Ap US History

What were the major themes of Period 1 (1491–1607) in AP U.S. History?

Major themes include the diversity and adaptation of Native American societies, European exploration driven by trade and religion, the Columbian Exchange, the establishment of Spanish colonies, economic shifts towards capitalism, and rivalries that shaped territorial boundaries.

What is the Columbian Exchange?

The Columbian Exchange refers to the widespread transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and diseases between the Americas and the Old World that began after Columbus's voyages.

What is the significance of the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)?

The Treaty of Tordesillas divided newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal, establishing territorial claims that influenced colonial expansion.

What was the encomienda system?

The encomienda system was a Spanish labor system that granted settlers the right to extract labor from indigenous people in the Americas, often leading to severe abuse and decline of native populations.

What were the major themes of Period 2 (1607–1754) in AP U.S. History?

Major themes include the growth of English, Dutch, and French colonies alongside Spanish settlements, the emergence of distinct regional societies, mercantilist policies tying colonies to Britain, reshaped demographics due to European immigration and slavery, the spread of Enlightenment and Great Awakening ideas, and conflicts with Native Americans.

What was the significance of Jamestown (1607)?

Jamestown was the first permanent English colony, where the adoption of tobacco as a cash crop ensured survival and introduced African slavery in 1619.

What was the Mayflower Compact (1620)?

The Mayflower Compact was the first self-government agreement in North America, established by the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower.

What were the causes and outcomes of Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)?

Bacon’s Rebellion was caused by Virginia frontier settlers' frustrations over government inaction against Native raids. The outcome highlighted social tensions and led to increased reliance on African slavery as a labor force.

What were some conflicts between Native Americans and colonists during Period 2?

Key conflicts included the Pequot War (1637), King Philip's War (1675-76), and the Pueblo Revolt (1680), each reflecting the struggle between colonial expansion and Native resistance.

What was the Stono Rebellion (1739)?

The Stono Rebellion was a significant uprising of enslaved Africans in South Carolina that resulted in stricter slave codes.

Who were some important figures in Period 2 of AP U.S. History?

Important figures include John Smith, Pocahontas, Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, William Penn, Benjamin Franklin, Metacom, and Jonathan Edwards.

What were the Navigation Acts?

The Navigation Acts (1651–1696) were laws that restricted colonial trade to benefit Britain, mandating the use of English ships and enumerating goods that could only be traded with England.

How did the Great Awakening influence colonial society?

The Great Awakening promoted religious fervor and emotional expressions of faith, leading to increased diversity in religious practices and questioning of traditional authority.

What were the impacts of the Enlightenment on colonial America?

The Enlightenment introduced ideas of reason, individualism, and skepticism of authority, influencing social and political development in the colonies.

What were the major themes of Period 3 (1754–1800) in AP U.S. History?

Major themes include the British-French rivalry culminating in the French and Indian War, colonial protests against taxation leading to revolution, the influence of Enlightenment ideas on Patriots, the Declaration of Independence, the establishment of the U.S. through the American Revolution, and the creation of the Constitution.

What was the significance of the French and Indian War (1754–1763)?

The French and Indian War ended the French threat in North America, but also led to British war debt, prompting colonial taxation and protests.

What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence (1776)?

The Declaration of Independence formally broke the 13 colonies from Britain, invoking Enlightenment ideas of natural rights and justifying rebellion against oppressive rule.

What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government with no executive branch, no power to tax, and no ability to regulate commerce, leading to economic disarray.

What prompted the Constitutional Convention of 1787?

The need for a stronger federal government arose from the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, particularly evident in events like Shays' Rebellion.

What was the Bill of Rights (1791)?

The Bill of Rights comprises the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing individual liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to a trial by jury.

What were the key outcomes of the Revolutionary War (1775–1783)?

The key outcomes included U.S. independence recognized through the Treaty of Paris (1783), foreign alliances established, and the emergence of new political ideas about governance.

What was the Whiskey Rebellion (1794)?

The Whiskey Rebellion was an uprising against an excise tax on whiskey, and its suppression by Washington's federal troops demonstrated the new government's power and resolve.

Who were some significant leaders during Period 3?

Key leaders included George Washington (Continental Army commander and first President), Thomas Jefferson (author of the Declaration), John Adams (diplomat and first Vice President), and James Madison (Father of the Constitution).

What was the impact of the Enlightenment on the American Revolution?

Enlightenment ideas such as natural rights and the social contract significantly influenced revolutionary thought, promoting the belief in equality and self-government.

What were the major themes of Period 4 (1800–1848) in AP U.S. History?

Major themes include the Democratic-Republican Era, expansion via the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, the Era of Good Feelings, Jacksonian Democracy, the Second Great Awakening, and significant economic and social reforms.

What was the significance of the Louisiana Purchase (1803)?

The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the U.S., provided land for westward expansion, and secured control of the Mississippi River and New Orleans, which were critical for western trade.

What were the key outcomes of the War of 1812 (1812–1815)?

The War of 1812 confirmed U.S. sovereignty, fostered national pride, and resulted in the decline of Native American resistance in the Old Northwest.

What was the Missouri Compromise (1820)?

The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state while prohibiting slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel, serving as a temporary fix to sectional tensions.

What was the Indian Removal Act (1830)?

The Indian Removal Act authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes from Southeastern U.S. to designated Indian Territory, resulting in the Trail of Tears.

What sparked the Texas Revolution (1836) and its aftermath?

The Texas Revolution was sparked by settlers’ discontent towards Mexican control, leading to Texas' independence and eventual annexation by the United States in 1845.

What were the significant events and outcomes of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848)?

The Mexican-American War resulted in the U.S. acquiring approximately 500,000 square miles of territory through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, fulfilling Manifest Destiny but inflaming slavery debate.

Who were the important figures in Period 4 of AP U.S. History?

Key figures include Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun, Frederick Douglass, and William Lloyd Garrison.

What were the key elements of Jacksonian Democracy (1829–1837)?

Jacksonian Democracy emphasized the expansion of suffrage for white males, opposition to elitist institutions, and the championing of the 'common man,' including actions like the Indian Removal.

What were some major social reform movements during Period 4?

Major reform movements included abolitionism, women's rights, and temperance, significantly fueled by the Second Great Awakening.