AP US History Study Guide

Period 1: 1491-1607

• Focus: Life in the Americas before European contact and the effects of contact on American Indian societies.
• Key Concepts:
  • Native populations developed complex societies adapting to diverse environments.
  • Contact among Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans led to the Columbian Exchange, causing social, cultural, and political changes.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Christopher Columbus: Claimed Hispaniola and Cuba for Spain; legacy is debated.
  • Encomienda System: Forced labor system imposed by the Spanish.
  • Columbian Exchange: Movement of crops, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds.
  • Maize: Staple crop of American Indians, especially in the Southwest.

Period 2: 1607-1754

• Focus: Life in the Americas between the founding of Jamestown and the start of the French and Indian War.
• Key Concepts:
  • Diverse European colonization patterns influenced by imperial goals, leading to competition for resources.
  • British colonies engaged in exchanges that strengthened bonds with Britain but also led to resistance.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Jamestown (1607): First English colony.
  • Mayflower Compact (1620): Pilgrims' self-governance agreement.
  • Mercantilism: Economic policy favoring mother country.
  • First Great Awakening: Religious revival promoting evangelical Protestantism.

Period 3: 1754-1800

• Focus: Transition from independent colonies to the United States.
• Key Concepts:
  • British control attempts led to independence movement and Revolutionary War.
  • Democratic ideals inspired new government experiments.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Proclamation of 1763: Limited westward colonist expansion.
  • Declaration of Independence (1776): Colonies declared independence from Britain.
  • Articles of Confederation: First U.S. government; weak federal structure.
  • U.S. Constitution: Established federal government system.

Period 4: 1800-1848

• Focus: Development of modern democracy and national culture.
• Key Concepts:
  • Innovations catalyzed economic growth and societal changes.
  • U.S. expansion shaped foreign policy.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Louisiana Purchase (1803): Expanded U.S. territory.
  • Missouri Compromise (1820): Balanced slave and free states.
  • Monroe Doctrine (1823): Closed Western Hemisphere to European colonization.
  • Second Great Awakening: Religious revivals emphasizing personal experience.

Period 5: 1844-1877

• Focus: Antebellum period, Civil War, and Reconstruction.
• Key Concepts:
  • Expansion and divisions led to civil war.
  • Union victory and Reconstruction addressed slavery but left unresolved federal power and citizenship issues.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Compromise of 1850: Admitted California as a free state; imposed Fugitive Slave Law.
  • Dred Scott Decision (1857): Denied citizenship rights to slaves.
  • Emancipation Proclamation (1863): Freed slaves in rebellious states.
  • Reconstruction: Post-Civil War rebuilding of the Union.

Period 6: 1865-1898

• Focus: Post-Civil War industrialization and societal changes.
• Key Concepts:
  • Industrial capitalism rose due to technological advances.
  • Migration transformed urban and rural areas.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Transcontinental Railroad (1869): Connected the country, facilitating expansion.
  • Gilded Age: A time of apparent prosperity masking deeper societal issues.
  • Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): Restricted Chinese immigration.

Period 7: 1890-1945

• Focus: Growth, reform, and global conflicts up to WWII.
• Key Concepts:
  • Economic growth vs. instability led to reforms.
  • WWI and WWII propelled U.S. international power.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Great Depression: Severe economic decline in the 1930s.
  • New Deal: Roosevelt's programs to combat the Great Depression.
  • Harlem Renaissance: Cultural movement among African Americans.
  • WWII: U.S. emerged as a global power post-war.

Period 8: 1945-1980

• Focus: Post-WWII America shaped by the Cold War.
• Key Concepts:
  • U.S. asserted global leadership.
  • Civil rights and government expansion faced cultural and political responses.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Cold War: Tension between U.S. and Soviet Union.
  • Civil Rights Act (1964): Ended segregation and discrimination.
  • Great Society: Johnson's programs to address social injustices.

Period 9: 1980 to Present

• Focus: Rise of conservatism, technological changes, and post-Cold War challenges.
• Key Concepts:
  • Conservative movement influenced politics and policy.
  • Technological and economic changes reshaped society.
• Key Events & Terms:
  • Reagan Administration: Tax cuts and reduced government spending.
  • Terrorist Attacks (2001): 9/11 attacks reshaped U.S. foreign policy.
  • End of Cold War: Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing the Cold War's end.