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#Just as you use landmarks for finding your way to a location, use easy-to-recall events to find your "way around" history.  If you know when the Constitutional Convention was (1787), then it becomes easier to estimate when George Washington first became president (he could only be elected president after the Constitution was ratified by the ninth state in June 1788).

#Just as you use landmarks for finding your way to a location, use easy-to-recall events to find your "way around" history.  If you know when the Constitutional Convention was (1787), then it becomes easier to estimate when George Washington first became president (he could only be elected president after the Constitution was ratified by the ninth state in June 1788).

After 1788, the easiest "landmark" for each period is the president.  That does not mean he is the most important person, but being able to identify the president is an easy way to organize the important events.  '''I should be able to name any date and you should be able to say who was president.'''  Or, if you prefer, you can organize events around the numerous wars, but that may not be as easy because there were long periods in American history without ''any'' wars.

After 1788, the easiest "landmark" for each period is the president.  That does not mean he is the most important person, but being able to identify the president is an easy way to organize the important events.  '''I should be able to name any date and you should be able to say who was president at that time.'''  Or, if you prefer, you can organize events around the numerous wars, but that may not be as easy because there were long periods in American history without ''any'' wars.

Let's try it now:  1798: who was president?<ref>Answer: John Adams was the president in 1798.</ref>1793?<ref>George Washington.</ref>  1790?<ref>Also George Washington.</ref>

Let's try it now:  1798: who was president?<ref>Answer: John Adams was the president in 1798.</ref>1793?<ref>George Washington.</ref>  1790?<ref>Also George Washington.</ref>