Five Things to Know about US History Period 1 🪶

1. Before the Europeans arrived in the Americas, there were many American Indian tribes scattered across North and South America. These tribes had complex societies with unique religious, political, and cultural beliefs.

2. European countries sought to conquer the New World in order to gain wealth and military status, and to spread the ideas of Christianity. European exploration often resulted in negative consequences for native populations, such as widespread epidemics and forced labor systems like the Spanish encomienda system.

3. Relationships between the Europeans and American Indians were often fraught with misunderstandings and conflict regarding not only land and resources but also differing cultural beliefs.

4. The Columbian Exchange resulted in tremendous social, cultural, and political change for both the Europeans and the American Indians. New food crops and new sources of mineral wealth brought about extensive demographic, economic, and social change in Europe. The introduction of new food crops and animals also impacted the Americas.

5. As native populations dwindled, Europeans turned to Africa as a new source of forced labor, giving rise to the early plantation system and widespread system of slavery in the Americas.

Five Things to Know about US History Period 2 🛳

1. Spanish, French, Dutch, and British colonizers had different goals that impacted the economic, political, and cultural development of their colonies and shaped colonizers’ interactions with American Indian populations.

2. Conflict arose due to competition for resources among European rivals, and between the Europeans and American Indians. Examples of American Indian resistance to colonizers were the Pueblo Revolt, the Pequot War, and King Philip’s War.

3. Early British colonies developed along the Atlantic coast with some regional differences. New England colonies were settled by the Puritans, who lived in small towns. The middle colonies were characterized by the export of cash crops, less social rigidity, and more religious tolerance. The southern colonies developed a plantation-based economy.

4. The African slave trade grew extensively throughout the eighteenth century. The trading of slaves, cash crops, and manufactured goods between Africa, the Americas, and Europe became known as Triangular Trade.

5. England used its colonies to obtain raw materials for its own manufacturing purposes and wealth creation. There were, consequently, early examples of colonial resentment and resistance. From Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676 to the Great Awakening starting in the 1730s, the colonists begin to carve out a distinct American identity.

Five Things to Know about US History Period 3 😡

1. After the British and the colonists won the French and Indian War, England faced enormous debt. The resulting taxation of the colonists led to resentment and tension with England. The Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party were two notable examples of this increasingly troubled relationship.

2. Colonial leaders called for resistance to imperial rule and demanded that their rights be respected. New experiments with democracy and republican forms of government came about with the Continental Congress, the ideas of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine, and, ultimately, the Declaration of Independence.

3. After the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation united the newly formed states. However, the federal government remained very weak, which was made evident by Shay’s Rebellion. Debates on how to govern the new country culminated in the calling of the Constitutional Convention.

4. Throughout the presidencies of George Washington and John Adams, the Federalists and Anti-Federalists debated on how the young nation should manage its economy, foreign affairs, and internal relations with the new states. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, favored a stronger central government. The Anti-Federalists, led by Thomas Jefferson, favored giving more power to the individual states.

5. The development of a distinct American foreign policy emerged. George Washington warned against becoming entangled in foreign affairs, such as the French Revolution, and preferred diplomatic initiatives, like Jay’s Treaty and Pinckney’s Treaty, to deal with continued European presence in America.

6. Migration trends and competition over boundaries, resources, and trade fueled ethnic tensions and sparked nativist sentiments. The United States’ relationship with American Indian groups continued to evolve, often centering on conflict regarding native lands.

Six Things to Know about US History Period 4 📜

1. The United States continued to develop its own democratic ideals, sparking debates about role of federal government, and leading to the formation of various political parties.

2. The U.S. Supreme Court established the principle that federal laws take precedence over state laws. Through Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Court also established the principle of judicial review, which allowed courts to check the power of the legislature and executive branches of government, further solidifying a “separation of powers.”

3. America developed a national culture, especially after the War of 1812, and various religious and social reform groups emerged. The temperance movement sought to ban alcohol. The abolition movement worked to end slavery and to assist African Americans. The women’s rights movement’s efforts culminated in the Seneca Falls Convention.

4. America underwent an economic and technological revolution. Major developments included the cotton gin, the steam engine, the factory system, and the expansion of railroads and canals. America moved away from a small subsistence-based economy and into an era of increasing industrialization, which impacted societal and family structures.

5. Expanding westward after the Louisiana Purchase, the United States sought to expand its borders and to be seen as a major player in foreign trade. The Monroe Doctrine and military actions against American Indian tribes demonstrated the desire for more control in North America.

6. As new states joined the United States, the debate over slavery raged on. In an attempt to appease both the North and South, Henry Clay crafted the Missouri Compromise, resolving some tension for the next three decades.

Five Things to Know about US History Period 5 ⚔

1. Americans enthusiastically supported Western expansion in hopes of finding new economic opportunities. The philosophy of “Manifest Destiny” emerged as motivation for this westward migration. America’s expansionist philosophy extended into foreign policy as well, as evidenced by conflict over the Oregon territory with Britain and involvement in the Mexican-American War.

2. The Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott decision were all important attempts made by national leaders and the courts to resolve the issues surrounding slavery.

3. Debates about slavery—as well as economic, political, and cultural differences—led to a widening gap between the North and South. Despite various efforts at compromise, the South (11 states in all) seceded from the United States to form The Confederate States of America. America would soon afterwards become embroiled in the Civil War.

