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| 1798–1801 |
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| The first American novelist, Charles Brockden Brown (1771–1810) of Philadelphia, published six novels, but the best-known American writers of this period included Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper. The literature of the early national era showed many of the characteristics of the romantic movement in European literature. Independence from European cultural forms came only slowly. | 1 |
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| 1799 |
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| The Russian-American Fur Company was organized by the Russian government and given a trade monopoly for 20 years (later renewed). A most active period of Russian enterprise ensued under the governorship of Alexander Baranov (1790–1819). | 2 |
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| 1800 |
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| In the election, commonly referred to as the revolution of 1800, Adams was defeated, but, because Jefferson and Burr had the same number of votes, the election was decided by the House of Representatives, which decided in favor of Jefferson. The tie led to the movement culminating in the Twelfth Amendment (1804), which altered the method of electing the president and vice president by requiring that separate ballots be cast for each. | 3 |
| Gabriel Prosser's slave conspiracy. Nearly 1,000 slaves met outside Richmond and planned to march on the city in an attempt to secure their freedom. The governor activated some 6,000 troops and put down the rebellion. | 4 |
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| 1801 |
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| John Marshall became chief justice of the Supreme Court. | 5 |
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| March 4 |
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| THOMAS JEFFERSON was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C., the new capital. | 6 |
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