Shaping of America 1783-1815 Primary Sources | Foreign Relations

The U.S. Constitution was adopted in 1788, and the first two presidents who served under the new government framework concentrated on developing the government and the nation's economic stability. However, foreign affairs demanded much of their time. George Washington (1732–1799) served as the first U.S. president, remaining in office from April 1789 to March 1797. The second U.S. president was John Adams (1735–1826), who served from March 1797 to March 1801.

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