Key APUSH Terms

Columbian Exchange

Transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and technology between the Americas and the Old World following Columbus's voyages.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in North America, founded in 1607 in Virginia.

Mayflower Compact

A foundational document for self-government signed by Pilgrims in 1620.

Mercantilism

An economic theory where colonies exist to benefit the mother country by exporting raw materials and importing finished goods.

French and Indian War

A conflict from 1754–1763 between Britain and France in North America, leading to British dominance and debt.

Proclamation of 1763

A British decree forbidding colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Stamp Act

A 1765 British law taxing printed materials in the colonies, sparking widespread protest.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest where colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the Tea Act.

Declaration of Independence

A 1776 document asserting the colonies’ independence from Britain, authored primarily by Thomas Jefferson.

Articles of Confederation

The first U.S. government framework, weak due to limited federal powers.

Shays' Rebellion

A 1786 uprising by Massachusetts farmers protesting economic injustices and prompting calls for a stronger federal government.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia that produced the U.S. Constitution.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who favored stronger state governments and a Bill of Rights.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 acquisition of French territory that doubled the size of the U.S.

War of 1812

A conflict between the U.S. and Britain over trade issues and impressment, ending in a stalemate.

Monroe Doctrine

An 1823 policy warning Europe against further colonization in the Western Hemisphere.

Trail of Tears

The forced relocation of Native Americans, especially the Cherokee, from their homelands to Oklahoma.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the continent.

Compromise of 1850

A package of laws aimed at resolving slavery tensions, including admitting California as a free state.

Civil War

A conflict from 1861 to 1865 between the Union and Confederacy over slavery, states' rights, and secession.

Emancipation Proclamation

An 1863 declaration by President Lincoln freeing slaves in Confederate states.

Reconstruction

The period from 1865 to 1877 focused on rebuilding the South and integrating freed slaves into society.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery throughout the United States.

14th Amendment

Granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all people born or naturalized in the U.S.

15th Amendment

Prohibited denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Compromise of 1877

Ended Reconstruction by withdrawing federal troops from the South in exchange for Rutherford B. Hayes becoming president.

Gilded Age

A period of rapid industrialization, urbanization, and political corruption in the late 19th century.

Monopoly

Exclusive control of a product or service, often leading to limited competition and higher prices.

Social Darwinism

The belief that only the fittest survive in society, often used to justify wealth inequality.

Labor Unions

Organizations formed to fight for better wages, hours, and conditions for workers.

Populist Party

A political movement in the 1890s that represented farmers and called for economic reform.

Progressive Era

A reform movement from the 1890s to 1920s aiming to fix social, political, and economic problems caused by industrialization.

Theodore Roosevelt

Progressive president known for trust-busting, conservation, and the Square Deal.

Spanish-American War

An 1898 conflict that resulted in U.S. control of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Open Door Policy

U.S. policy promoting equal trade access to China for all foreign nations.

World War I

A global conflict from 1914 to 1918; the U.S. joined in 1917 on the side of the Allies.

Wilson’s Fourteen Points

President Wilson’s plan for post-WWI peace, including the League of Nations.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 treaty that ended WWI, imposed harsh penalties on Germany, and created the League of Nations.

Great Migration

Movement of African Americans from the South to northern cities during the 20th century for jobs and better opportunities.

Harlem Renaissance

A cultural, social, and artistic movement centered in Harlem during the 1920s.

Stock Market Crash of 1929

The sudden collapse of stock prices that triggered the Great Depression.

New Deal

FDR’s series of programs to provide relief, recovery, and reform during the Great Depression.

Social Security Act

A 1935 New Deal law that provided retirement pensions and unemployment insurance.

World War II

A global conflict from 1939 to 1945; the U.S. entered after Pearl Harbor and fought in both European and Pacific theaters.

Internment of Japanese Americans

The forced relocation of Japanese Americans into camps during WWII due to fear of espionage.

GI Bill

A 1944 law providing benefits to WWII veterans, including education and housing assistance.

Cold War

A period of geopolitical tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991.

Containment

U.S. policy to prevent the spread of communism during the Cold War.

Marshall Plan

U.S. aid program to help rebuild European economies after WWII to prevent the spread of communism.

Korean War

A conflict from 1950 to 1953 in which U.S.-led forces defended South Korea from a communist North Korean invasion.

Brown v. Board of Education

A 1954 Supreme Court case that declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A landmark law prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A law aimed at overcoming legal barriers that prevented African Americans from voting.

Great Society

Lyndon B. Johnson’s set of domestic programs aimed at eliminating poverty and racial injustice.

Vietnam War

A Cold War-era conflict in which the U.S. supported South Vietnam against communist North Vietnam.

Tet Offensive

A major 1968 Viet Cong attack that turned American public opinion against the Vietnam War.

Watergate Scandal

A political scandal involving President Nixon’s administration that led to his resignation in 1974.

Iran Hostage Crisis

A 444-day standoff beginning in 1979 in which American embassy workers were held hostage in Tehran.

Reaganomics

Ronald Reagan’s economic policy emphasizing tax cuts, deregulation, and reduced government spending.

End of the Cold War,

Marked by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the fall of the