AP US History Ultimate Study Guide

Bering Land Bridge

A land bridge that connected Eurasia and North America. The first people to inhabit North and South America walked across the bridge

Native American Societies Before European Contact

Hundreds of tribes, cities, and societies including permanent settlements and nomadic hunting tribes

European Exploration in the Americas

European countries like Spain, Portugal, and England sent explorers to discover new lands, resources, and trade routes in the Americas. This led to colonization and the exchange of goods, ideas, and diseases between the “Old World” and the “New World.”

Columbian Exchange

Exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and ideas between the Americas and the rest of the world after Columbus's voyages in 1492.

Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System

System in Spanish colonies where indigenous peoples were forced into labor, Africans were enslaved, and a rigid caste system was enforced based on race.

Cultural Interactions Between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans

Cultural interactions between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans refer to the exchange of ideas, goods, and beliefs among these groups during colonization.

Jamestown

First successful English colony in the New World, founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company.

Joint-stock company

Group of investors who bought the right to establish New World plantations from the king.

John Rolfe

Jamestown settler known for marrying Pocahontas and introducing tobacco as a cash crop.

Headright system

Introduced in 1618 by the Virginia Company to attract new settlers by granting them land.

House of Burgesses

Established in 1619 in Virginia, allowing property-holding white males to vote.

French Colonization

French colonization in North America, including Quebec City in 1608 and interactions with Native Americans.

Pilgrims

Separatist group that landed in Plymouth in 1620, led by William Bradford and signing the Mayflower Compact.

Mayflower Compact

Legal agreement signed by the Pilgrims, establishing a government based on the consent of the governed.

Great Puritan Migration

Movement of Puritans to New England from 1629 to 1642, led by Governor John Winthrop.

British Control of Colonial Commerce

British regulations on colonial trade, including the Navigation Acts and economic policies.

New Netherland

Captured by Charles II of England in 1664, leading to the establishment of New York as a royal colony.

Pennsylvania

Colony received by William Penn from King Charles II, known for its liberal policies on religious freedom and civil liberties.

Slavery in the Colonies

Existed since 1619 in Virginia, with the arrival of settlers from Barbados marking the beginning of the slave era.

Stono Uprising

Successful slave rebellion in 1739 near Charleston, South Carolina, leading to stricter laws governing enslaved people.

Salem Witch Trials

Occurred in 1692, with mass hysteria leading to the accusation and execution of numerous individuals on charges of witchcraft.

Benjamin Franklin

Self-made intellectual and inventor who embodied Enlightenment ideals in America, contributing to education, government, and diplomacy.

Seven Years' War

Fought between the British and French, resulting in England becoming the dominant colonial power in North America after gaining control of Canada and the Ohio Valley.

Stamp Act

Broad-based tax on legal documents and licenses, protested by colonists with the slogan "No taxation without representation."

Sons of Liberty

Protest groups formed in response to the Stamp Act, united in various colonies to oppose British taxation policies.

Townshend Acts

Taxed goods imported directly from Britain, established new government offices, and led to the formation of Committees of Correspondence.

Boston Massacre

Incident where British soldiers fired on a colonial mob, leading to five deaths and heightened tensions between colonists and British troops.

Olive Branch Petition

Last-ditch attempt by the Second Continental Congress to reconcile with Britain before the outbreak of armed conflict.

Common Sense

Pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for colonial independence, reaching a wide audience and influencing support for the patriot cause.

Declaration of Independence

Document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, asserting individual liberty and government's responsibility to serve the people.

Battle of Yorktown

Symbolic end to the American Revolution in 1781, where British General Cornwallis surrendered to the French navy and George Washington's troops.

Articles of Confederation

First national constitution of the United States, limited central government powers and led to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

Constitutional Convention

Meeting in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, resulting in the creation of a new government structure with checks and balances.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents who depicted the federal government as an all-powerful entity.

Federalist Papers

Persuasive essays authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay to advocate for the Constitution.

Washington's Presidency

George Washington's tenure marked by careful exercise of authority, delegation, and the establishment of a cabinet.

National Bank Debate

Disagreement between Hamilton and Jefferson on the necessity and constitutionality of a national bank.

Republican Motherhood

Concept emphasizing women's role in raising virtuous citizens and educating children in the early 1800s.

Adams Presidency

John Adams' presidency characterized by avoiding war with France, the Alien and Sedition Acts, and the XYZ Affair.

Revolution of 1800

Peaceful transfer of power from Federalists to Democratic-Republicans in the election of Thomas Jefferson.

Marbury v

Landmark Supreme Court case establishing the principle of judicial review under Chief Justice John Marshall.

Louisiana Purchase

Jefferson's acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, doubling the size of the United States and raising constitutional questions.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Exploration led by Lewis and Clark, including Sacajawea, to survey the western territories after the Louisiana Purchase.

Westward Expansion

Pioneers turned attention westward for land, riches, and economic opportunities.

Election of 1804

Jefferson won reelection in a landslide victory in 1804.

Aaron Burr

Ran for governor of New York in the 1804 elections and dueled Alexander Hamilton.

War of 1812

Conflict between British and Americans due to trade blockades and impressment of sailors.

Embargo Act of 1807

Shut down American import/export business, leading to economic turmoil and smuggling.

Monroe Doctrine

Policy asserting America's right to intervene in its hemisphere and non-interference.

Jacksonian Democracy

Era marked by universal white manhood suffrage and strong presidency under Andrew Jackson.

Indian Removal Act

Policy under Jackson forcing Native Americans to relocate, leading to the Trail of Tears.

Nullification

Doctrine allowing states to disobey federal laws if deemed unconstitutional.

