This week we will begin Unit Four, which examines the 90-year period between the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 and the end of Reconstruction in 1877. During this unit, we will consider several crucial aspects of American history, including: political parties; economic development; cultural maturation; territorial growth; Indian removal; racial slavery; Civil War; and Reconstruction.

Our first topic in this unit will be the Federalist Era (1789-1803). During this period, political divisions between the nation's leading figures developed as the country struggled to define itself and its place in the world. Important figures like George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison will feature prominently in our story. We will also discuss several key topics in early American history, including Hamilton's financial plans, the placement of the capital in Washington, D.C., the development of the first political party system, the Quasi War with France, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Founding Fathers' views on slavery.

Complete quiz 10 | 20 multiple choice questions | left menu bar | due by November 11 at midnight

Jefferson's Monticello [link ]

Jefferson's Blood [ link ]