History of the United States (1776–1789)

The history of the United States from 1776 to 1789 was marked by the nation's transition from the American Revolutionary War to the establishment of a novel constitutional order.

The United States of America
1776–1789
The Continental Colors flag (1775–1777)
LocationUnited States
British North America
IncludingAmerican Revolution
Confederation Period
Second Great Awakening
Leader(s)Founding Fathers of the United States, most notably The Seven Greats:
Key eventsAmerican Revolutionary War
United States Declaration of Independence
Treaty of Paris
Drafting and implementation of the Articles of Confederation
Philadelphia Mutiny
Shays' Rebellion
Northwest Ordinance
Ratification of the Constitution
Chronology
Colonial Period History of the United States (1789–1815),
Federalist Era
This article is part of a series on the
History of the
United States
The Siege of Yorktown, the last major battle of the American revolution
Timeline and periods
Prehistoric and Pre-Columbian Erauntil 1607
Colonial Era 1607–1765
1776–1789
    American Revolution 1765–1783
    Confederation Period 1783–1788
1789–1815
    Federalist Era 1788–1801
    Jeffersonian Era1801–1817
1815–1849
    Era of Good Feelings 1817–1825
    Jacksonian Era1825–1849
1849–1865
    Civil War Era 1849–1865
1865–1917
    Reconstruction Era 1865–1877
    Gilded Age 1877–1896
    Progressive Era 1896–1917
1917–1945
    World War I 1917–1918
    Roaring Twenties 1918–1929
    Great Depression 1929–1941
    World War II 1941–1945
1945–1964
    Post-World War II Era 1945–1964
    Civil Rights Era 1954–1968
1964–1980
    Civil Rights Era 1954–1968
    Vietnam War 1964–1975
1980–1991
    Reagan Era 1981–1991
1991–2008
    Post-Cold War Era 1991–2008
2008–present
    Modern Era2008–present
Topics
Groups
Places
Territorial evolution
Regions
States
Territories
Cities

As a result of the American Revolution, the thirteen British colonies emerged as a newly independent nation, the United States of America, between 1776 and 1789. Fighting in the American Revolutionary War started between colonial militias and the British Army in 1775. The Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781 to form the Congress of the Confederation. Under the leadership of General George Washington, the Continental Army and Navy defeated the British military, securing the independence of the Thirteen Colonies. The Confederation period continued until 1789, when the states replaced the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution of the United States, which remains the fundamental governing law of the United States.

The 1780s marked an economic downturn for the United States due to debts incurred during the Revolutionary War, Congress' inability to levy taxes, and significant inflation of the Continental dollar. Political essays such as Common Sense and The Federalist Papers had a major effect on American culture and public opinion. The Northwest Territory was created as the first federal territory in 1787, and a border dispute in this region prompted raids that escalated into the Northwest Indian War. The Revolution and the Confederation period are placed within the American Enlightenment, a period in which Age of Enlightenment ideas grew popular and prompted scientific advancement.

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