20. LIST OF IMPORTANT EVENTS FROM 1783-1850.

A. 1783-1789.

The United States under the government of the CONFEDERATION formed by the thirteen original states; of these, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania are free states, having emancipated their slaves before the close of the Revolution. The others are still slave states.

1784. — Virginia grants her western lands to the Continental Congress. Rhode Island and Connecticut begin to emancipate their slaves by

Massachusetts surrenders claims to her western lands to the Con

American coinage established, with the dollar for the unit, as planned by Hamilton, Jefferson, and Gouvernour Morris.

1786. Connecticut surrenders her western lands to the Confederation, except some lands in Ohio, known as the Connecticut Reserve, which she gave up in 1800.

Shay's rebellion in western Massachusetts; an insurrection of poor farmers who are dissatisfied with the government.

Experiments with steamboats begin.

1787.- Constitutional Convention meets in Philadelphia and frames the CONSTITUTION. (See p. 203.)

Congress passes the Ordinance of '87. (See p. 200.)

Federalist and Anti-Federalist parties formed. (See p. 209.)
South Carolina cedes her western lands to the Confederation.

Attempt by one General Wilkinson, to get Kentucky to secede from the Confederation, and ally herself to Spain.

1788. Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, and New York adopt the Constitution.

Georgia cedes her western lands to the United States.

Settlement begins at Marietta,

Ohio.

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay publish the Federalist in defence of the Constitution.

B. 1789-1797.

Administrations of WASHINGTON; elected by unanimous choice of both parties.

John Adams, Vice-President.

1789. April 30, Washington inaugurated as President. (See p. 211.) North Carolina agrees to the Constitution.

COTTON begins to be cultivated as a crop in the Southern States. 1790. Rhode Island agrees to the Constitution.

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War in Ohio between the new settlers and the Indians.

North Carolina cedes her western lands to the United States.

COTTON MANUFACTURES begin in Rhode Island.

1791. Vermont admitted as a free state.

Generals Harmar and St. Clair fighting Indians in Ohio.

1792.- Kentucky admitted as a slave state.

Capt. Robert Gray in the Columbia explores and names the Columbia River.

1793. Eli Whitney invents the cotton-gin, a machine for rapidly cleaning cotton from the cotton-seed.

Alexander Mackenzie, sent out by the English North-west Fur Company to explore towards the Pacific; first white man to cross the Rocky Mountains; discovers the Fraser River, believes it to be the Columbia.

1794.- Whiskey insurrection near Pittsburg, on account of a tax on whiskey; put down by the government.

Ohio Indians defeated by General Anthony Wayne.

1795. - Jay, in behalf of the United States, concludes a treaty with Great Britain for the surrender of the north-western forts which the British still held, for the payment of American claims, and other matters. Α treaty made with Spain, allowing the free use of the Mississippi to both countries. (See p. 197.)

1796.Tennessee admitted as a slave state.

C. 1797-1801. — Administration of John Adams, the Federalist can

didate.

Thomas Jefferson, Vice-President.

1798. Navy department organized. Short war with France. Alien and sedition laws passed; by the former, any suspicious foreigner could be arrested; by the latter, any citizen who should speak evil of the government. Both laws greatly disliked, and the Federalist party begins to lose its power. Both laws repealed.

Facing p. 283.

Steam-engines begin to take the place of horse-power in America.

D. 1801-1809. — Administrations of Thomas Jefferson, the Anti-Federalist candidate.

Aaron Burr, Vice-President, 1801-1805.

George Clinton, Vice-President, 1805-1809.

1801.- War with Tripoli, to put down the pirates she sent out to trouble commerce. Peace made in 1805, stopping piracy.

Georgia cedes to the United States her western lands.

1803.

Purchase of Louisiana. (See p. 215.)

Fort Dearborn, on the present site of Chicago, built as a frontierpost.

1804-1806.- Expedition of Lewis and Clarke. (See p. 217.) Government sends out General Pike to explore the Mississippi, Great Osage, Red, and Arkansas rivers to their sources, New Jersey abolishes slavery.

1805.

Aaron Burr accused of conspiring to set up a government of his own in Kentucky and Tennessee.

1806-1807.- War of blockades.

Congress passes the Embargo Act.

(See p. 230, 237.)

Henry Clay enters Congress; famous for his speeches and political writings.

1807.- Robert Fulton makes the first successful steamboat; its first trip from New York to Albany.

1809.- Non-Intercourse Act passed. (See p. 230.)

E. 1809-1817.- Administrations of James Madison, candidate of Anti-Federalist party.

George Clinton, Vice-President, 1809-1813.

Elbridge Gerry, Vice-President, 1813-1817.

1810.- John Jacob Astor founds the Pacific Fur Company, and sends out men and means to found Astoria.