AP U.S. History Key Dates and Events

These flashcards cover key terms and significant events in U.S. History, providing definitions and context for better understanding and preparation for exams.

Columbian Exchange

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

House of Burgesses

The first legislative assembly in the American colonies, established in 1619 in Virginia.

French and Indian War

Conflict between Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763 that resulted in Britain tightening its control over the colonies.

Declaration of Independence

The document adopted in 1776 declaring the colonies independent from Britain, influenced by Enlightenment ideas.

Northwest Ordinance

Legislation passed in 1787 to establish a government for the Northwest Territory and create a method for admitting new states.

Louisiana Purchase

Acquisition of the Louisiana territory by the U.S. from France in 1803, doubling the size of the nation.

Missouri Compromise

A legislative agreement from 1820 that allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain the balance.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

The 1848 treaty that ended the Mexican War and led to the U.S. acquiring territories in the present-day Southwest.

Compromise of 1850

A package of five separate bills passed in 1850 that attempted to give something to both pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.

Civil War

The conflict between Northern and Southern states from 1861 to 1865 centered around issues such as states' rights and slavery.

Reconstruction

The period from 1865 to 1877 during which the U.S. worked to integrate formerly enslaved people and restore the southern states into the Union.

Plessy v. Ferguson

The 1896 Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation laws under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Gilded Age

The period of economic growth, industrialization, and immigration in the United States from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

Spanish-American War

A conflict in 1898 in which the U.S. emerged as an imperial power, marking a significant turn in its foreign policy.

Progressive Era

A period from the 1890s to the 1920s of social activism and political reform in the United States aimed at addressing issues caused by industrialization.

19th Amendment

The amendment to the U.S. Constitution ratified in 1920 that granted women the right to vote.

Great Depression

A severe worldwide economic depression in the 1930s that led to widespread unemployment and poverty.

Cold War

The state of political hostility between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II, characterized by threats, propaganda, and other measures.

Brown v. Board of Education

The landmark 1954 Supreme Court case in which racial segregation in public schools was deemed unconstitutional.

Vietnam War

Conflict in Vietnam from the 1950s to 1975, with U.S. involvement escalating in the 1960s, leading to significant protests and societal change.

War on Terror

The international military campaign launched by the U.S. following the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Barack Obama

The first African-American President of the United States, elected in 2008, serving until 2016.