The time between America's independence in 1783 and the year 1850 was an era of remarkable growth in territory and power for the new nation, as well as a time of social ferment and change. Americans created a constitutional government, expanded westward, and grappled with the problem of slavery. This book presents primary source documents that place the reader at the scene, while secondary sources offer a more distanced, analytical perspective. The timeline gives readers a snapshot of America at any given moment and underscores the connections between seemingly unrelated events and developments.