Whig Party

Formed in opposition to Democrats, believed in government activism and social issues.

Telegraph

Allowed for immediate long-distance communication, leading to widespread use almost immediately.

Mechanization

Revolutionized farming in the 19th century with machines like plows, reapers, and threshers.

Market Economy

Changed farming as more food was brought to market.

Manifest Destiny

Belief in the God-given right to western territories in America.

Louisiana Purchase

Removed a major obstacle to U.S. western settlement.

Republic of Texas

Independent country before being admitted to the Union in 1845.

Oregon Trail

Route taken by settlers to the Willamette Valley in the early 1840s.

Industrialization

Led the North to become the nation's commercial center in the 19th century.

Cult of Domesticity

Glorified home life and was supported by popular magazines and novels.

Abolitionism

Movement to end slavery, with moderates and immediatists advocating different approaches.

Slavery Expansion

The addition of new territories increased the nation's potential wealth but posed problems regarding the status of slavery, especially in territories east and west of the Mississippi River.

Popular Sovereignty

Territories deciding by vote whether to allow slavery within their borders, a concept used to open up more areas to slavery.

Compromise of 1850

A proposal by Henry Clay that clarified Texas boundaries, banned slavery in the Mexican Cession, and included a stringent Fugitive Slave Act, but faced opposition from figures like John Calhoun.

Antislavery Sentiments

Increase in opposition to slavery, notably fueled by Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," which awakened many to the issue.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Enacted in 1854, it led to violence in the territories, particularly "Bleeding Kansas," and the formation of the Republican Party opposing slavery expansion.

Dred Scott Decision

A Supreme Court ruling that declared enslaved people as property, not citizens, and Congress couldn't regulate slavery in territories, intensifying sectional tensions.

Emancipation Proclamation

Issued by Lincoln in 1862 after the Battle of Antietam, it declared the freedom of slaves in rebellious states, changing the war's purpose to include the abolition of slavery.

Reconstruction

The period of 1865-1877 focused on readmitting southern states, rebuilding, and integrating freed Blacks, marked by Lincoln's Ten-Percent Plan and later resistance to Johnson's Reconstruction Plan.

Reconstruction

Efforts to rebuild the South after the Civil War, which included federal troops opposing the Klan and attempts to redistribute wealth to freedmen.

Enforcement Acts

Laws passed to combat the actions of groups like the Klan during Reconstruction, enforced by federal troops.

Redeemers

Southern Democrats who regained control after Reconstruction, aiming to reverse Republican policies.

Compromise of 1877

Resolution to the contested 1876 election, leading to the end of military reconstruction and the withdrawal of federal troops from the South.

Sharecropping

System where freedmen and poor farmers worked land owned by others in exchange for a share of the crops, prevalent until the mid-20th century.

Freedman’s Bureau

Organization established to assist freed slaves with jobs, housing, education, and other needs during Reconstruction.

Hiram Revels

First Black senator in 1870, representing Mississippi during Reconstruction.

Sherman Antitrust Act

Law passed in 1890 to prevent monopolies and promote fair competition, though its interpretation was pro-business.

Knights of Labor

National labor union founded in 1869, advocating for workers' rights like an 8-hour workday and equal pay for equal work.

Jane Addams

Social reformer who founded Hull House in Chicago, providing education and services to the poor, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931.

Populist Movement

Advocated for silver coinage, government ownership of railroads, graduated income tax, direct election of senators, and shorter workdays.

Granger Laws

Regulated railroads in the 1870s and 1880s to protect farmers and consumers.

McKinley Tariff

Raised duties on imported goods by almost 50% in 1890.

Spanish-American War

Fought in 1898, leading to the U.S. gaining territories like the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Progressive Movement

Urban, middle-class reformers seeking government intervention for social and economic reforms.

Roosevelt Corollary

Addition to the Monroe Doctrine, justifying U.S. intervention in Latin America for national security.

Espionage Act and Sedition Act

Passed in 1917 and 1918 to curb opposition to U.S. involvement in World War I.

Schenck v

Supreme Court case upholding limitations on free speech during wartime in 1919.

Palmer Raids

Government crackdown on suspected radical groups in the U.S. in the early 1920s.

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty ending World War I, punishing Germany and creating the League of Nations.

Decline of Labor Unions

Pro-business atmosphere in the 1920s led to a drop in labor union popularity, with membership levels decreasing throughout the decade.

Welfare Capitalism

Businesses in the 1920s attempted to attract workers by offering pension plans, profit sharing, and company events, a concept known as welfare capitalism.

Automobile Revolution

The 1920s saw the rise of the automobile as a major consumer product, transforming the nation's spirit with Henry Ford's mass production making cars more affordable.

Harlem Renaissance

A major cultural development in the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance in New York City saw the growth of theaters, cultural clubs, and newspapers, with jazz becoming emblematic of the era.

Prohibition Era

The 18th Amendment banned alcoholic beverages, leading to the rise of organized crime, but was later repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933.

Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression

Hoover's presidency in the late 1920s saw the onset of the Great Depression, marked by the 1929 stock market crash and his efforts to address the economic crisis.

New Deal

Franklin D. Roosevelt's response to the Great Depression, the New Deal included programs like the CCC, WPA, and Social Security Administration to revive the economy and provide relief to Americans.

Foreign Policy Pre-World War II

American foreign policy in the 1920s and 1930s focused on promoting peace, with events like the Washington Conference, Kellogg-Briand Pact, and the Good Neighbor Policy in Latin America shaping international relations.

World War II

The complex military strategy and key conferences between Allies, like the Tehran Conference and D-Day, played crucial roles in World War II, with significant impacts on American society and government.