Period 1 Overview (1491-1607)
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P1: Test Structure
~Period 1 is roughly 5% of the exam
~You wil NOT see an essay exclusively on this period
(Could see topic that incorporate this period)
Ex: Experienced of European countries in America
P1: Why was 1491 - 1607 chosen for date?
~1491= 1 year prior to European contact
~1607= 1st permanent English settlement - Jamestown
~Much of the focus of this period is on the Native life PRIOR to contact, and interactions between Natives, Africans, and Europeans (Columbian Exchange)
P1: Maize
Corn, grown by Native in the Southwest US and Mexico
P1: Great Plains and Great Basin
Lack of resources, led to nomadic lifestyles
P1: Columbian Exchange
Exchange of goods, ideas, diseases, and people between Europe, Africa, and the Americas
~Impact on Americas - diseases impacted Natives, guns and horses transformes Native life, racially mixed populations (Mestizos)
~Impact on Europe - potatoes and maize led to large population growth, increase in capitalism
~Impact on Africa - Slave trade - Middle Passage (Spanish and Portuguese in West Africa)
P1: Encomienda System
Royal grants of land by the Spanish Crown to settlers
~Settler promised to Christianize Natives
~Eventually was replaced with African slave labor
P1: Autonomy
Independence, Self-Rule
~Africans and Natives sought to preserve their autonomy after contact with Europeans
Period 2 Overview (1607-1754)
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P2: Test Structure
~Period 2 is roughly 10% of the exam
~Essay topics could include:
Comparing and Contrasting European powers
Characteristics of British colonies
P2: Why was 1607 - 1754 chosen for the dates?
~1607= 1st permanent English settlement - Jamestown
~1754= beginning of the Seven Years' War
~This time period continues to focus on European colonization, with England representing a significant amount of focus
P2: New England Colonies
~Establish by Puritans - like-minded community, mix of agriculture and commerce
P2: Middle Colonies
~Cereal crops - religiously, demographically, and ethnically diverse
P2: Chesapeake Colonies
~Grew Tobacco
~Relied on Indentured Servants, and later African slaves
P2: Southern Colonies and West Indies
~Grew staple crops (sugar), heavy use of slave labor
P2: Pueblo Revolt
~Native American rebellion in Southwest of US
~Spanish sought to end Native practices that were inconsistent with Christianity
~The Pueblos rebelled, expelled Spanish for over 10 years
~Eventually, the Spanish regained control, began to advocate the religious assimilation of Natives
P2: Anglicization of the British Colonies
~Process of colonies "becoming" or taking on British characteristics
~Seen through: Trans-Atlantic print Culture, Commercial Ties, etc.
P2: Enlightenment
~Focus on reason and intelligence
~Individuals began to question forms of government
Montesquieu - Separation of Powers, Locke - Consent of the Governed
P2: Mercantilism
~Goal is to make $ for the mother country
~Positive balance of trade that favors the mother country
Period 3 Overview (1754-1800)
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P3: Test Structure
~Period 3 is roughly 12% of the exam
~Essays could be on The Seven Years' War as a turning point, the American Revolution, Comparing and Contrasting the AOC and the Constitution
P3: Why was 1754 - 1800 chosen for the dates?
~1754= beginning of the Seven Years' War
~1800= Jefferson's election
~This time period on the shift in the relationship between the British and the Colonists, which culminates in the American Revolution
~Additionally, the structure of American government is a focus with the AriticaLs of Confederation (AOC) and the Constitution
P3: Seven Years' War
~Fought between the British/colonists and the French/natives
~British won, France is removed from North America
~WATERSHED event - Britain ends salutary neglect, begins to tax colonies -> colonial resistance
Be able to identify/explain two new taxes, and the colonists response Ex: Stamp Act -> Stamp Act Congress -> Repeal of Stamp Act -> Declaratory Act
P3: Thomas Paine's Common Sense
~Enlightenment thinker, urged the colonists to break away from Great Britain
P3: Declaration of Independence
~Written by Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin, inspired by Common Sense and Enlightenment thinkers (Locke)
~List of grievances against King George III
P3: Colonial War for Independence
~Us won is spite of: Loyalist Opposition, Military and Financial Advantages by Great Britain; because of Support from Europe (France), Ideological Commitment
P3: Articles of Confederation
~ Created a very weak central government
(Could not tax, no national military, 9 out of 13 states to pass laws, all 13 required to amend Articles)
P3: Northwest Ordinance
~Process for admitting states into the Union (60,000 inhabitants)
~Outlawed slavery in the Northwest Territory
~Established public education
P3: Constitution
~ Based on Federalism and Separation of Powers
(Prevents one branch/level of government from abusing its power
~Series of Compromises with Limits on National Powers
Great Compromise - established a bicameral legislature, one house based on population, one had equal representation per state (Senate)
3/5 Compromise - 60% of slaved would count as population toward representation
Slave Trade Compromise - outlawed the international slave trade after 1808
~The Constitution did not deal with slavery - Postponed a Solution to the Problem of Slavery
P3: Bill of Rights
~Added AFTER the Constitutional Convention
~Guaranteed Rights - satisfied the Anti-Federalists to ratify the Constitution
P3: Impact of the Ideals of the Declaration of Independence and American Revolution?
~Led to the French Revolution
Inspired by Enlightenment ideas as well
Helped lead to divisions between Jefferson and Hamilton
~Haiti and Latin America experienced rebellions as well
P3: George Washington's Farewell Address Warned Against:
~Foreign Alliances
~Political Parties
(After WWII (Period 8), the US entered into peace time alliances)
P3: Tensions with Britain and France
~Helped lead to the created of political parties
P3: "Republican Motherhood"
~Encouraged women to raise children and install Republican values in their families
~Women gained more access to education
Period 4 Overview (1800-1848)
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P4: Test Structure
~Period 4 is roughly 10% of the exam
~Essay topics could include:
Reform movements inspired by 2nd Great Awakening
Westward Expansion and impact on slavery
Impact of Market Revolution on regions of the US
P4: Why was 1800 - 1848 chosen for the dates?
~1800= Jefferson's election
~1848= Seneca Falls Convention - Women's Rights Convention
~This time period focuses on the Market Revolution, the increase in democracy, and several reforms inspired by the 2nd Great Awakening
P4: Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
~First political parties, formed in response to Hamilton's Financial Plan, French Revolution
~Federalist tented to be upper-class, advocate a loose interpretation of the Constitution, were pro-British (trade), favored merchants, and like the BUS
~Democratic-Republicans tented to be commoners - middle-class, advocate a strict interoperation (pre LA Purchase), were pro-French (Rev. War), favored farmers, and dislikes the BUS
P4: Democrats and Whigs
~2nd Party System - Whigs were formed in response to "King Andrew I"
~Democrats tented to be the party of the "Common Man", favored universal, white male suffrage, Spoils system, wanted to lower tariffs
~Whigs tented to favor tariffs, a strong Congress, BUS, and internal improvements
P4: Louisiana Purchase
~Beginning of Manifest Destiny
~Doubled the size of the US
~Jefferson switched from strict to loose interpretation