4. Due to superior military strategy, more resources, a larger population, and stronger infrastructure, the Union defeated the Confederacy. During the war, President Lincoln declared an end to slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation, and after the war, worked to rebuild the country. After his assassination, many questions remained, however, about the role of the federal government and citizens’ rights, including women, African Americans, and other minorities.

5. After the Civil War, the Thirteenth Amendment officially ended slavery, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments further expanded the rights of African Americans. Despite these efforts, African Americans faced great hardships in gaining equal rights and employment.

Five Things to Know about US History Period 6 🏭

1. Large scale industrialization and advances in technology gave rise to capitalism and the era of big business. Businessmen such as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, and John D. Rockefeller amassed huge fortunes. Aggressive financial methods caused multiple economic downturns and financial panics.

2. Due to the rise of big business, many groups such as farmers and unions called for stronger governmental protections to regulate the economy and safeguard the rights of workers.

3. Migration increased, both to and within the United States. Cities became areas of economic growth that attracted African Americans and migrants from Asia and Europe. Multiple ethnic groups vied for control of the Western frontier, and cultural tensions continued nationwide.

4. New intellectual and cultural movements arose during this period, often dubbed the “Gilded Age.” One view, called Social Darwinism, attempted to justify a wealthy elite class as natural and inevitable. Another view, known as the Gospel of Wealth, urged the wealthy and big business to help the less fortunate.

5. Debates intensified over citizens’ rights, especially in relation to gender and race. The Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) marked a major setback for African Americans, as it upheld racial segregation and ended some of the progress made in the decades following the Civil War. African American reformers continued to strive for political and social equality in the face of escalating violence and discrimination.

Six Things to Know about US History Period 7 🪖

1. The United States continued its transition from an agricultural economy to an industrial economy. In the 1920s, urban areas grew and employment opportunities were on the rise. However, the United States would soon plunge into the Great Depression.

2. Progressives across the country responded to political and economic uncertainty; they called for greater government action regarding social issues such as women’s suffrage, the prohibition of alcohol, political corruption, and economic inequality.

3. With new forms of mass media, modern culture was born in an era known as the “Roaring Twenties,” also dubbed the “Jazz Age.” Americans debated larger social issues such science, religion, gender roles, race, and immigration.

4. Major changes in migration occurred, as Americans and migrants from Asia and Europe increasingly moved into urban areas. Nativist campaigns succeeded in convincing the government to pass quotas and restrictions on immigration. The “Great Migration” saw African Americans leave the racial violence and segregation of the South and move to the North, where they sought better economic opportunities.

5. In an attempt to end the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt promoted his “New Deal” plan to assist the poor, provide employment, and revitalize a stalling, weak economy. Through the New Deal, Roosevelt helped define modern American liberalism and left a long-lasting legacy of political, social, and economic reform.

6. America fought in three major wars during this period. The United States’ victory in the Spanish-American War resulted in increased overseas territory. After a period of relative peace, America entered World War I in 1917. The U.S. then entered a short-lived period of isolationism before World War II.

Six Things to Know about US History Period 8 🥶

1. The United States positioned itself as a global leader. The Cold War, an escalating struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union, defined this period. Fearing the expansion of communism, the United States got involved in two major military engagements in Korea and Vietnam.

2. Initially, there was major American support for an anticommunist foreign policy. As the war in Vietnam dragged on, however, mass antiwar protests broke out across the United States. Passionate debates over war in southeast Asia, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the power of the executive branch were all central to the politics of this period.

3. Civil rights activists energized a new nationwide movement for racial progress. Martin Luther King Jr. used the strategies of nonviolent protests, direct action, and legal battles. The landmark Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954) was a significant achievement for civil rights activists, but progress was slow and resistance was high.

4. Spurred by the civil rights movement, other social movements advocated their causes. Debates raged over issues such as sexuality, gender, the environment, and economic equality, and the counterculture of the 1960s emerged.

5. In the 1960s, President Johnson’s Great Society program attempted to use the power of the federal government to eliminate poverty, end racial discrimination, and promote social justice. Fearing a cultural and moral decline, conservatives challenged such actions and sought to limit the role of the federal government.

6. In the 1970s, the public grew increasingly distrustful of the government’s ability to solve problems. This distrust reached a peak with the Watergate scandal, the stalemate in Vietnam, and President Nixon’s resignation from office.

Five Things to Know about US History Period 9 🌐

1. President Reagan’s victory in 1980 was a defining moment for the new conservative movement that had gained strength in the 1970s. Led by Reagan, conservatives promoted tax cuts and the deregulation of many private industries.

2. Through an increased military buildup and a more assertive foreign policy, the Reagan administration sought to end the Cold War. Ultimately, this stronger interventionist U.S. policy, coupled with economic trouble and political changes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, brought the Cold War to an end.

3. Advances in science and technology soared to new heights, especially in the 1990s. Developments in digital technology and the birth of the Internet revolutionized the economy and transformed the world, leading to a new era of globalization.

4. The United States continued to see large shifts in demographics and populations. Intense debates continued over social issues such as immigration, race, gender, family structures, and diversity.

5. Conflict in the Middle East increased. After the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the United States engaged in military action against Afghanistan and Iraq. The War on Terrorism presented new challenges for U.S. leadership and led to changes in both domestic and foreign policy. Efforts to improve security led to new debates in America over the issue of civil liberties and human rights.