Important Acts of Congress to Know for AP United States History

Northwest Ordinance (1787)

Created a system for governing the Northwest Territory and set a precedent for the admission of new states into the Union, while prohibiting slavery in the territory.

Alien and Sedition Acts (1798)

Allowed the deportation of non-citizens deemed dangerous and criminalized anti-government speech, limiting civil liberties.

Missouri Compromise (1820)

Balanced the admission of Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state while establishing the 36°30′ line to limit slavery’s expansion.

Indian Removal Act (1830)

Authorized the forced relocation of Native American tribes to western lands, resulting in the Trail of Tears.

Compromise of 1850

A package of bills that included the admission of California as a free state and enacted the Fugitive Slave Act, heightening sectional tensions.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

Allowed settlers to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty, leading to violent conflict known as "Bleeding Kansas."

Homestead Act (1862)

Provided 160 acres of land to settlers for a small fee, promoting westward migration but displacing Native Americans.

Pacific Railway Acts (1862, 1864)

Authorized the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, providing land grants to railroad companies.

Reconstruction Acts (1867–1868)

Divided the South into military districts to enforce Reconstruction policies, requiring new constitutions guaranteeing African American rights

Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)

Banned Chinese laborers from immigrating to the United States, marking the first significant immigration restriction based on nationality.

Interstate Commerce Act (1887)

Established the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to regulate railroad rates and practices, setting a precedent for federal regulation of private industries.

Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)

Outlawed monopolistic business practices to promote competition and curb corporate power

Dawes Act (1887)

Aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting individual plots of land, undermining communal land ownership and leading to significant land loss.

Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act (1883)

Established a merit-based system for federal employment, reducing corruption and the spoils system

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Regulated food and drug safety, leading to the establishment of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Federal Reserve Act (1913)

Created the Federal Reserve System to regulate the U.S. monetary system and control inflation.

Clayton Antitrust Act (1914)

Strengthened the Sherman Antitrust Act by prohibiting specific anti-competitive practices and exempting labor unions from antitrust laws.

Espionage and Sedition Acts (1917–1918)Espionage and Sedition Acts (1917–1918)

Criminalized dissent against the U.S. government during WWI, raising concerns over civil liberties and free speech.

National Origins Act (1924)

Established quotas for immigration based on national origin, severely restricting immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia.

Social Security Act (1935)

Established social insurance programs to assist the elderly and unemployed during the Great Depression, laying the foundation for the modern welfare state.

Wagner Act (1935)

Protected workers' rights to unionize and engage in collective bargaining, further advancing labor rights in the U.S.

GI Bill (1944)

Provided veterans with benefits, including educational funding and housing loans, helping to expand the middle class post-WWII.

Civil Rights Act (1964)

Banned discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public places and employment.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

Outlawed discriminatory voting practices, such as literacy tests, that disenfranchised African Americans, particularly in the South

War Powers Resolution (1973)

Limited the president’s ability to deploy U.S. forces into hostilities without Congressional approval, responding to the Vietnam War and increasing executive power.

Immigration and Nationality Act (1965)

Abolished the national-origin quotas, opening up immigration from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, thus diversifying U.S. immigration patterns.

Family and Medical Leave Act (1993)

Guaranteed employees job-protected leave for family and medical reasons, improving work-life balance.

USA PATRIOT Act (2001)

Increased the government's surveillance powers to combat terrorism post-9/11, raising concerns about civil liberties and privacy

Affordable Care Act (2010)

Expanded access to health insurance, aimed to reduce costs, and introduced protections for people with pre-existing conditions

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017)

Reduced corporate tax rates and provided temporary tax cuts for individuals, marking the largest tax reform in decades