The
New American Nation
Follow
the America as its struggles to find its identity, first
under the Articles of Confederation and then under the
Constitution. See the development of political parties and
the dawn of the 19th Century.
Articles
of Confederation
See the framework for the original representative
government. See why it just didn't work.
Shays's
Rebellion: Test for
America
Why was this 1787 uprising so important? See how the federal
government responded to the American people's attempts to
get paid for their Revolutionary War service.
The
Constitution
Find out more about the background, the details, the
happenings, and the aftermath of the Constitutional
Convention and the signing of the Convention. Includes links
to the Federalist Papers and more.
The
Bill of Rights
The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution were more than an afterthought. The brainchild of James Madison, they were vitally important to every American.
How
the American Government Was
Different
Easy-to-read article puts the new American Constitution in
context of other countries' governments at the time and
draws parallels between the Constitution and ancient Greece
and Rome.
The
Whiskey Rebellion
This 1791 uprising was the first test of federal
determination to keep the peace. Farmers resented what they
thought was an unfair tax and made a lot of noise. President
George Washington responded by calling out the militia.
The Federalist
Party
See the formation of one of the first two political parties
emerge from the minds of Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and
others.
The
Democratic-Republican
Party
See the Democratic-Republican Party come to life from the
beliefs of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and
others.
The
Alien and Sedition
Acts
Find out more about these laws that restricted the freedoms
of so many people in the early history of the United
States.
The
XYZ Affair
What was this strange episode? Why were the man called X, Y,
and Z? Did it cost John Adams his job? Find out more.
John
Jay
He was an author of the Federalist Papers and the first
Chief Justice of the United States.
The Jay Treaty
The Jay Treaty closed off several outstanding issues from the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War and, in the process, became an intense dispute between the nation's first two political parties.
Lewis
and Clark
Get details on the expedition, profiles of the leaders and
of Sacagawea, maps, current explorations, and much
more!
How
Haiti Saved the United
States
A little more than 200 years ago, a slave revolution in
Haiti saved the young, fragile country known as the United
States of America. Leading the way in these historic times
was a former slave named Toussaint L'Overture. His is a
fascinating story. Read more about him, his efforts, and
find out how Haiti saved the United States.
The Louisiana Purchase
This land buy doubled the territory of the United States. Find out how it came about and how much it cost.
"Old
Ironsides": The Unsinkable
Ship
The U.S.S.
Constitution, called "Old Ironsides" because shots seemed to
bounce off its thick wooden hull, was a warhorse, capturing
more than 24 enemy ships in the War of 1812
alone.
It also helped fend off the troublesome Barbary
Pirates.
The Missouri Compromise
Congress couldn't decide what to do with two new states: Missouri and Maine. One wanted slavery, and the other didn't. What to do?
