Timeline of Events (1775-1789) S of H

Timeline of Events (1775-1789)

• 1775-1783: American Revolutionary War

• 1776:

• Continental Congress urges states to create constitutions based on republican ideals.

• Republicanism gains prominence: Emphasizing government by consent of the people and representative democracy.

• Pennsylvania and Georgia abolish upper houses in their state assemblies.

• Six states write Bills of Rights to protect individual liberties.

• 1777: Vermont makes slavery illegal by state constitution.

• 1779: New Hampshire makes slavery illegal by state constitution.

• 1780: Pennsylvania passes laws ending slavery immediately.

• 1781:

• Articles of Confederation are ratified, establishing a weak central government.

• Articles of Confederation government ratified just before Yorktown.

• 1782-1783: Newburgh Conspiracy: Continental Army officers threaten a coup over unpaid wages and pensions. George Washington defuses the situation.

• 1783: Massachusetts declares slavery unconstitutional in state Supreme Court decision.

• 1784:

• Treaty of Fort Stanwix: U.S. negotiates land cessions with the Iroquois Confederacy, although many Iroquois leaders reject the treaty due to lack of representation.

• Rhode Island and Connecticut pass laws ending slavery immediately.

• 1785: Massachusetts passes tough tax laws, requiring taxes to be paid in hard currency, disproportionately affecting Western Massachusetts farmers.

• 1786-1787: Shays' Rebellion: Farmers in Western Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shays, revolt due to debt and taxes, highlighting the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

• 1787:

• Northwest Ordinance: Establishes a system for territories north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River to become states, bans slavery in the Northwest Territory.

• Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia: Delegates meet to revise (but ultimately replace) the Articles of Confederation. George Washington elected as presiding officer.

• Virginia Plan proposed by James Madison: Advocating for a strong national government with representation based on state population.

• New Jersey Plan proposed by William Paterson: Advocating for equal representation for all states in a unicameral legislature.

• Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) proposed by Roger Sherman: Establishes a bicameral legislature with the Senate having equal representation and the House of Representatives having representation based on population.

• Three-Fifths Compromise: Agreement to count each enslaved person as 3/5 of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

• United States Constitution drafted, establishing a stronger central government.

• 1787-1788: Federalists and Antifederalists debate the ratification of the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay write the Federalist Papers to advocate for the Constitution.

• 1791: Bill of Rights added to the Constitution, addressing concerns raised by the Antifederalists.

• 1799: New York starts gradual emancipation plans.

• 1804: New Jersey starts gradual emancipation plans.

Cast of Characters

• George Washington: Commander of the Continental Army, presided over the Constitutional Convention, defused the Newburgh Conspiracy.

• James Madison: Proposed the Virginia Plan, co-wrote the Federalist Papers, key figure in drafting the Constitution.

• Alexander Hamilton: Key Federalist leader, co-wrote the Federalist Papers, advocated for a strong central government.

• John Jay: Key Federalist leader, co-wrote the Federalist Papers, advocated for the Constitution.

• Patrick Henry: Prominent Antifederalist, opposed the Constitution fearing too much federal power.

• George Mason: Prominent Antifederalist, advocated for a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.

• Daniel Shays: Leader of Shays' Rebellion, a revolt by farmers in Western Massachusetts over debt and taxes.

• William Paterson: Proposed the New Jersey Plan at the Constitutional Convention, advocating for equal representation for all states.

• Roger Sherman: Proposed the Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) at the Constitutional Convention, establishing a bicameral legislature with both equal and population-based representation.

• Thomas Jefferson: Proposed the initial plan for dividing the Northwest Territory and outlawing slavery there.

• Gov. Bowdoin: Governor of Massachusetts who called the participants in Shay's rebellion "rebels".

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