| 1776 | Declaration of Independence. |
| 1777 | Articles of Confederation endorsed by the Continental Congress and submitted to the colonies for ratification. |
| 1781 | Articles of Confederation officially "in force" after ratification by the colonies |
| 1783 | Treaty of Paris is signed by Great Britain and the United States, ending the Revolutionary War. Senate ratifies in 1784. |
| 1785 | Land Ordinance of 1785 passed by Congress provides for rectangular survey dividing northwestern territories into townships, which are in turn divided into lots of 640 acres each, with one lot set aside for public education. |
| 1786 | Ordinance of Religious Freedom adopted by Virginia legislature written by Thomas Jefferson, this statute would later become the model for the first amendment to the Constitution. |
| 1786-7 | Daniel Shays leads a rebellion of 1,200 men in an attack against federal arsenal in Springfield, Massachusetts an important incident in influencing the creation of a new Constitution. |
| 1787 | Constitutional convention assembles in Philadelphia. |
| 1787 | Northwest Ordinance enacted by Congress provides for the eventual incorporation of three to five new states in the Northwest territories, with the establishment of a bicameral assembly, freedom of religion, the right to trial by jury, public education, and a ban on slavery. |
| 1787 | The Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise) is presented by Roger Sherman, reconciling the Virginia and New Jersey Plans advocates proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate. |
| 1787 | Constitution is endorsed by Congress and sent to state legislatures for ratification. |
| 1787 | Federalist Papers begin to be published. |
| 1788 | The Constitution is in effect after receiving the approval of the requisite nine states. |
| 1789 | George Washington is elected first President of the United States. John Adams is Vice President. |
| 1789 | War and Treasury Departments are established by Congress. Henry Knox will be the Secretary of War; Alexander Hamilton will be the Secretary of the Treasury. |
| 1789 | Federal Judiciary Act is passed by Congress creates a six-man Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices. Also provides for an Attorney General, and for a judicial system of 13 district courts and three circuit courts. |
| 1789 | The Bill of Rights is submitted by Congress to the states for ratification. |
| 1789 | Thomas Jefferson is officially named Secretary of State; John Jay is named Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. |
| 1791 | The Bill of Rights is ratified. |
| 1803 | The principle of judicial review is established by the Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison. |