AP US History Ultimate Study Guide

Bering Land Bridge

Connected Eurasia and North America

Native American Societies Before European Contact

diverse tribes and societies

European Exploration in the Americas

European powers seeking wealth and spreading Christianity.

Columbian Exchange

exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds,

Encomienda System

Caste in the Spanish Colonial System

Jamestown

First successful English colony in the New World, funded by the Virginia Company and known for its early struggles

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, easing tensions with Native Americans,

Indentured servitude

work for a period in exchange for passage to the colonies,

Headright system

Grant settlers tracts of land, usually about 50 acres,

House of Burgesses

Established in 1619 in Virginia, allowing property-holding white males to vote, though decisions had to be approved by the Virginia Company.

Pilgrims

Separatist group that landed in Plymouth in 1620, led by William Bradford, signed the Mayflower Compact, and received assistance from Native Americans like Squanto.

Great Puritan Migration

Movement of Puritans to the New World between 1629-1642, led by Governor John Winthrop to establish Massachusetts Bay Colony based on Puritan ideals.

British Control of Colonial Commerce

Regulation of colonial trade through mercantilism, Navigation Acts, Wool Act of 1699, and Molasses Act of 1733 to benefit England economically.

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 towards religious freedom and civil liberties.

Carolina Colony

Split into North and South in 1729, settled by Virginians and descendants of Englishmen from Barbados, respectively.

Slavery in the Colonies

Existed since 1619 in Virginia,

Stono Uprising

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

Salem Witch Trials

Occurred in 1692, with mass hysteria leading to the accusation and execution of over 130 individuals on charges of witchcraft.

Benjamin Franklin

Self-made man embodying Enlightenment ideals, known for his inventions, Poor Richard's Almanack, and diplomatic efforts during the Revolutionary War.

The Seven Years' War

Fought between the British and the French, resulting in England becoming the dominant colonial power in North America.

Albany Plan of Union

Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754, aimed at creating an intercolonial government and system for collecting taxes for defense.

Stamp Act

Imposed broad-based tax on legal documents and goods produced within colonies, leading to protests and opposition.

No taxation without representation

Argument by James Otis against taxes, demanding representation in Parliament or self-government for colonies.

Townshend Acts

Taxed goods from Britain, established vice-admiralty courts, and suspended NY legislature, leading to colonial opposition.

Boston Massacre

Conflict in 1770 where British soldiers killed colonists, sparking propaganda and legal defense by John Adams.

Olive Branch Petition

Attempt by John Dickinson for reconciliation with Britain, adopted by Continental Congress in 1775.

Common Sense

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

Declaration of Independence

Document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, asserting individual liberty and government responsibility.

Battle of Yorktown

Symbolic end of American Revolution in 1781, leading to negotiations and Treaty of Paris in 1783 for US independence.

Articles of Confederation

First US national constitution with limited central government, facing limitations and eventual replacement by the Constitution.

Constitutional Convention

1787 meeting to revise Articles of Confederation, leading to drafting of the US Constitution with new government structure.

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.

National Bank Debate

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

Republican Motherhood

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

John Adams

person who’s 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 Madison

Establishing the principle of judicial review

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Exploration of the western territories, including the Louisiana Territory, led by Lewis and Clark with Sacajawea as a guide.

Election of 1804

Jefferson won reelection in a landslide victory.

Aaron Burr

Ran for governor of New York and dueled Alexander Hamilton.

War of 1812

Conflict between British and Americans due to trade disputes.

Embargo Act of 1807

Shut down American import and export business.

Monroe Doctrine

Policy of mutual non-interference in the Americas.

Jacksonian Democracy

Universal white manhood suffrage and strong presidency.

Indian Removal Act

Forced relocation of Native American tribes.

Nullification

States' belief in the right to disobey federal laws.

Whig Party

Formed in opposition to the Democratic Party.

Telegraph

Allowed for immediate long-distance communication,

Market Economy

Changed farming by increasing food production for markets.

Manifest Destiny

Belief in the God-given right to expand westward in the United States.

Republic of Texas

Independent country before becoming a state in 1845, sparking debates over slavery.

Oregon Trail

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

Cult of Domesticity

Glorified home life and roles of women in the middle class.

Second Great Awakening

Period of religious revival leading to social reform movements in the U.S. 1790-1835

Abolitionism

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

Temperance Movement

Aimed to reduce or eliminate the consumption of alcohol in society.

