Free University Online
History of the United States I: Unit 4
The Formation of a National Government

Freeuniv home
Updated August, 2006

Video
A New System of Government
After the War for Independence, the struggle for a new system of government begins. Professor Maier looks at the creation of the Constitution of the United States. The Republic survives a series of threats to its union, and the program ends with the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on the Fourth of July, 1826.
Program 5:A New System of Government (Transcript) (Broadband Video on Demand) 

Text

CHAPTER 4: THE FORMATION OF A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (OUTLINE)
  • State Constitutions
  • Articles of Confederation
  • The Problem of Expansion
  • Constitutional Convention
  • Debate and Compromise
  • Ratification and the Bill of Rights
  • President Washington
  • Hamilton vs. Jefferson
  • Citizen Genet and Foreign Policy
  • Adams and Jefferson
  • Louisiana and Britain
  • War of 1812
    Sidebar: The Second Great Awakening

    Chapter Three (OAL) The Romantic Period, 1820-1860: Essayists and Poets

    Marbury v. Madison (1803) (Basic Readings)
    McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) (Basic Readings)
    PART III: THE GROWTH OF AMERICAN SOCIETY (Basic Readings)
    Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural (1801) (Basic Readings)

    • Lectures

    Sparknotes American History (scroll down to section on American History)
  • The Revolutionary War (1776-1781)
  • The Declaration of Independence (1776)
  • Building the State (1781-1797)
  • The Articles of Confederation (1781-1789)
  • The United States Constitution (1789)
  • The Federalist Papers (1787-1789)

    Sparknotes American History (scroll down to section on American History)

  • The First Years of the Union (1797-1809)
  • The War of 1812 (1809-1815)
  • Westward Expansion (1807-1912)

    From American History Study Guide on Pink Monkey
    (Click on Enter -- Click on Study Guides)

  • Chapter 4 The Federalist Government

    History 101: Week 7 Lecture 17: War and Society Under the Art. of Confederation Lecture 19: Federalists and Republicans (Messer-Kruse)
    History 101: Week 8 Lecture 20: The Jeffersonian Vision Lecture 21: The Growth of the American Continental Empire (Messer-Kruse)

    The New American Government (Rankin)

    (Rankin) Growth of the Nation, 1800-40 (Rankin)

    • Quiz

    The American People (Nash) Click on student resources and select a chapter. You can choose from several exams in the left hand column

    Library

    Bibliography from Biography of America click on webography for additional links

    Resources

    Search for War of 1812 in The Columbia Encyclopedia

    A look at American History by examining the life and times of each President Start here and click on Presidential Biographies.

  • George Washington
  • John Adams
  • Thomas Jefferson
  • James Madison
  • James Monroe

    The following provide a brief biography and many links:

  • George Washington, 1789-1797 (POTUS)
  • John Adams, 1797-1801 (POTUS)
  • Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809 (POTUS)
  • James Madison, 1809-1817 (POTUS)
  • James Monroe, 1817-1825 (POTUS)

    • BACK NEXT

    Good Luck!

    and let us know how you are doing.

    | Campus Map - Homepage | Administration | Library | Lecture Hall | Student Support Center |

    |Computer Center | Student Union | Outside Resources |

    Free University Online:
    e-mail to: jaystar@ix.netcom.com
    500 Kentucky Ave.
    Savannah, GA 31404
    tel: (912) 233-4288 fax: (912) 233-4815
    Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2006 Free University Project
    Home Page URL = http://www.freeuniv.com
    Some portions are also copyright the Annenberg/CPB Channel. Used with permission.