What was life like for people in America after the American Revolution?

The American Revolution saw several noteworthy political innovations that reflected the new republican ideology: the separation of church and state, which ended the special privileges of the Church of England. Even more important was the widespread assertion of liberty, individual rights and equality which would prove core values to Americans and were highly appealing also in western Europe; the idea that government should be by consent of the governed (including the right of rebellion against tyranny); the delegation of power to the government through written constitutions; and the notion that colonial peoples of North and South America could become self-governing nations in their own right.

The peace treaty with Britain, known as the Treaty of Paris (1783) gave the U.S. government control, on paper, of all land east of the Mississippi River and south of the Great Lakes, but the Native American nations actually living in this region were not a party to this treaty and had not been militarily defeated by the Patriots. Further, the British remained in possession of the Great Lakes forts through which they continued to supply their Native American allies with trade items (including weapons) and to otherwise stir up trouble for Americans.

Initially, it must have been difficult, I suppose. I'm sure we weren't getting any imports from England, so the colonists would have to make do or do without. This certainly helped to spur the industrial revolution in this country that eventually led to the great American economy.