APUSH Timeline Notes

APUSH emphasizes understanding the timeline of events in American history rather than memorizing precise dates. Here, key events are organized by historical periods, highlighting their significance and impact.

Period One

• 1492: Columbus arrives in the New World

  • Initiated trade between Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, leading to increased food production and growth.
  • Spain emerged as a colonial power.

• 1587: England's first settlement attempt in North America

  • Sir Walter Raleigh sponsors the Roanoke Island, known as the Lost Colony.

• 1588: English defeat the Spanish Armada

Period Two

• 1607: Jamestown

  • First permanent English settlement in North America, funded by the Virginia Company.
  • Led by Captain John Smith.

• 1609-1610: The desperation of English settlers

  • Powhatan Confederacy assists Jamestown; tobacco becomes a cash crop.

• 1620: Mayflower arrives in Plymouth

• 1649: Toleration Act

  • Granted religious freedom to Christians in Maryland.

• 1688: Glorious Revolution

  • Overthrow of James II; William and Mary become joint monarchs.

• 1692: Salem Witch Trials

  • Resulted from unrest in religion, politics, and gender; led to many executions.

Period Three

• 1754-1763: Seven Years War

  • Conflict between British and French over control of colonial territories and disputes such as the Ohio Valley.
  • Ended with the Treaty of Paris 1763, leading to British control of Canada and East of the Mississippi; exacerbated anti-British sentiment.

• 1763: Proclamation of 1763

  • Restricted colonial settlement past Appalachian Mountains, angering colonists.

• 1765: Stamp Act

  • Taxed goods within colonies, leading to boycotts and "no taxation without representation."
  • Repealed, but followed by the Declaratory Act affirming parliamentary authority.

• 1770: Boston Massacre

  • Used as propaganda against British troops.

• 1773: Boston Tea Party

  • Protest against tea tax leading to the Intolerable Acts.

• 1775: Lexington and Concord

  • Beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

• 1776: Declaration of Independence

  • Defined individual liberty and government responsibility.

• 1777: Articles of Confederation

  • First US national constitution with significant limitations.

• 1778: Franco-American Alliance

• 1781: Battle of Yorktown

  • End of Revolutionary War.

• 1783: Treaty of Paris

  • US gained land and independence.

• 1787: Constitutional Convention

  • Established Great Compromise and 3/5ths Compromise.

• 1788: Washington's Election

• 1791: Bill of Rights added

• 1798: XYZ Affair; Alien & Sedition Acts

Period Four

• 1800: Jefferson's Election

• 1803: Louisiana Purchase

• 1812-1815: War of 1812

• 1820: Missouri Compromise

• 1823: Monroe Doctrine

• 1828: Jackson's Election

• 1830: Indian Removal Act

• 1832: Nat Turner's Rebellion

• 1830-1850: Manifest Destiny

Period Five

• 1845: Annexation of Texas

• 1845-1848: Mexican-American War

• 1848: Seneca Falls Convention

• 1850: Fugitive Slave Law

• 1854: Bleeding Kansas

• 1857: Dred Scott Decision

• 1860: Lincoln's Election

• 1861-1865: Civil War

• 1867: Military Reconstruction Act

• 1867: Purchase of Alaska

• 1877: Compromise of 1877

Period Six

• 1876: Battle of Little Bighorn

• 1886: Haymarket Square Riot

• 1887: Dawes Act

• 1890: Wounded Knee; Sherman Antitrust Act

• 1896: Plessy v. Ferguson

Period Seven

• 1898: Spanish American War

• 1917: US enters WWI

• 1920: Women's Suffrage

• 1929: Stock Market Crash

• 1932: New Deal

• 1939-1945: WWII

Period Eight

• 1945: Hiroshima & Nagasaki

• 1950-1953: Korean War

• 1964: Civil Rights Act

• 1969: Moon Landing

• 1972: Watergate Scandal

Period Nine

• 1980: Reagan's election

• 1989: End of the Cold War

• 1991: Persian Gulf War

• 2001: 9/11 Attacks

• 2008: Obama elected; Great Recession

These notes summarize key events and themes across major periods in US history, serving as a helpful guide for studying AP United States History (APUSH) timelines. For more detailed notes, refer to additional resources provided in the original document.