Important Dates in APUSH

These flashcards cover important dates and events in U.S. history relevant for American History AP (APUSH) exams.

Columbian Exchange

The widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, and ideas between the Americas and the Old World following the voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492.

Jamestown founded

The first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607.

First African slaves arrive in America

Marked in 1619, this event began the forced migration of Africans as slaves in the British colonies.

Navigation Acts

A series of laws passed in the 1660s to regulate colonial trade and enabled England to collect taxes from the colonies.

King Philip’s War

A conflict between Native American inhabitants of New England and English colonists from 1675 to 1676.

End of French & Indian War

In 1763, this war ended with the Treaty of Paris and marked the beginning of British dominance in North America.

Declaration of Independence

Adopted on July 4, 1776, it proclaimed the thirteen American colonies as independent from British rule.

U.S. Constitution took effect

The foundational document of the United States government officially was enacted in 1789.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France, which doubled the size of the United States.

Missouri Compromise

An 1820 agreement that permitted Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

Lowell Mills open

Established in 1823, these textile mills played a significant role in the Industrial Revolution.

Monroe Doctrine

A principle of US policy originated in 1823, opposing European colonialism in the Americas.

Jacksonian Democracy

A political movement in the 1830s that emphasized greater democracy for the common man.

Start of Mexican War

Beginning in 1846, this conflict was over the annexation of Texas and boundaries.

Seneca Falls Convention

The first women's rights convention held in 1848, which organized a movement for women's suffrage.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Passed in 1854, this act allowed territories to decide on the legality of slavery.

Civil War

The war fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865 over issues including states' rights and slavery.

Reconstruction

The period from 1865 to 1877 when the United States began to rebuild after the Civil War.

Transcontinental Railroad completed

Finished in 1869, this railway connected the Eastern U.S. to the West.

Immigration/Urbanization/Industrialization (Gilded Age)

A period in the 1880s characterized by rapid industrial growth and urbanization.

Dawes Severalty Act

An 1887 law that aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting them individual plots of land.

End of the Populist Party

The disbanding of a political movement in the late 1890s that aimed to represent the interests of farmers.

Spanish-American War

An 1898 conflict between the United States and Spain that resulted in American territorial gains.

Progressive Movement

An era from 1890 to 1920 addressing issues like corruption, inequality, and women's suffrage.

U.S. entry into World War I

The United States joined the conflict on April 6, 1917.

Stock Market Crash

The stock market crash of 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression.

U.S. entry into World War II

The United States entered the war following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

End of World War II and Beginning of Cold War

In 1945, the WWII conclusion led to geopolitical tensions between the US and the Soviet Union.

Start of Korean War

War began in 1950, stemming from the division of Korea post World War II.

Brown v. Board of Education

The 1954 Supreme Court decision declaring state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional.

Sputnik launched

The first artificial Earth satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, signaling the start of the space race.

Tet Offensive

A major surprise attack by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War in January 1968.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formed

Established in 1970 to consolidate efforts to protect the environment.

Election of Ronald Reagan

The 1980 election where Ronald Reagan was elected as the 40th President of the United States.

Fall of Berlin Wall

The 1989 event symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the division between East and West Germany.

9/11 Attacks

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, which led to significant changes in U.S. domestic and foreign policy.