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Unit 5 The Early Republic Interactive Timeline

Bill of Rights Institute

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The Early Republic

Unit 5

1789-1815

1789-1815

Table of contents

1787 Washington is Inaugurated

1798 Alien and Sedition Acts

1800 The Election of 1800

1791 Bill of Rights Ratified

Unit 5

1793 Neutrality Proclamation

1803 Louisiana Purchase

1807 Embargo Act

1794 The Whiskey Rebellion

1812-1815 War of 1812

1796 Washington gives Farewell Address

1798 President Adams and the Quasi War

Timeline Tutorial

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1787

The year the event took place, a more specific date if available and the event title will be located here.

​Matteson, T.H. Washington Delivering His Inaugural Address April 1789, in the Old City Hall, New-York. Engraved by H.S. Sadd. New York: Published by John Neale, 1849. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2006676693/

April 30

George Washington is inaugurated as first president

1787

April 30

​Matteson, T.H. Washington Delivering His Inaugural Address April 1789, in the Old City Hall, New-York. Engraved by H.S. Sadd. New York: Published by John Neale, 1849. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2006676693/

George Washington is inaugurated as first president

1791

December 15

Bill of Rights ratified

Currier & Ives. The Bill of Rights. Lithograph. New York: Currier & Ives, 1876. Library of Congress.https://www.loc.gov/resource/pga.10283/

1793

April 22

Neutrality Proclamation

Sadd, Henry S., Engraver, Gilbert Stuart, and John Neale. George Washington / painted by G. Stuart ; engraved by H.S. Sadd, N.Y. , 1844. [New York City: Published at the Albion Office, printed by J. Neale] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/96522247/.

1794

Kemmelmeyer, Frederick. Washington Reviewing the Western Army at Fort Cumberland, Maryland. c. 1795. Oil on canvas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/656004

July 16

The Whiskey Rebellion

1796

Allyn Cox, Washington's Farewell Address, 1796, 1973–1974, oil on canvas, Cox Corridors, Great Experiment Hall, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/washingtons-farewell-address-1796.

September 19

Washington gives Farewell Address

1798

July 7

Tiebout, Cornelius, Engraver. John Adams / C. Tiebout sct. United States, None. [Place not identified: publisher not identified, between 1796 and 1799] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014645329/.

President Adams and the Quasi War

1798

June-July

The Alien and Sedition Acts

Congress, Draft, Alien Sedition Acts. 1798. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mtjbib009157/.

1800

February 17

The Election of 1800

Library of Congress. "Election of 1800." Creating the United States. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/creating-the-united-states/election-of-1800.html.

1803

Lafon, Barthélémy, and Charles Picquet. Carte générale du territoire d'Orléans comprenant aussi la Floride Occidentale et une portion du territoire du Mississipi. Paris: Ch. Picquet, 1806. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2003623380/.

April 30

The Louisiana Purchase

1807

The Ograbme Turtle Cartoon, 1807." Political cartoon. Wikimedia Commons. Last modified May 5, 2008. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ograbme.jpg.

December

The Embargo Act

1812-1815

Charles, William, Artist. A boxing match, or another bloody nose for John Bull / W. Charles, del et sculp. United States, 1813. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002708982/

June 1812-February 1815

War of 1812

Primary Source

The Bill of Rights.

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Washington delivering his inaugural address.

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An 1806 map of the Louisiana Territory.

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Print shows George Washington and Alexander Hamilton writing the Farewell Address.

Description Paragraph

After being unanimously elected, George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States in New York City, which served as the temporary national capital at that time. The ceremony took place on the balcony of Federal Hall (the first U.S. capitol building.) Washington, dressed in American-made attire, placed his hand upon a Bible. Following the oath, he delivered his inaugural address to a joint session of Congress in the Senate Chamber, emphasizing the importance of moral principles and expressing his hope that the new government would be guided by divine providence (by God’s care and direction). Washington set an important precedent in giving an inaugural address and talking about the importance of civic virtue in a self-governing country.

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A political cartoon criticizing the Embargo Act, featuring the word 'Ograbme,' which is 'Embargo' spelled backward.

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Our first president, George Washington, painted in 1844.

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Draft of the Alien and Sedition Acts with Thomas Jefferson's notes.

Primary Source

Newspaper printing of George Washington’s Farewell Address.

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James Madison, Father of the Constitution and author of the Bill of Rights.

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The second president, John Adams.

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The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France, in which the U.S. acquired approximately 828,000 square miles of territory west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. President Thomas Jefferson negotiated the purchase with French leader Napoleon Bonaparte, who was eager to sell the land to fund his European wars and abandon France’s North American ambitions. The purchase doubled the size of the United States, providing new land for expansion, settlement, and economic growth. Although Jefferson initially questioned whether the Constitution allowed such a purchase, he ultimately justified it as a treaty-making power, which is a power of the executive branch. The Louisiana Purchase significantly strengthened the U.S., secured control of the Mississippi River, and paved the way for westward expansion.

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President John Adams found himself dealing with undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France, sparked by tensions over U.S. neutrality in the war between Britain and France. The conflict began after the XYZ Affair, a scandal in which French diplomats demanded bribes from American representatives, leading to outrage in the U.S. In response, President Adams strengthened the U.S. Navy, and American warships engaged in battles with French privateers in the Caribbean. Although fighting occurred at sea, war was never officially declared. The conflict ended with the Convention of 1800, in which both nations agreed to stop hostilities, allowing the U.S. to avoid a full-scale war while proving its ability to defend itself.

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Washington inspects his troops before putting down the rebellion.

