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Class Date: March 4th
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A New Nation
A New Nation
This week we are talking about the first major shift in U.S. foreign policy, the Monroe Doctrine. Before we get there, let’s take a look at the events of the day in this fledgling country.
July 4th, 1776 - The Declaration of Independence is adopted
56 men affixed their signatures to the Declaration of Independence, moving towards a new nation. (They officially signed the version on parchment on August 2nd, but they officially adopted the document on July 4th).
1781 - Lord Cornwall surrenders to Washington’s troops
This is the last major military battle of the Revolutionary war. It would take some time for the British to leave the colonies, but the war is effectively over.
1783 - John Adams leads the delegation in France to sign the treaty officially ending the war between the United States and Great Britain
Massachusetts Supreme Court also outlaws slavery this year, citing the state Bill of Rights “all men are born free and equal”.
1786 - Benjamin Franklin invents bifocals
After struggling with glasses on and off and wearing double spectacles, Franklin writes happily to his friend that he has invented spectacles that allow him to see objects at a distance and near ones. Many who wear glasses today can thank Ben for his ingenuity!
1787 - Shay’s Rebellion
Daniel Shay leads 600 debt-ridden farmers to revolt against the creditors and high Massachusetts state taxes. The rebellion to avoid imprisonment and loss of their farms for not paying their debts is ultimately put down by the state militia, but it highlights the weakness of the federal government under the Articles of Confederation.
For a 2 minute overview of the Rebellion, check out this video:
1787 - September - Delegates at the Constitutional Convention adopt the United States Constitution
A bicameral legislature is adopted to guarantee equal representation for the states and an Executive Branch is established.
1789 - George Washington inaugurated as the first president
Washington had been chosen unanimously by electors, with John Adams as his Vice President. There was no direct presidential election at the time. Washington was elected in February and inaugurated in New York City in April. In September of the same year, the Federal Judiciary Act was passed to create the Supreme Court.
1791 - Bill of Rights ratified
Many new Americans were reluctant or outright refused to support the Constitution of the United States, especially without more explicit rights outlined. To smooth the way toward more support, Madison introduced a list of amendments in June of 1789 and pushed relentlessly to have them passed. To read more about the Bill of Rights, its passage and history, click here: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights/how-did-it-happen
1792 - A Vindication of the Rights of Woman published
British writer and women’s rights advocate Mary Wollstonecraft published “A Vindication of the Right of Woman: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects”. She argued that women were able and should receive an education, rather than simply learn how to keep a home. Her book was very popular among feminists of the day, including American women who would later reference her work at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention and their publication of the Declaration of Sentiments.
1792 - Construction on the White House began
After moving the capital city from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., President Washington began working with Pierre Charles L’Enfant to plan the city, leaving room for a “President’s Palace”. Though L’Enfant originally planned a structure 4 times the size of the present White House, the scaled back version was still the largest house in the United States. The total cost of building was $232,372 (just over $5.5 million in today’s dollars). To read more fun facts about the White House, click here: https://www.whitehousehistory.org/construction-of-the-white-house
1793 - Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette executed in France
Both Louis and Marie were executed after they had been imprisoned for some years for treason. To read more about the French Revolution and abolishment of the monarchy, click here: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/king-louis-xvi-executed
1803 - The Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson doubled the size of the United States, by purchasing the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon, which would pave the way for western expansion for the next century.
1804 - Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr duel
Longtime political rivals, Hamilton ultimately dies as a result. To read more about the duel, click here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/duel-alexander-hamilton-and-aaron-burrs-duel/
If you would like a little music to accompany your learning about duels, click here: https://youtu.be/m7iHmuco_zo
1809 - Washington Irving influences American literature
Washington published “A History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker”, which not only popularized the term Knickerbocker (though today most folks cheer for the shortened form when they root for the ‘Knicks”), but also put American literature on the map, so to speak. He described St. Nicholas as pulling a flying wagon with reindeer. He would later go on to write more about Christmas celebrations, giving us many of the Christmas traditions we celebrate today.
1812 - The War of (you guessed it) 1812
The United States declared war on Great Britain after a number of skirmishes.
For an overview of the war, its causes, and its outcomes, check out this great 12 minute Crash Course video.
That is where our timeline leaves us this week! Tune in this week for more!
