1780s

The 1780s refers to 1780-1789, a decade of significant political upheaval and societal change across the Atlantic world. It saw the closing phase of the American War of Independence, the drafting of new political constitutions, and the early stages of the French Revolution, alongside continued scientific and industrial developments.

In the Americas, the United States achieved independence with the 1783 Treaty of Paris, establishing its boundaries and legitimacy. The United States Constitution was drafted in 1787 during the Philadelphia Convention and was subsequently ratified by the end of 1788, leading to the formation of a new framework of federal government and the inauguration of George Washington as the first president in 1789. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established governance for western territories.

In Europe, France faced mounting fiscal crisis and social tensions that culminated in the Estates-General and the revolution of 1789. Britain fought the American War and faced economic and political changes at home, including debates on parliamentary reform and the consequences of imperial conflict abroad. The era also continued imperial expansion and trade networks in other regions, with colonial and slave-trade systems still in place in various parts of the Atlantic world.

Scientifically and culturally, the decade continued the momentum of the Enlightenment and early industrial changes in Britain and Europe, laying groundwork for later advances in technology, manufacturing, and political thought.