AP US History Ultimate Study Guide (copy)

Jamestown

Jamestown

The first successful English colony in the New World, funded by the Virginia Company and known for its early struggles and reliance on tobacco cultivation.

Joint-stock company

A business entity where investors pool their capital to fund a project, such as the Virginia Company that funded Jamestown.

John Rolfe

A settler in Jamestown known for marrying Pocahontas and introducing tobacco cultivation as a cash crop.

Indentured servitude

A labor system where individuals worked for a set period in exchange for passage to the colonies, common in the Chesapeake region.

Headright system

Introduced by the Virginia Company, it granted land to colonists and settlers to attract new immigrants to the region.

House of Burgesses

Established in Virginia in 1619, it allowed property-holding white males to vote and make decisions, subject to the approval of the Virginia Company.

French colonization

French efforts in North America, including Quebec City, Jesuit missionary work, and the impact of French settlers compared to Spanish and English.

Pilgrims

Separatists who landed in Plymouth in 1620, led by William Bradford, signed the Mayflower Compact, and received assistance from Native Americans.

Mayflower Compact

A legal agreement signed by the Pilgrims upon landing in Plymouth, establishing a form of self-government based on the consent of the governed.

Great Puritan Migration

Movement of Puritans to New England led by Governor John Winthrop, shaping the Massachusetts Bay Colony based on Puritan ideals and religious covenants.

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.

Slavery in the Colonies

Existed since 1619 in Virginia, with the arrival of settlers from Barbados marking the beginning of the slave era.

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, mostly women.

Benjamin Franklin

Self-made man embodying Enlightenment ideals, known for inventions, founding institutions, and diplomatic efforts during the Revolutionary War.

Seven Years' War

Fought between the British and French, resulting in England becoming the dominant colonial power in North America after gaining control of Canada and the Mississippi Valley.

Albany Plan of Union

Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754, aimed at creating an intercolonial government and defense system, but rejected by the colonies.

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 and boycotts.

Boston Massacre

Conflict in 1770 where British soldiers fired on colonists, leading to propaganda and legal defense by John Adams.

Olive Branch Petition

Attempt at reconciliation with Britain before the Declaration of Independence, rejected by King George III.

Common Sense

Pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for colonial independence, reaching a wide audience and influencing support for revolution.

Declaration of Independence

Document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, asserting individual rights and independence from Britain.

Battle of Yorktown

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

Articles of Confederation

First national constitution with limited central government, facing limitations and eventually leading to the drafting of the US Constitution.

Constitutional Convention

1787 meeting to revise the Articles, resulting in the drafting of the US Constitution with checks and balances and three branches of government.

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.

Washington's Presidency

George Washington's tenure marked by careful exercise of authority, delegation, and the establishment of a cabinet.

National Bank Debate

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

Republican Motherhood

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

Adams Presidency

John Adams' 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

Landmark Supreme Court case establishing the principle of judicial review under Chief Justice John Marshall.

Louisiana Purchase

Jefferson's acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, doubling the size of the United States and raising constitutional questions.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

Exploration led by Lewis and Clark, including Sacajawea, to survey the western territories after the Louisiana Purchase.

Westward Expansion

Pioneers turned attention westward for land, riches, and economic opportunities.

War of 1812

Conflict between British and Americans due to trade disputes and impressment of American sailors.

Embargo Act of 1807

Shut down American import and export business, leading to economic turmoil and smuggling.

Monroe Doctrine

Policy asserting America's right to intervene in its hemisphere and non-interference from European powers.

Jacksonian Democracy

Era characterized by universal white manhood suffrage, strong presidency, and the spoils system.

Indian Removal Act

Policy under Jackson forcing Native Americans to relocate, leading to the Trail of Tears.

Nullification Crisis

States' belief in the right to nullify federal laws, highlighted by the Tariff of 1828.

Whig Party

Formed in opposition to Jackson's Democrats, supporting government activism and social issues.

Market Economy

Transition from subsistence to market economy, influenced by the War of 1812 and technological innovations.

