Great Britain and France waged an all-out contest for North America during the French and Indian War, where American colonists participated in securing their homes and what they believed to be territory for their future expansion. The salutary neglect that the 13 colonies enjoyed largely from their inception would be replaced, following the war, with renewed interest in the form of taxes imposed by the British Crown.

Once the Americans realized the British were resolute to control the colonies, a growing independence movement took hold leading to the American Revolution. Afterwards, The United States struggled with its newly won sovereignty and difficulties it wrought including America's first attempt at collective self-government and its second; one of the longest running experiments in self-rule. This second experiment was not easily achieved as America balanced the General Weal with special interests in the creation and ratification of The U.S. Constitution.

Finally, this unit comes to a close with the Presidential Election of 1800, one of the greatest achievements of our fledgling nation, which was the peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another without bloodshed or revolution .

EQ #3

Analyze the change in relationship that occurred between England and her North American colonies as a result of the victory in the French and Indian War, and how it ultimately led America to declare independence in 1776.

EQ #4

To what extent did the Articles of Confederation establish an effective government for the United States?

EQ# 5

How did the creation and ratification of the Constitution polarize political opinion during the Federal period? Analyze the impact this polarization had on politics from 1787 through 1801.