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Date |
Event(s) |
| 1 | 1780 | - 12 May 1780: British capture Charleston,The British captured Charleston, South Carolina, a major defeat for the Continental Army.
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| 2 | 1781 | - 1 Mar 1781: Articles of Confederation ratified,The states officially ratified the Articles of Confederation, the first government of the United States.
- 19 Oct 1781: Battle of Yorktown,The combined American and French forces trapped and defeated the British army at Yorktown, Virginia, a decisive victory that led to the end of the war.
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| 3 | 1783 | - 3 Sep 1783: Treaty of Paris ends war,The Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the American Revolutionary War and recognizing American independence.
- 23 Dec 1783: Washington resigns his commission,George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief, a rare act of a military leader voluntarily giving up power.
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| 4 | 1787 | - 25 May 1787—17 Sep 1787: Constitutional Convention
Delegates met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, but instead drafted a new Constitution.
- 13 Jul 1787: Northwest Ordinance passed,The Northwest Ordinance established a process for admitting new states to the Union and banned slavery in the Northwest Territory.
- 17 Sep 1787: U.S. Constitution signed,Delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution in Philadelphia.
- 7 Dec 1787: Delaware ratifies Constitution,Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
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| 5 | 1788 | - 21 Jun 1788: New Hampshire ratifies Constitution,New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, putting it into effect.
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| 6 | 1789 | - 4 Mar 1789: U.S. Constitution goes into effect,The new U.S. government was formally established under the Constitution.
- 30 Apr 1789: George Washington inaugurated,George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States in New York City.
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| 7 | 1791 | - 15 Dec 1791: Bill of Rights ratified,The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution were ratified, guaranteeing fundamental rights and freedoms.
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| 8 | 1794 | - 1 Jan 1794: Whiskey Rebellion,Farmers in western Pennsylvania protested a federal tax on whiskey, leading to a military response by President Washington.
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| 9 | 1795 | - 10 Aug 1795: Treaty of Greenville,A treaty was signed between the United States and a confederation of Native American tribes, ceding a large portion of what is now Ohio.
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| 10 | 1796 | - 1 Jan 1796: Tennessee becomes 16th state,Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state.
- 17 Nov 1796: Washington's Farewell Address,George Washington published his farewell address, warning against political factions and foreign entanglements.
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| 11 | 1797 | - 4 Mar 1797: John Adams becomes President,John Adams was inaugurated as the second President of the United States.
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| 12 | 1798 | - 7 Jul 1798: Quasi-War with France,The U.S. entered an undeclared naval war with France, triggered by French seizure of American ships.
- 14 Jul 1798: Alien and Sedition Acts,Congress passed a series of laws that made it more difficult for immigrants to become citizens and allowed the government to deport or imprison "seditious" persons.
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Bef 1780 - Aft 1799 (> 21 years)