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Signed by President Thomas Jefferson, the Embargo Act was a law that prohibited American ships from trading with foreign nations. It was intended to protect U.S. interests and avoid war by pressuring Britain and France, who were seizing American ships and sailors during the Napoleonic Wars. However, the embargo backfired, devastating the U.S. economy—especially in New England, where merchants and shipowners relied on international trade. Instead of forcing Britain and France to change their policies, the act hurt American businesses and led to widespread smuggling. The embargo became highly unpopular and was repealed in 1809. It was replaced with a law which only restricted trade with Britain and France. The failure of the Embargo Act demonstrated the challenges of using economic pressure as a diplomatic tool.

Primary Source

A transcript of Washington’s inaugural address.

Primary Source

USS Constitution, known after this battle as Old Ironsides, victoriously battles the British ship HMS Guerriere.

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A political cartoon with James Madison boxing King George in the War of 1812.

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The address was not verbally delivered to a live audience, but was published in the Daily Advertiser, a Philadelphia newspaper, with the title “The Address of General Washington to the People of The United States on his Declining of the Presidency of the United States.” Washington explained that he would not seek a third term and rather return to life as a private citizen, establishing a precedent that lasted until Franklin Roosevelt of presidents only serving two terms. In his address, Washington warned against the dangers of political parties, believing they would divide the nation. He​​​​ also​​ warned again against permanent foreign alliances, urging the United States to remain neutral in European conflicts. He also emphasized the importance of national unity, morality, and a strong Constitution to preserve the young republic. Washington’s address set a precedent for a peaceful transfer of power and shaped American foreign policy for years to come.

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In this proclamation, Washington warned the United States to avoid becoming involved in the ongoing war between Britain and France. During his administration, Washington emphasized that the United States should focus on maintaining peace and stability within its borders while steering clear of permanent alliances with foreign nations. ​​Washington believed that by remaining neutral (not taking sides in a conflict) the young nation could grow and develop without risking involvement in costly and destructive wars. Neutrality would also preserve American independence, as aligning ourselves with a stronger power would mean giving up some degree of independence. His statement laid the groundwork for a policy of neutrality that shaped American foreign relations for decades, influencing the nation’s decisions to stay out of European conflicts.

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A broadside listing state and federal election and citizenship laws preparing for the election of 1800.

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The Whiskey Rebellion was a violent protest that occurred mostly in western Pennsylvania, in response to a federal tax on whiskey imposed by the government under President George Washington. The tax was part of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's plan to reduce the national debt, but it was deeply unpopular among farmers who relied on whiskey production for their livelihoods. Protests escalated into violent uprisings, with rebels attacking tax collectors and resisting federal enforcement. In response, Washington led a militia force of about 13,000 troops to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating the power of the federal government to enforce its laws. The rebellion dispersed when the army arrived, and Washington quickly pardoned those who were charged with being a part of it. The rebellion highlighted tensions between rural citizens and the federal government, as well as the government's determination to maintain authority and uphold its laws.

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The Election of 1800 marked the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties. Federalist President John Adams was the incumbent (current officeholder). He lost to Democratic-Republican challengers Thomas Jefferson and his vice-presidential candidate Aaron Burr in a fiercely contested and bitter campaign. The election resulted in a tie between Jefferson and Burr, each receiving 73 electoral votes. In those days, whoever received the most votes became president, and the runner up became vice president. Since neither candidate won outright, the decision was sent to the House of Representatives, where, after 36 ballots, Jefferson was chosen as president, largely due to the influence of Federalist leader Alexander Hamilton, who preferred Jefferson over Burr. This election exposed flaws in the original electoral process, leading to the adoption of the Twelfth Amendment, which established separate Electoral College votes for president and vice president. The 1800 election is often referred to as the "Revolution of 1800" because it demonstrated that political power could change hands peacefully in the United States from one party to the other, solidifying the nation's commitment to democratic principles.

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Some Americans, known as the Anti-Federalists, thought that the Constitution made the central government too strong. They believed that a separate listing of rights was needed to protect individual rights and states’ powers. ​​ The Bill of Rights was a compromise between those who wanted a stronger central government—the Federalists—and the Anti-Federalists, who wanted to protect individual rights and states’ freedom to make their own decisions. During the ratification debates, state conventions proposed amendments as a compromise to address Anti-Federalist concerns and encourage ratification. When the first Congress met, James Madison reviewed those proposals and shaped them into what became the Bill of Rights. The new Constitution was ratified in 1788 and in 1791 amended to include the first ten amendments.

Primary Source

Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe on the acquisition of Louisiana.

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Passed under President John Adams, these were a series of four laws designed to strengthen national security but were widely seen as an attack on civil liberties. ​​ The Alien Acts made it harder for immigrants to become U.S. citizens and allowed the president to deport or imprison foreigners deemed dangerous. Federalists, like Adams, targeted immigrants because they tended to vote for their political opponents, the Democratic Republicans. The Federalists also believed immigrants would bring the radicalism of the French Revolution to the United States. The Sedition Act criminalized speech or publications that criticized the government, directly challenging First Amendment rights. These laws were highly controversial, leading to opposition from Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who argued they were unconstitutional in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. The acts fueled tensions between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. Many Americans saw them as government overreach (when the government uses too much power) and demonstrated this opinion when they elected Thomas Jefferson over John Adams in the Election of 1800.

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The War of 1812, fought between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815, was driven by ongoing British interference with American trade, the impressment (forced recruitment) of American sailors, and British support for Native American resistance against U.S. expansion. The war saw key battles such as the burning of Washington, D.C., in 1814, where the British set fire to the White House, and the Battle of New Orleans, where General Andrew Jackson secured a major American victory. Although the war ended in a stalemate with the Treaty of Ghent in 1814, it boosted American nationalism and confirmed the U.S. as an independent power. The war also weakened Native American resistance and contributed to the decline of the Federalist Party, which had opposed the war.