AP US History Time Periods 1-5: Exploration, Revolution, Civil War, and Reconstruction

Prince Henry of Portugal

Known as 'The Navigator.' He established a school for navigation in Sagres, Portugal.

Christopher Columbus

Genoese mariner sailing for Spain who landed in the Bahamas in 1492 seeking a western route to Asia.

Treaty of Tordesillas

A 1494 agreement brokered by the Pope to prevent war between Catholic Spain and Portugal.

Hernan Cortes

Spanish Conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire (Mexico) in 1519-1521.

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca

Spanish explorer shipwrecked in Florida/Texas in 1528 who wandered across the American Southwest.

St. Domingue

French colony on the island of Hispaniola (modern Haiti), known for its sugar and coffee production.

Martin Luther

German monk who posted the 95 Theses in 1517, sparking the Protestant Reformation.

Protestant Reformation

The religious schism started by Martin Luther that led to the creation of various Protestant sects.

Elizabeth I

Protestant Queen of England (1558-1603) who unified England religiously and defeated the Spanish Armada.

Francis Drake

Most famous 'Sea Dog' who raided Spanish settlements and was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe.

Jamestown

First permanent English settlement established in Virginia in 1607.

Virginia Company

A joint-stock company that funded Jamestown and guaranteed colonists the 'rights of Englishmen.'

Pilgrims / Plymouth

Religious 'Separatists' who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620.

Mayflower Compact

Document signed on the Mayflower establishing a 'Civil Body Politic' for self-government.

Anne Hutchinson

A dissenter in Mass Bay Colony who preached Antinomianism and was banished for challenging Puritan hierarchy.

Oliver Cromwell

Puritan leader who beheaded King Charles I and ruled England as a dictator in the 1650s.

William Penn

Quaker aristocrat who founded Pennsylvania as a 'Holy Experiment' with total religious toleration.

Quakers

Society of Friends who believed in pacifism and equality, often persecuted in England.

William and Mary

Installed as monarchs during the Glorious Revolution and agreed to the English Bill of Rights.

Salem, Massachusetts

Location of the 1692 Witch Trials, caused by religious hysteria and social class tensions.

Middle Passage

The deadly middle leg of the 'Triangular Trade' transporting enslaved Africans to the Americas.

Black Codes

Laws defining the legal status of slaves, declaring them as 'chattel' and stripping them of rights.

Enlightenment

Intellectual movement stressing reason and science over religion, influencing the Founding Fathers.

Isaac Newton

Key Enlightenment figure known for his laws of physics that showed the universe was ordered by natural laws.

John Locke

Philosopher who wrote Two Treatises of Government, arguing for Natural Rights and Social Contract.

Benjamin Franklin

Embodiment of the American Enlightenment, known for his contributions as a printer, scientist, and diplomat.

Great Awakening

A massive religious revival in the 1730s-40s reacting against the Enlightenment's logic.

New Light

Ministers who embraced the emotional preaching of the Great Awakening, leading to new denominations.

Harvard

Founded in 1636, the first college in America, originally to train Puritan ministers.

Louisbourg

Strategic French fortress in Canada captured by New England colonists in 1745.

7-Years War (French and Indian War)

Global war from 1754-1763 between Britain/Colonies and France/Natives for the Ohio River Valley.

George Washington

21-year-old Lt. Colonel who attacked a French detachment, starting the 7 Years War.

Fort Necessity

A crude stockade built by Washington after his initial attack, where he was forced to surrender.

General Braddock

British General sent to evict the French, whose force was destroyed due to his poor tactics.

Fort Duquesne

The key French fort at the forks of the Ohio River, targeted by British campaigns.

Treaty of Paris 1763

Ended the French and Indian War, resulting in France losing all North American land.

Proclamation of 1763

To prevent wars like Pontiac's Rebellion, King George III drew a line along the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists were forbidden to settle west of it.

Sugar Act

1764. First law ever passed by Parliament specifically to raise tax revenue in the colonies (on molasses).

Stamp Act

1765. Direct tax on all printed materials (wills, cards, newspapers). It affected everyone (lawyers, sailors, editors), unifying opposition.

Sons of Liberty

Radical secret society (led by Sam Adams) that enforced non-importation (boycotts) using violence (tar and feathering) against tax collectors.

Patrick Henry

Virginian orator. Proposed the 'Virginia Resolves' against the Stamp Act. Famous for 'Give me liberty, or give me death!'

Townshend Revenue Act

1767. Indirect taxes on glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea. The revenue was used to pay Royal Governors, removing their dependence on colonial assemblies for money.

Boston Massacre

March 5, 1770. A mob harassed British sentries; soldiers fired, killing 5 (including Crispus Attucks).

Paul Revere

Silversmith and rider who warned the countryside 'The Regulars are coming!' before Lexington.

Boston Tea Party

1773. Protest against the Tea Act (which gave the British East India Co. a monopoly). Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawks dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

Coercive Acts (Intolerables)

1774. British retaliation for the Tea Party. Closed Boston Port, revoked MA charter, and expanded Quartering Act.

First Continental Congress

1774 in Philadelphia. 12 colonies met to respond to the Intolerable Acts and organized 'The Association' (complete boycott of British goods).

Lexington and Concord

April 1775. British marched to Concord to seize gunpowder and arrest Sam Adams/John Hancock. Minutemen fought back.

