Rawdon at Hobkirk's Hill, but was defeated again, April 24. Cornwallis went to Wilmington, and thence to Yorktown, Va. Washington and the French forces attacked him there, while the French fleet closed the harbor. Cornwallis surrendered his army Oct. 19, 1781.

Important Events-1781-1789.

The war left the Colonies Independent States, but almost as independent of one another as of Great Britain. Articles of Confederation accepted in 1781. They did not form a strong enough government. In 1786 Shay's Rebellion broke out in Massachusetts, in resistance to the Government tax, requiring force of arms to subdue it. A Convention to frame a stronger plan of government met in Philadelphia in 1787, and in the same year drew up the present Constitution. This was accepted by eleven States by the end of 1788, and went into operation the next year, 1789.

THE NATIONAL PERIOD.

This period relates to the Government under the Constitution, and is the most important of all, inasmuch as our country now becomes the United States.

Under the Constitution the powers of our Government are arranged under three heads, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.

The Legislative power is vested in Congress, composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Senators are chosen for a term of six years by the Legislatures of the several States. Each

State is allowed two Senators. The Representatives are elected by the people for two years only, each State being entitled to a number of Representatives proportionate to its population.

The Executive power is vested in a President, elected by what is called the Electoral College, for a term of four years.

The Electoral College is composed of electors, chosen by the people. Each State is entitled to as many electors as there are Senators and Representatives from that State in Congress.

The duty of the President is to enforce the laws of Congress in accordance with the Constitution. He is Commander-in-chief of the armies and navies of the United States.

The Judicial power of the United States is vested in a Supreme Court and Inferior Courts established by Congress.

To enable the business of the Executive to be better attended to, Congress established four Executive Departments, those of War, State, Treasury and Law. Later these were increased in number until now there are seven, the Interior and the Postoffice being subsequently formed as the necessities of the Government demanded. The chiefs of these Departments, called Secretarys, (excepting the heads of the Post Office and Law departments who are respectively styled, Post Master General and the Attorney General), for the President's Cabinet.

The important events of the National Period will be found in connection with the lives and administrations of the Presidents of the United

States.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

George Washington was born on the Potomac river, in Westmoreland county, Virginia, February 22d, 1732, and died December, 14, 1799. In 1754 he was made Lieutenant Colonel of the militia, and accompanied Braddock in his expedition against Fort Duques.:e in 1755. In the same year he was made Commander-in-chief of the military forces of the Colony of Va., and in 1787 he was unanimously chosen President of the Convention that met to frame a Constitution. In early life he followed the occupation of an engineer. He was married to Mirs Martha Custis, in January, 1759. Congress unanimously elected him commander of the revolutionary forces, and he took active command July, 2, 1775, and he held supreme military control throughout the struggle for independence.

Washington was left fatherless at eleven years of age; his education was directed by his mother, a woman of strong character, who kindly, but firmly, exacted the most implicit obedience. Of her Washington learned his first lessons of self-command. His favorite amusements were of a military character: he made soldiers of his playmates; and officered all the mock parades. His inherited wealth was great, and the antiquity of his family gave him high social rank. As a President, he carefully weighed his decisions, but, his policy once settled, he pursued it with steadiness and dignity, however great might be the opposition. As an officer, he was brave, enterprising and cautious. His campaigns were rarely

startling, but they were always judicious. He was capable of great endurance. Calm in defeat, sober in victory, commanding at all times but irresistible when aroused, he exercised equal authority over himself and his army. His last illness was brief, and his closing hours were marked by his usual calmness and dignity. "I die hard," he said, "but I am not afraid to go." Washington left no children. It has been beautifully said "Providence left him childless that his country might call him Father."

Administration.

Washington was inaugurated April 30, 1789, in New York, the first capital.-A great deal of labor fell upon this administration.-The country was suffering severely from the effect of the war.-At Hamilton's suggestion a plan for improving the public credit was accepted, 1790. -The capital was in that year changed to Phila.-In 1792 Washington was re-elected.— In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the cotton-gin, a machine for separating the cotton-seed from the fiber; this proved of immense importance in the country's history.-In 1794 difficulties arose with France through an endeavor of the French minister, Genet, to obtain aid from France, which was then at war with Great Britain. In 1794 a disturbance broke out in Pennsylvania, called the Whiskey Rebellion, arising from an endeavor to resist the excise tax, which had been (1790) recommended by Hamilton as a means of obtaining funds.-In 1794 a treaty was signed with Great Britain which arranged several disputed points,-particularly the surrender of certain western territory.

JOHN ADAMS.

John Adams was born in Braintree, Mass., October 1735, and died in 1826. He graduated at Harvard College in 1755, and, abandoning the idea of becoming a minister of the gospel, was admitted to the bar in 1758. He was one of the delegates first sent to the Continental Congress from Massachusetts. In 1776 he was made President of the Board of War, and was sent to France as a Commissioner in 1777. He was a member of the first and second Congresses, and nominated Washington as commander-in-chief. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, but Adams secured its adoption in a three-days debate. He was a tireless worker, and had the reputation of having the clearest head and firmest heart of any man in Congress. In his position as President he lost the reputation he had gained as Congressman. His enemies accused him of being a bad judge of men; of clinging to old and unpopular notions, and of having little control over his temper. They also ridiculed his egotism, which they declared to be inordinate.

He lived, however, to see the prejudice against his administration give place to a more just estimate of his great worth and exalted integrity.. As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, he was honored as one of the fathers of the Republic. Adams and Jefferson were firm friends during the Revolution, but political strife alienated them. On their return to private life they became reconciled. They died on the same day-the fiftieth anniversary of American Independence. Adam's last words were, "Thomas Jefferson still survives." ferson was, however, already lying dead in his Virginia home. Thus, by the passing away of these two remarkable men, was made menorable the 4th of July, 1826.

Administration.

Jef

John Adams succeeded Washington as President. He belonged to the Federalist Party. The event of greatest national interest in his administration was the death of Washington, on Dec. 14, 1799.-In the same year, previous to his death, war had been declared against France, and fighting had even begua at sea when a treaty of peace was made.