Transportation Revolution

Revolutionized by steam engine and telegraph, leading to faster and more efficient travel and communication.

Telegraph

Allowed for immediate long-distance communication, leading to widespread use almost immediately.

Mechanization

Revolutionized farming in the 19th century with machines like plows, reapers, and threshers.

Manifest Destiny

Belief in the God-given right to expand westward across the American territories.

Louisiana Purchase

Acquisition of territory that removed a major obstacle to U.S. western settlement.

Republic of Texas

Independent country formed after rebellion against Mexico, later admitted to the Union in 1845.

Oregon Trail

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

Industrialization

Transformation of the North into the nation's industrial and commercial center.

Cult of Domesticity

Ideology glorifying home life and women's role in the middle class.

Second Great Awakening

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

Abolitionism

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

Slavery Expansion & Debates

Expansion of new territories raised issues on the status of slavery, with the East of Mississippi evenly divided for and against slavery, while the West was unsuitable for traditional plantation crops.

Popular Sovereignty

Territories deciding through voting whether to allow slavery within their borders, a concept used to open up more areas to slavery.

The Compromise of 1850

Proposed by Henry Clay, it clarified Texas boundaries, banned slavery in the Mexican Cession, and enacted a stringent Fugitive Slave Act, but faced issues due to vague popular sovereignty and differing interpretations.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in 1852, that awakened antislavery sentiments through its portrayal of plantation life and became a powerful propaganda tool.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Enacted in 1854, it led to violence in Kansas and Nebraska territories, weakened the Fugitive Slave Act, and contributed to the formation of the Republican Party and the polarization of the nation.

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

Born into slavery, he promoted economic independence and founded the Tuskegee Institute, advocating for gradual improvement of Black rights and criticized by W. E. B. Du Bois.

Railroad Time

Standardization of timekeeping introduced by railroads, leading to the establishment of time zones and facilitating communication and travel across the country.

Gilded Age

Period between Reconstruction and 1900 marked by prosperity masking corruption, political machines running cities, and weak presidents focusing on civil service reform.

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 in 1898, leading to the U.S. gaining 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 U.S. intervention in Latin America for national security.

Espionage Act and Sedition Act

Passed in 1917 and 1918 to curb opposition to U.S. involvement in World War I.

Schenck v

Supreme Court case upholding limitations on free speech during wartime if it poses a "clear and present danger."

Palmer Raids

Government crackdown on suspected radical groups in the U.S. in the early 1920s.

Treaty of Versailles

Peace treaty ending World War I, punishing Germany and creating 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 offered pension plans, profit sharing, and company events to attract workers, known as welfare capitalism.

Automobile Revolution

The 1920s saw the rise of the automobile as a major consumer product, transforming the nation's spirit and lifestyle.

Flapper Image

The flapper emerged as a symbol of the new freedom for women in the Roaring Twenties.

Harlem Renaissance

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

Ku Klux Klan

Grew to over 5 million members in the 1920s, targeting Blacks, Jews, and urbanites, promoting nativism and anti-immigrant sentiments.

Great Depression

Herbert Hoover's presidency saw the onset of the Great Depression, marked by the 1929 stock market crash and economic turmoil.

New Deal

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

Isolationist Sentiment

Post-World War I, the US adopted an isolationist foreign policy, focusing on peace and independent internationalism.

World War II Conferences

Conferences like Yalta and Potsdam between the Allies discussed postwar Europe, leading to decisions on borders and the United Nations.

Iron Curtain

The division of Eastern and Western Europe marking the beginning of the Cold War.

Truman Doctrine

Policy to prevent the spread of communism, providing aid to countries threatened by communism.

Marshall Plan

Initiative providing $12 billion to help rebuild Europe's economy after World War II.

Berlin Crisis

Conflict arising from the Soviet blockade of West Berlin and the Western Allies' response.

McCarthyism

Period of intense anti-communist fear and accusations in the United States led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

GI Bill

Legislation providing educational and living allowances to returning soldiers and veterans after World War II.

Civil Rights Movement

Movement advocating for equal rights and treatment for African Americans in the United States.