Second Continental Congress

May 1775. Became the de facto government. They appointed Washington as head of the army and sent the 'Olive Branch Petition' before declaring independence.

Common Sense

Jan 1776. Pamphlet by Thomas Paine arguing that an island (Britain) should not rule a continent and Kings were 'royal brutes.'

Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776. Drafted by Jefferson. Part 1: Philosophy of rights; Part 2: List of grievances against King George III.

Loyalists

(Tories). Colonists (about 20%) who remained loyal to Britain, often older, wealthy, or Anglican.

Bunker Hill

June 1775. British launched a frontal assault. Colonists mowed them down but ran out of ammo and retreated.

Hessians

German mercenaries hired by King George III. Americans viewed this as an insult.

Christmas Victory (Battle of Trenton)

Dec 26, 1776. Washington crossed the icy Delaware River at night to surprise drunken Hessians.

Saratoga

Oct 1777. The Turning Point. American Gen. Horatio Gates defeated British Gen. Burgoyne.

Valley Forge

Winter 1777-78. Washington's camp where 2,000 died of starvation/cold.

Baron von Steuben

Prussian military officer at Valley Forge who created a standard drill manual and trained the Continental Army.

Benedict Arnold

A brilliant American general who betrayed the US by trying to hand over the fort at West Point to the British.

General Cornwallis

British commander in the South who retreated to the coast for supplies.

Yorktown

1781. Washington and the French Fleet surrounded Cornwallis, leading to his surrender.

Treaty of Paris 1783

1. Britain recognized US independence. 2. Boundaries set: Atlantic to Mississippi River, Canada to Florida.

Articles of Confederation

First US constitution (1781-1789) that created a 'league of friendship' with a very weak central government.

Currency Act

States printed their own worthless money, causing massive inflation and trade disputes.

Shaysites (Shays' Rebellion)

1786. Daniel Shays led impoverished farmers in MA to shut down courts to stop farm foreclosures.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Created a system for turning territories into states and banned slavery in the Old Northwest.

Constitutional Convention

1787, Philadelphia. Secret meeting to 'revise' the Articles; they threw them out and wrote the Constitution.

Virginia Plan

Proposed by Madison. 'Large State Plan.' Representation based on population.

New Jersey Plan

'Small State Plan.' Equal representation (1 vote per state).

Great Compromise

(Connecticut Comp). Merged the Virginia and New Jersey Plans: House of Reps (Population) + Senate (Equal/2 per state).

James Madison

'Father of the Constitution.' Wrote the VA plan and the Bill of Rights.

Alexander Hamilton

Ultra-Federalist who wanted a forceful central government and an industrial economy.

The Federalist

(Federalist Papers). 85 essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay arguing for ratification of the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists

Opposed the Constitution, fearing it gave too much power to the President/Congress.

Bill of Rights

First 10 Amendments (1791) that protected individual liberties to satisfy Anti-Federalists.

Standing Army

A permanent professional army. The Founders feared this was a tool of tyranny.

Statute for Religious Freedom

Written by Jefferson in VA (1786). Disestablished the Church of England in VA.

Judiciary Act of 1789

Congress created the federal court system and established the Supreme Court.

Republican Party

(Democratic-Republicans). Led by Jefferson/Madison, believed in strict construction and agrarianism.

Thomas Jefferson

Secretary of State under Washington; VP under Adams. Leader of the opposition against Hamilton.

Supreme Court

Established with 6 justices and lower district courts.

Whiskey Rebellion

1794 uprising of PA farmers against Hamilton's excise tax on whiskey; Washington crushed it with troops.

John Jay

First Chief Justice; negotiated Jay's Treaty with Britain in 1794.

Alien Act

Passed by Federalists; raised residency for citizenship from 5 to 14 years and allowed deportation of 'dangerous' foreigners.

Sedition Act

Made it a crime to criticize the President or Government; used to jail Republican newspaper editors.

Convention of 1800

Agreement between Napoleon and Adams that ended the Quasi-War with France.

Election of 1800

Jefferson defeats Adams; first peaceful transfer of power between rival parties.

Midnight Appointments

Adams signed commissions for Federalist judges on his last night in office to pack the courts.

Marbury v. Madison

1803 case that established Judicial Review; Supreme Court is the final interpreter of the Constitution.

John Marshall

Federalist Chief Justice whose rulings strengthened the federal government over the states.

Louisiana Purchase

1803 purchase of LA Territory from Napoleon for $15 million; violated Jefferson's strict constructionist views.

Meriwether Lewis

Jefferson's secretary who led the Corps of Discovery to find a water route to the Pacific.

Aaron Burr

Jefferson's VP who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel and was acquitted of treason.

Embargo Act

1807 act banning all exports to stop Britain/France from seizing US ships; failed and hurt the New England economy.

Tecumseh

Shawnee leader who tried to form a pan-Indian confederacy; allied with the British in 1812.

William Henry Harrison

Governor of Indiana Territory; became a national hero after defeating Tecumseh's brother at the Battle of Tippecanoe.

War of 1812

Conflict between US and Britain; resulted in increased US nationalism and the demise of the Federalist Party.

Andrew Jackson

Defeated the Creek Indians and the British at the Battle of New Orleans, becoming a national hero.

James Monroe

President during the Era of Good Feelings; his presidency saw the death of the Federalist party.

Adams-Onis Treaty

1819 treaty where the US acquired Florida from Spain and defined the border with Spanish Mexico.