| 1776 | States begin writing state constitutions |
| |
| 1777 | Articles of Confederation Proposed |
| Great controversy over conflicting claims of the western lands in the
Ohio Valley. Maryland, which had no such claims refused to ratify the Articles unless all the states
with western claims renounce their claims and donate the land to the national government.
Without unanimous agreement to the Articles of Confederation, they could not officially form a
government. Eventually Virginia, who had the largest (although not uncontested) claims, and
other states with claims to western territory concede their lands to the national government in
order to make the Articles acceptable to Maryland. |
| |
| 1781 | Articles of Confederation Ratified |
| |
| 1783 | Peace of Paris ended the American
Revolution |
| |
| 1784 | Spain closes Mississippi River to
Americans |
| |
| 1786 | Shay's Rebellion |
| |
| 1787 | Northwest Ordinance |
| See your textbook for a thorough examination of the Northwest
Ordinance. |
| |
| Philadelphia Convention |
| Read the textbook and understand why the convention was shrouded in
secrecy. Be sure to understand the 3/5ths compromise and the Connecticut Compromise. Did
everyone who attended the convention like what the convention created? |
| |
| 1788 | Federalist Papers |
| |
| Constitution officially became format of U.S. government when
NH became the 9th state to ratify it |
| |
| 1789 | First Congress Meets and Washington elected
President |
| |
| Bill of Rights Proposed by Madison |
| |
| 1790 | RI finally ratified Constitution |
| |
| 1791 | Bill of Rights ratified |
