jul 4, 1776 - New constitutions

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All new state adopted new constitutions:

- In each case written documents.
- All eliminated monarchy and established republican goverments.
- Authority to govern derived from the will of citizenship through elected representatives.

- The separation of legislative, judicial and executive powers carefully worked out (as a result of grievances against Britain)
- The legislatures were given greater powers and the executive of governor were quite deliberately weakened.

In Pennsylvania and Georgia, the executive was merely eleminated.

Participation in government continued to be confined to male property holders.

Universal suffrage was not eacted.

Even though 8 states incorporated declarations of the "natural rights" of the governed in their constitutions, slavery was abolished only in the New England states and Pennsylvania.

Despite the fact that women played a great role in the war (Mercy Otis Warren and Molly Pitcher), only one stat gave them the right to vote (eventually repealed in 1807) + legal status of married women remained one of complete subordination to their husbands.

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