1788

1788 was a leap year marked by developments in the formation of a new constitutional order in the United States, the expansion of the British Empire in the Pacific, and looming crises in France that would influence the coming decade.

In the United States, the process of ratifying the proposed Constitution continued through 1788. By June 21, 1788, New Hampshire’s ratification ensured that the Constitution could operate as the framework for a new federal government, following earlier approvals by several other states. The full functioning of the new government would begin in 1789, with the first Congress convening and George Washington becoming the nation’s first president, signaling a transition from the Articles of Confederation to a stronger central framework.

In Australia, the first British penal colony in mainland Australia was established when the First Fleet arrived at Port Jackson on January 26, 1788. Under Governor Arthur Phillip, the settlement at Sydney Cove began the long process of European colonization in the continent, reshaping Indigenous communities and regional demographics over subsequent decades.

In France, 1788 was a year of mounting economic distress, with harvest failures and debt contributing to social tensions. These pressures culminated in the summoning of the Estates-General in 1789, a pivotal step toward the French Revolution and a broader reordering of European politics in the years that followed.

Overall, 1788 can be seen as a transitional year, linking the consolidation of constitutional government in the United States, colonial expansion in Australia, and the precursors to revolutionary change in France.