TIP #500 - DID YOUR ANCESTORS KNOW - 1786 - 1796 PART 3 1786: Davy Crockett born. Sacagawea (also Sacajawea), American explorer born ca this year. The US Congress adopted the silver dollar and decimal system of money. George Washington called for the abolition of slavery. Daniel Shay led a rebellion in Massachusetts to protest the seizure of property for the non-payment of debt. 1787: William Herschel discovered Titania and Oberon, moons of Uranus. Karl Ferdinand von Grafe born helped create modern plastic surgery. Philadelphia's Free African Society formed. Delegates began meting in Philadelphia for a convention to draw up the U.S. Constitution. Congress, under the Articles of Confederation, enacted the Northwest Ordinance, which established rules for governing the Northwest Territory, for admitting new states to the Union and limiting the expansion of slavery. The Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia. The US Constitution was submitted to states for ratification. The first of the Federalist Papers, 77 essays calling for ratification of the U.S. Constitution, published in a New York newspaper. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay . Alexander Hamilton became the first US Treasury secretary. The electoral college established at the Constitutional Convention with representatives to be chosen the states. A private mint struck the first penny. It was 100% copper and known as the Fugio cent. The first left and right shoes were made. 1788: Pennsylvania Quakers emancipated their slaves. Isaac Briggs and William Longstreet patented the steamboat. Nearly the entire city of New Orleans, Louisiana, was destroyed by fire. 856 buildings were burned. The Congress authorized the first national election, and declared New York City the temporary national capital. The Convention decreed that the first federal election would be held on the first Wednesday in February of the following year. Maryland voted to cede a 100-square-mile area for the seat of the national government; about two-thirds of the area became the District of Columbia. King George III suffered a mental breakdown. 1789: First U.S. presidential election was held. Americans voted for electors who, a month later, chose George Washington to be the nation's first president. Georgetown University was established by Jesuits in present-day Washington, D.C., as the 1st US Catholic college. PA stopped banning theatrical performances. US Post Office was established. President-elect Washington and his wife moved into the first executive mansion, the Franklin House, in New York. He is the only president who never resided in the White House. Fletcher Christian lead a mutiny on the Bounty. The US passed the first tariff including and other items at 15%. Thomas Jefferson became the first head of the U.S. Department of Foreign Affairs. Congress established the Department of Foreign Affairs (became the Department of State). U.S. War Department was established. Treasury Department, headed by Alexander Hamilton, was created in New York City. US took out its first loan when it borrowed from the Bank of North America The US debt had reached $77 million when Washington became president Thomas Jefferson was appointed America's first Secretary of State The U.S. War Department established a regular U.S. army with several hundred men. Nov 26th named to be the First Thanksgiving Day by George Washington. Bourbon whiskey, distilled from corn, was made by Elijah Craig in Bourbon, Ky. Church of England Episcopal Church became the Protestant Episcopal Church of the USA. Uranium was discovered and named after the planet Uranus. 1790: John Wesley was preaching. First U S patent issued to William Pollard of Philadelphia for a machine that "roves and spins cotton." President Washington delivered the 1st "State of the Union" address. The first petition to Congress for emancipation of the slaves by the Society of Friends. Congress authorized the first U.S. census. The shoelace was invented. Revenue Marine Service which became the US Coast Guard, was created. U.S. patent system was established. Benjamin Franklin died in Philadelphia at age 84. Territory South of River Ohio created by Congress. US copyright law was enacted. District of Columbia was established as the seat of the United States government. Chrysanthemums introduced into England from China. US government issued $80 million in bonds to cover Revolutionary War debts. US census categorized men as "free white person, all other free persons except Indians, and slaves." Haleakala Volcano on Maui erupted. 1791: Thomas Paine published "The Rights of Men". Calvin Phillips, shortest known adult male born, was 2 feet 2 inches. Congress established the U.S. Mint. 1st Internal Revenue Act taxed distilled spirits and carriages. Vermont was admitted as the 14th state, first additional state after the original 13. John Stone of Concord, Mass, patented a pile driver. Captain Hopley Yeaton of New Hampshire became the first commissioned officer of the U.S. Navy. Samuel F.B. Morse, inventor, was born in Boston. The Bill of Rights took effect following ratification by Virginia. 1792: NYC creates the first 1-way street. Congress passed the Coinage Act authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Mint. It established the US dollar defined in fixed weights of gold and silver. State chartered banks to issue paper money convertible to gold or silver coins to ease business transactions. U.S. authorized $10 Eagle, $5 half-Eagle & 2.50 quarter-Eagle gold coins & silver dollar, dollar, quarter, dime & half-dime. US established military draft. Toilet that flushed itself at regular intervals was patented. Kentucky became the 15th state of the union. Columbus Day was 1st celebrated in the US. The "Old Farmer's Almanac" was 1st published. Ccornerstone of the executive mansion, the White House, was laid during a ceremony in the District of Columbia. George Washington was re-elected president; John Adams was re-elected vice president. Henry Laurens was the first individual cremated in the US. Charles Babbage, inventory of the calculating machine born. An edition of the Bible was first printed in New York. "Dismes", known now as dimes first produced along with half-dismes or nickels. Crown jewels of France were stolen which included a 67 carat Blue Diamond. 1793: The cotton gin was invented. Construction begins on the U S Capitol. Louis XVI executed. Gas lighting was developed in Scotland. 1st U S manned balloon flight carrying Frenchmen Jean Pierre Blanchard on a flight between Philadelphia and Woodbury NJ. Ralph Hogsdon of NY patented oiled silk. A Japanese volcano named Unsen erupted and killed about 53,000 people.Ricketts, the first US circus opened and Pres. Washington attended. The first U S Roman Catholic priest ordained, Father Stephen Theodore Badin. John Hancock died. German Reformed Church was established in the US by Calvinist Puritans. 1st US half-cent and on cent coins were minted. Yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. 1794: Measure adding two stars and two stripes to the American flag, following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the union by President Washington. First successful cesarean Section operation performed by Dr Jessee Bennett of VA on his own wife. Richard Allen founded AME church. The "cold-header" machine (rivet) patented by Josiah Pierson. Congress authorized creation of U S Navy. A Neutrality act passed by Congress that banned Americans from serving in the armed forces of foreign countries. The graham cracked was developed by Sylvester Graham. U S Whiskey Rebellion began. Honolulu Harbor was discovered. 1795: 11th Amendment to US Constitution was ratified. First American silver dollar was minted. A defeated Indian coalition met with Gen. Anthony Wayne in a treaty council at Greenville, Ohio. Pinckney's Treaty between Spain and US signed, which established a southern boundary of US and giving Americans right to send goods down Mississippi. The first adhesive postage stamp creator, Rowland Hill, born. Alexander Hamilton had a brief affair with a Mrs. Reynolds. After being blackmailed by her husband and the affair being made public two years later, Hamilton then publicly admitted his indiscretion. Jim Beam Whiskey founded. To be continued. Note that there is a variance often in the dates, I have shown the first occurence. (c) 29 July 2004, Sandra K. Gorin Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html Sandi's Puzzlers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gensoup/gorin/puz.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/