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Founding the Republic, 1776–1789 (A-level only)

establishing the Nation, 1776–1801 (A-level only): Founding the Republic, 1776–1789 (A-level only)

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88 min

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AqaA LevelHistory2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801

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Founding the Republic, 1776–1789 (A-level only)4 objectives

The Articles of Confederation: drafting from 1776; ratification by the thirteen states.
Obstacles blocking the path to a republic: economic problems, social tensions and inter-state disputes, the issue of slavery.
Making the Constitution: the Philadelphia Convention and the constitutional debates between federalists and anti-federalists, the personalities and policies of the ‘Founding Fathers’.
Ratification of the new Republic: the forwarding of the constitution to the states by the Continental Congress, ratification of the constitution by state conventions.

RatificationSovereigntyArticles of ConfederationConstitutional ConventionConstitutionBill of RightsFederalism

Focus on key events and their implications: When studying the Articles of Confederation, pay attention to key events like Shays' Rebellion and their implications for the need for a stronger government.
Use specific examples: When discussing obstacles to the republic, include specific events or legislation to support your arguments.

Confusing the Articles of Confederation with the Constitution: Clarify that the Articles created a weak central government, while the Constitution established a stronger federal framework.
Overgeneralizing economic issues: Acknowledge both inflation and debt as interconnected issues that impacted the economy.

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