Republican Experiment

w/ gpt

Reform

Efforts made to change or improve the current system

Colonists loyal to England

Loyalists; about 1/3 of colonists remained loyal to Britain during the American Revolution.

Patriots, Loyalists, Neutral

1/3 of the colonists were Patriots, 1/3 were Loyalists, and 1/3 were neutral during the Revolution.

Colonial mob activity

Intimidatory actions by Patriots, including tar and feathering, to discourage Loyalists.

Relocate 100k loyalists

After the Revolution, Loyalists left America, many relocating to Canada or England.

African Americans and Abolitionism

The North saw an increase in abolitionism, with some states working towards abolition by 1810.

1793 - Cotton Gin

Invented by Eli Whitney; made it easier to remove seeds from cotton, boosting textile production.

B. Banneker

Benjamin Banneker was a self-taught African American scientist and surveyor.

P. Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley, a poet from Boston, was one of the first African American writers published in the U.S.

Women’s rights in New England

Divorce rules were eased; Abigail Adams advocated for women's rights through letters.

1790 - Women’s suffrage in NJ

New Jersey granted women the right to vote in the 1790s, but this was later repealed.

Blueprints for Government

Early state constitutions were written documents acting as blueprints for governance.

Natural Rights

8/13 states included a Bill of Rights in their constitutions to protect individual liberties.

Articles of Confederation

Wartime government from 1775-1787; weak central government with a unicameral legislature.

Northwest Ordinance

A 1787 law that established a process for territories to become states and banned slavery in the Northwest.

Federal issues under Articles

Problems with trade, currency, inflation, and national debts under the Articles of Confederation.

Shay’s Rebellion (1786)

A farmer-led uprising in Massachusetts, highlighting the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

A meeting in Philadelphia where the U.S. Constitution was drafted to replace the Articles of Confederation.

Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan

Virginia Plan favored large states with representation based on population; New Jersey Plan favored equal representation.

Great Compromise

Created a bicameral legislature: House of Representatives (population-based) and Senate (equal representation).

3/5 Compromise

Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person for both taxation and representation purposes.

President's role

Executive branch; serves a 4-year term, no term limits initially set, elected by the Electoral College.

Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist

Federalists supported the Constitution; Anti-Federalists demanded a Bill of Rights for ratification.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay to support ratification of the Constitution.

Bill of Rights (1788-89)

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, written by James Madison, protecting individual freedoms.