James K Polk

president who focused on restoring government funds, reducing tariffs, and expanding U.S. territory.

Mexican-American War

Fought over territorial disputes, resulting in the Mexican Cession and Gadsden Purchase.

Popular Sovereignty

Territories deciding through voting whether to allow slavery within their borders,

The Compromise of 1850

Proposed by Henry Clay, it clarified Texas boundaries, banned slavery in the Mexican Cession, and included a stringent Fugitive Slave Act, supported by Daniel Webster but opposed by John Calhoun.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Enacted in 1854 by Stephen Douglas, it led to violence in Kansas, known as "Bleeding Kansas," and the formation of the Republican Party opposing slavery in territories.

Reconstruction

Efforts to rebuild the South after the Civil War, which included federal troops opposing the Klan, limited redistribution of wealth to freedmen, and the end of military reconstruction in 1877.

Redeemers

Southern Democrats who regained control after Reconstruction, aiming to reverse Republican policies and restore power to the pre-war Southern elite.

Sharecropping

System where freedmen and poor whites worked on land owned by others, trading a portion of their crops for the right to work the land, prevalent until the mid-20th century.

Freedman’s Bureau

Established to assist newly freed slaves with jobs, housing, education, and food, but was underfunded and had little impact once military reconstruction ended.

Industrialization

Introduction of faster machines in manufacturing leading to economies of scale and decreased cost per unit, a key factor in the economic growth of the late 19th century.

Knights of Labor

National labor union founded in 1869 advocating for an 8-hour workday, equal pay, child labor laws, and more, but declined due to violence and association with radicalism.

Jim Crow Laws

Discriminatory laws passed in the South after Reconstruction, leading to segregation and limited rights for Black people, upheld by the Supreme Court in 1896.

Booker T

advocated for gradual improvement of Black rights and equality through education, founded the Tuskegee Institute, oftten criticized by W. E. B. Du Bois.

Railroad Time

Standardization of timekeeping introduced by railroads, leading to the establishment of time zones and facilitating travel and communication in the late 19th century.

Populist Movement

Political movement in the late 19th century advocating for increased money supply through silver coins, supported by farmers and miners, leading to the formation of the People's Party.

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 between the US and Spain, leading to the US acquiring 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 US intervention in Latin America for national security.

Espionage Act and Sedition Act

Laws passed during WWI to curb opposition to the war effort and government.

Schenck v US

Supreme Court case upholding limitations on free speech during wartime if it poses a threat.

Palmer Raids

Government crackdown on suspected radical groups in the US post-WWI.

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty ending WWI, punishing Germany and establishing the League of Nations.

Decline of Labor Unions

Pro-business atmosphere in the 1920s led to a drop in labor union popularity and membership levels.

Welfare Capitalism

Businesses in the 1920s tried to attract workers with pension plans, profit sharing, and company events,

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural movement in the largest Black neighborhood in New York City, marked by growth in theaters, cultural clubs, newspapers, and the popularization of jazz.

Prohibition

The 18th Amendment banned alcoholic beverages

Great Depression

Marked by the 1929 stock market crash an all time employment and economical low in the us

New Deal

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

Foreign Policy Pre-World War II

promoting peace, highlighted by treaties like the Washington Conference, Kellogg-Briand Pact, and the Good Neighbor Policy in Latin America.

World War II Conferences

Yalta and Potsdam, etc between the Allies (US, UK, USSR) discussed postwar Europe, leading to agreements on borders, settlements, and the creation of the United Nations.

Iron Curtain

The division between Eastern and Western Europe after World War II, marking the beginning of the Cold War.

Truman Doctrine

Policy by President Truman to contain the spread of communism, providing aid to countries threatened by communist expansion.

Marshall Plan

U.S. initiative providing economic aid to Western Europe after World War II to help rebuild and prevent the spread of communism.

Berlin Crisis

Conflict arising from the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948, leading to the Berlin Airlift by the U.S. and allies.

McCarthyism/red scare

Period of intense anti-communist suspicion and fear in the U.S., characterized by investigations, blacklists, and accusations of subversion.

GI Bill

Serviceman's Readjustment Act providing benefits to WWII veterans, including education, housing, and business loans.

Civil Rights Movement

Movement advocating for equal rights and treatment of African Americans, marked by legal victories and social activism.

Eisenhower Doctrine

Eisenhower's policy of using military force to counter communist threats in the Middle East.