AP US History Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from AP US History periods 1-9 (1491-Present).

Maize

The main crop cultivated by American Indians, allowed tribes to develop a more sedentary lifestyle.

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer who stumbled upon the New World after convincing the Spanish monarchs that he could sail across the Atlantic to India.

God, Gold, Glory

Early European explorers were motivated by a desire to spread Christianity, enrich themselves and their monarch, and gain glory for discovering new lands.

Encomienda System

A forced labor system developed by the Spanish that required American Indians to live on plantations and convert to Christianity.

Mercantilism

An economic system where countries tried to increase their wealth through government control of all aspects of trade

First Great Awakening

A religious movement that promoted emotional, evangelical services, revivals, and camp meetings

French and Indian War

A conflict between Britain and France and their allies for control of territory in North America, particularly the Ohio River Valley

Articles of Confederation

The first attempt at a national government by the American Colonies; it created a very weak federal government

U.S. Constitution

The foundation of the U.S. federal government

Federalist Papers

A series of paper written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison that advocated for a strong federal government

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution which protect individual liberties

Judicial Review

The ability of the Supreme Court to determine whether a law is constitutional

Second Great Awakening

A series of religious revivals in the early 1800s that focused on personal religious experience

American System

A plan proposed by Henry Clay that was intended to strengthen the United States through tariffs, national banks, and infrastructure

Louisiana Territory

A large portion of land that was purchased from France by the U.S. Federal government in 1803 for $15 million

Nativist

A native born person or group that opposes immigrants

Manifest Destiny

The belief that Americans were destined to spread the United States from coast to coast

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th president of the United States who was determined to preserve the Union at all costs; his election set in motion the Civil War

Reconstruction

The period after the Civil War during which Northern political leaders imposed strict regulations and governance on the South so that the South could rejoin the Union

Second Industrial Revolution

A movement toward manufacturing, especially in the North, that transformed the United States from an agricultural economy to an urban economy

Robber Barons

A term applied to business leaders who were considered corrupt in some way

Union

A collective bargaining unit that helped urban dwellers and factory workers improve their working conditions, pay, and retirement

Reservations

An area of land, often with very poor agriculturally, where Native Americans were required to live

The Gilded Age

A term that describes how many aspects of this life appeared beautiful, but were actually corrupt underneath

Progressive

A term applied to people who tried to implement social programs and increase government spending to address social inequalities

Great Depression

A period of economic hardship that shook American society and politics

Harlem Renaissance

An African American artistic movement in the 1920s that created art based on the lived experience of being African American

New Deal

A wide ranging government approach that addressed the Great Depression through combination of government funded infrastructure projects, social programs, and relief aid

Cold War

A period of diplomatic tension between the United States and the Soviet Union that pitted capitalism against communism

Marshall Plan

An expansive plan to provide economic and social aid to Western Europe in order to prevent the spread of communism

Senator Joseph McCarthy

A senator from Wisconsin who led the campaign to uncover communists and suspected communists in the United States

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

An African American civil rights leader who advocated for greater racial equality using nonviolent methods

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A wide ranging piece of legislation that ended segregation and banned employment discrimination

Great Society

A program developed under President Lyndon Johson that attempted to eliminate poverty and racial injustice

Ronald Reagan

The 40th President of the United States, serving from 1981 to 1989, known for his conservative policies and role in the ending of the Cold War

Terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

A series of surprise attacks by al-Qaeda on the United States on September 11, 2001, resulting in mass casualties and significant political and social changes