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Shay's Rebellion
The importance of Shays Rebellion was not so much the acts of rebellion themselves but how it pointed out the weakness of the Articles of Confederation for governing the United States. In order to prevent such anarchy in the future and to strengthen the central government, the Philadelphia Convention convened to draft the Constitution in the spring of 1787, just a short time after the end of Shays Rebellion. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
The ordinance was also significant for establishing a mechanism for funding public education. Section 16 in each township was reserved for the maintenance of public schools. Many schools today are still located in section sixteen of their respective townships, although a great many of the school sections were sold to raise money for public education. -
Judiciary Act of 1789
The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the lower federal courts. Under Article III, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution, "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish." In the Judiciary Act, the first Congress created federal trial courts and federal appeals courts to comply with this provision. -
Revolution of 1800
The first ever peaceful transition of power after bitterly contested popular elections fought by principled partisans occurred in America, in the "Revolution of 1800," after elections that gave the Republican party led by Thomas Jefferson control over both the presidency and congress. Both the Republicans and their opponents, the Federalist party, believed that the fundamental principles of democracy were at stake in the conflict between the two parties. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the beginning of the end of European colonialism in the American Hemisphere. Settlers pressed westward exerting ever increasing pressure on the Spanish and later the Mexicans. United States gained the port of New Orleans as well as the navigation 'rights' on the Mississippi River and Missouri Rivers. It also opened up a vast area of natural resources for the Americans. -
Non-Intercourse Act
In the last days of President Thomas Jefferson's presidency, the United States Congress replaced the Embargo Act of 1807 with the almost unenforceable Non-Intercourse Act of March 1809. This Act lifted all embargoes on American shipping except for those bound for British or French ports. The intent was to damage the economies of the United Kingdom and France. Like its predecessor, the Embargo Act, it was mostly ineffective, and contributed to the coming of the War of 1812. -
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe destroyed the hopes of a large Indian Confederacy. When the American soldiers saw that the Indians had British weapons, they knew the British were helping them resist the Americans. This caused even more hatred towards the British than there had been before. -
War of 1812
The overall significance of this forgotten war was that is declared American might to the world, and started a strong sense of national pride that catapulted America into the international arena.The war also increase a sense of nationalism in the Canada (at that time Upper an Lower Canada), and which led to a distinct Canadian identity as was an indirect cause of the Upper and Lower Canada rebellion and eventual confederation in 1867. -
Battle of New Orleans
The Batle of New Orleans occured on January 8, 1815 and was the final battle of the War of 1812. This battle was fought several days after peace had been declared. The peace negoitiation were in Paris France and the news had not reached the US. This battle was significant in that it was a major American victory over the British army that included regiments that had successfully against Napoleon in Europe. -
Panic of 1819
In 1819, the impressive post-War of 1812 economic expansion ended. Banks throughout the country failed; mortgages were foreclosed, forcing people out of their homes and off their farms. Falling prices impaired agriculture and manufacturing, triggering widespread unemployment. All regions of the country were impacted and prosperity did not return until 1824.