apush periods years

Period 1 (1491–1607)

1491 = Year before Columbus, represents Native American societies before contact. 1607 = Founding of Jamestown, first permanent English settlement.

Period 2 (1607–1754)

1607 = Start of British colonization with Jamestown. 1754 = Start of the French and Indian War, which triggered British-colonial tensions.

Period 3 (1754–1800)

1754 = French and Indian War begins. 1800 = Revolution of 1800; peaceful transfer of power to Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans.

Period 4 (1800–1848)

1800 = Jefferson elected, shift toward more democratic ideals. 1848 = End of Mexican-American War (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo), reigniting slavery debates.

Period 5 (1844–1877)

1844 = Election of Polk and expansionist agenda (Manifest Destiny). 1877 = Compromise of 1877 ends Reconstruction.

Period 6 (1865–1898)

1865 = Civil War ends and Reconstruction begins. 1898 = Spanish-American War begins U.S. imperialism.

Period 7 (1890–1945)

1890 = Closing of the frontier (Census) and start of the Progressive Era. 1945 = End of WWII and start of Cold War tensions.

Period 8 (1945–1980)

1945 = WWII ends, U.S. becomes global superpower. 1980 = Reagan elected, beginning of modern conservative movement.

Period 9 (1980–Present)

1980 = Rise of Reagan and conservatism. Present = Ongoing issues like globalization, terrorism, tech growth, and political division.

Yellow Journalism (1890s)

Sensationalist media used in the 1890s, especially leading up to the Spanish-American War in 1898. Stirred public opinion after the USS Maine explosion.