APUSH Review Lecture Summary

Period 1: Pre-Columbian Cultures and European Contact (1491 - 1607)

• Native American Cultures
  • Central & South America: Aztecs and Mayas cultivated maize, had complex societies.
  • North America: Smaller, semi-nomadic tribes, e.g., buffalo hunters on the Great Plains.
• Columbian Exchange
  • Exchange of goods, ideas, and diseases between Europe and the Americas.
  • Devastating impact on Native populations due to diseases like smallpox.
• Spanish Colonization
  • Conquistadors such as Hernán Cortés conquered indigenous populations.
  • Encomienda system and Casta system established for control and hierarchy.
  • Vallodolid debates questioned treatment of natives.

Period 2: Colonization and Settlement (1607 - 1754)

• European Colonies
  • French and Dutch: Focused on fur trade and Catholic conversion, maintained good native relations.
  • English: Mass migration, characterized by economic motivations, e.g., tobacco in Jamestown.
• Regional Differences
  • Southern Colonies: Cash crops; heavy reliance on enslaved labor.
  • New England: Religious motivations, Puritan societies, economy based on trade and fishing.
  • Middle Colonies: Diverse, trade-centric with friendly native relations.
• Tensions and Governance
  • Conflicts with Native Americans, e.g., King Philip’s War.
  • Unique self-government traditions arose.
  • First Great Awakening: Religious revival challenging authority.

Period 3: Road to Independence (1754 - 1800)

• French and Indian War
  • Led to debt and end of salutary neglect by Britain.
• American Revolution
  • Key documents: Declaration of Independence.
  • Continental Army's victory due to leadership, tactics, and alliances.
• New Government
  • Articles of Confederation: Weak central government.
  • Constitutional Convention: Great Compromise, 3/5 Compromise, Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist debates.

Period 4: Expansion and Reform (1800 - 1848)

• Jeffersonian Era
  • Louisiana Purchase doubled U.S. size.
• War of 1812
  • Causes: British impressment, ended with the Treaty of Ghent.
• Jacksonian Democracy
  • Expansion of democracy and controversial policies like Indian Removal.
• Market Revolution
  • Innovations in industry and agriculture, rise of new transportation networks.
• Second Great Awakening and Reform Movements
  • Inspired abolition, temperance, and women's rights movements.

Period 5: Civil War and Reconstruction (1844 - 1877)

• Manifest Destiny and Expansion
  • Mexican-American War and resulting territorial acquisitions.
• Slavery Debates
  • Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act, and Dred Scott decision.
• Civil War
  • Causes: Slavery, states’ rights, and secession.
  • Emancipation Proclamation and Union victory.
• Reconstruction
  • Amendments (13th-15th), Freeman’s Bureau, and the end of Reconstruction with the Compromise of 1877.

Period 6: The Gilded Age and Industrialization (1865 - 1898)

• Rise of Industry
  • Monopolies and industrial leaders like Carnegie and Rockefeller.
• Labor Movement
  • Formation of unions, significant strikes, and labor laws.
• Westward Expansion
  • Impact on Native Americans, assimilation policies.
• Populism and Economic Issues
  • Farmers' struggles, the populist movement, Cross of Gold speech.

Period 7: Progressive Era to WWII (1890 - 1945)

• Imperialism
  • Spanish-American War, debate over imperialist policies.
• Progressive Reforms
  • Muckrakers, social reforms, new laws for consumer protection.
• World Wars
  • U.S. involvement in WWI and WWII, significant social and economic changes.
• The Great Depression and New Deal
  • Causes of the Depression, New Deal policies, criticisms.

Period 8: Cold War and Post-War America (1945 - 1980)

• Cold War Tensions
  • Containment policy, major conflicts like Korean War and Cuban Missile Crisis.
• Civil Rights Movement
  • Key figures and legislation.
• Social Changes
  • Counterculture, women’s rights, environmentalism.
• Vietnam War
  • Causes, home front opposition, and impact on American society.

Period 9: Contemporary America (1980 - Present)

• Reagan Era and Economic Policies
  • Reaganomics, Cold War conclusion.
• Middle East Conflicts
  • Gulf War, War on Terror post-9/11.
• Domestic Politics
  • Political polarization, debates over immigration and federal policies.
• Globalization
  • Economic and cultural effects of globalization, technological advancements.

Study Tips:

• Review timelines and key events for each period.
• Understand the causes and effects of major wars and policies.
• Focus on key figures and movements within each period.
• Utilize study guides and summary videos for additional support.