Digital History
Digital History: The Road to Revolution
A review of the Age of Revolution, particularly as it was perceived in the American colonies. See how the various actions taken by the British government to control the colonists resulted in uniting the colonists and set the stage for...
Digital History
Digital History: The Delegates
An interesting look at the background of the men who gathered in Philadelphia to frame a new constitution for the new country.
Digital History
Digital History: The Convention
The delegates at the Constitution established strict guidelines for writing the document. Read about the general housekeeping rules, and the way they reached compromises.
Digital History
Digital History: Republicanism
The framers of the Constitution had a great distaste for the monarchial society of Great Britain. See how this was reflected in the checks and balances they wrote into the Constitution in an effort to create a working republic.
Digital History
Digital History: Drafting the Constitution
Those writing the Constitution had many issues to deal with in forming a document to govern the country. One thorny issue was the status of the states in regard to representation in the federal legislature. Read about the Virginia Plan...
Digital History
Digital History: Compromises
Compromise was the name of the game when writing the Constitution. See how taxation, elections, and the power of the federal government were enshrined in the document. Marvel at the ideas that were rejected.
Digital History
Digital History: Completing a Final Draft
Read about the committee that produced a final draft of the Constitution to present to the entire Constitutional Convention. Find out what the delegates to the convention kept in the final draft and what they changed.
Digital History
Digital History: u.s. Constitution and Organization of the National Government
Read about the structure of the U.S. Constitution and the thoughts of the framers behind the formation of each branch.
Digital History
Digital History: Ratifying the Constitution
After the Constitution was written, debated, and finally adopted by the Constitutional Convention, it was sent to the states to ratify. Read about the fears of those who did not want to ratify it and see how their fears were addressed.
Digital History
Digital History: The Bill of Rights
Find a list of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and see why these additions were made to the ruling document.
Digital History
Digital History: Constitutional Quiz
See the questions about the Constitution that have been asked in recent polls.
Digital History
Digital History: James Thomson Callender, Scandalmonger
James Thomson Callender was a little-known journalist whose writings made a big splash in the new American nation. Read about his attacks on political figures, and see what the Sedition Act had to do with his conviction of a crime.
Digital History
Digital History: The Formative Decade
The first decade of the new American nation saw much development and progress, but there was still contention about what the national government's role would be. Read about the differing views of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.
Digital History
Digital History: The First National Census
An interesting look at the difficulty of conducting the first national census in 1790. Find a snap shot of American society in that year and a glimpse of what the future held.
Digital History
Digital History: Challenges Facing the Nation
The new United States had no blueprint to follow in establishing a new democratic government. Read about the challenges facing the new nation, and how it dealt with ways to make the government work.
Digital History
Digital History: Years of Crisis
It's not surprising the United States would have challenges in its first years. Read about the problems with foreign countries, its own citizens who resisted taxes, and dealings with Native Americans.
Digital History
Digital History: The Presidency of John Adams
John Adams, early revolutionary and founding father, became the second president of the United States, only to face difficult foreign policy problems. Read about the XYZ Affair and the Federalists' preparation for war with France.
Digital History
Digital History: The Revolution of 1800
The election of 1800 was a revolution in a peaceful sense. Read about the election, how Thomas Jefferson became president, and the resulting 12th Amendment.
Digital History
Digital History: Conclusion
A brief account of the death of George Washington and a review of the great strides the country made in the decade beginning when he became president.
Digital History
Digital History: War on the Judiciary
The Judiciary Act of 1801 was a final attempt by the Federalists to control the judicial system before the Democratic Republicans took over. Read about the repeal of the act, which resulted in a landmark Supreme Court decision, Marybury...
Digital History
Digital History: The Louisiana Purchase
Find out about the serendipitous sale of the whole of the Louisiana Province by Napoleon to the Americans for $15 million dollars.
Digital History
Digital History: Conspiracies
An interesting account of the possible conspiracy of Aaron Burr. Was he trying to take land in the West by force? Read the evidence against him and see why he was acquitted.
Digital History
Digital History: The Embargo of 1807
Thomas Jefferson tried to retain American neutrality in relations with France and Great Britain, who were at war with each other. Read about the Embargo Act and its effect on the American economy. See how other acts enacted in the...
Digital History
Digital History: A Second War of Independence
A brief explanation of the lead-up to the War of 1812. Find out who supported it and why.