Recommended Reading
Recommended Reading
To read more about this period, here are some great books to get you started:
For kids:
James Monroe and the Monroe Doctrine: World Leader Biographies Grade 5 by Dissected Lives
The Monroe Doctrine was a US policy that opposed European colonialism. It was penned by James Monroe, who was an American lawyer, diplomat and statesman. In this book, you will learn about the life and works of James Monroe, as well as the circumstances that made him decide to change history forever. Start reading today.
The Monroe Doctrine: A Warning That Shaped a Continent by Providence Learning Press
After the War of 1812, the young United States faced a dangerous question: would Europe try to control the Americas again? In The Monroe Doctrine: A Warning That Shaped a Continent, children ages 6–10 step into a dramatic moment when bold words helped change world history.
Through vivid storytelling, young readers meet President James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and the leaders who dared to draw a line across an entire hemisphere. They will see how fear, courage, diplomacy, and conviction shaped the future of nations.
Part of the Cycle 3 History series, this beautifully written book brings early American history to life with cinematic clarity, helping children understand not just what happened, but why it mattered—and how one declaration echoed across generations. Perfect for family read-alouds, homeschool history, and classroom learning.
For adults:
The Monroe Doctrine: Empire and Nation in Nineteenth Century America by Jay Sexton
President James Monroe's 1823 message to Congress declaring opposition to European colonization in the Western Hemisphere became the cornerstone of nineteenth-century American statecraft. Monroe's message proclaimed anticolonial principles, yet it rapidly became the myth and means for subsequent generations of politicians to pursue expansionist foreign policies. Time and again, debates on the key issues of nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foreign relations―expansion in the 1840s, Civil War diplomacy, the imperialism of 1898, entrance into World War I, and the establishment of the League of Nations―were framed in relation to the Monroe Doctrine.
Covering more than a century of history, this engaging book explores the varying conceptions of the doctrine as its meaning evolved in relation to the needs of an expanding American empire. In Jay Sexton's adroit hands, the Monroe Doctrine provides a new lens from which to view the paradox at the center of American diplomatic history: the nation's interdependent traditions of anticolonialism and imperialism.
The Monroe Doctrine: How a 19th-Century Speech Still Drives 21st-Century Geopolitics by James Madison, edited by Damani Grant
The Monroe Doctrine: How a 19th-Century Speech Still Drives 21st-Century Geopolitics by James Madison, edited by Damani Grant
On December 2, 1823, President James Monroe delivered what seemed to be a routine annual message to Congress. Buried within its formal language was a declaration that would quietly reshape the future of the Western Hemisphere. That statement — later known as the Monroe Doctrine — became one of the most powerful and controversial ideas in American foreign policy.
This annotated edition goes far beyond reproducing Monroe’s famous words. It is designed as a complete guided study of how a single speech evolved into a living doctrine that continues to influence global politics today.
Inside this volume you will find:
Author Biography
A concise life portrait of James Monroe, tracing his journey from Revolutionary War soldier to President of the United States, and showing how his experiences shaped the principles behind the Doctrine.
Introduction
An accessible overview of the political world of 1823 — the collapse of European empires in the Americas, the fears of renewed colonization, and the diplomatic calculations that led Monroe to draw a bold hemispheric line.
Historical & Legal Commentary Sections
Annotations accompany the full text of Monroe’s Seventh Annual Message, explaining archaic language, revealing hidden meanings, and documenting how the Doctrine was reinterpreted through the Roosevelt Corollary, the Cold War, and the rise of international law.
Modern Relevance Section
A detailed examination of how Monroe’s words continue to surface in contemporary geopolitics, from debates over sovereignty and intervention to renewed great-power rivalry in the Americas.
Visual & Reference Materials
Curated timelines, historical maps, primary source excerpts, and a scholarly bibliography bring the story to life and provide readers with the tools to explore the Doctrine’s impact across two centuries.
More than a historical reprint, this book invites readers to see the Monroe Doctrine not as a relic of the past, but as a living idea — one that still shapes how power is claimed, contested, and defended in the Western Hemisphere.
Works Cited
Works Cited
https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780191736810.timeline.0001
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Native-American/Native-American-history
https://pages.nativehope.org/reflecting-on-our-foundations#understanding-native-tribes
https://www.ushistory.org/us/2f.asp
http://www.fm.coe.uh.edu/timeline/1600s.html
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/catherine-the-great-assumes-power-russia
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