was an armed uprising in Western Massachusetts in opposition to a debt crisis among the citizenry and the state government's increased efforts to collect taxes both on individuals and their trades.
-
In the old Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, they held the United States Constitutional Convention.
-
The Signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, representing 12 states.
-
The first state to ratify was Delaware by a vote of 30 - 0.
-
New Hampshire became the ninth and last necessary state of the original 13 colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
-
In 1800, the government approved the Harrison Land Act. Under this law people had the opportunity to buy land in the Northwest Territory from the federal government. The Harrison Land Act stated that people had to purchase at least 320 acres of land for a minimum of two dollars per acre.
