Semester 1 Exam Study Guide
Semester 1 Exam Structure
Format of the Test
Number of Questions: 55 multiple choice questions
Essay Component: LEQ (Long Essay Question)
Content Areas Covered
Spanish Exploration/Conquistadores
Detail & Historical Context: Spanish explorers like Christopher Columbus initiated European colonization of the Americas in the late century. Conquistadores (e.g., Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro) were Spanish soldier-explorers who violently conquered vast territories in the Americas, especially the Aztec and Inca empires. Their motivations were often summarized as "God, Gold, and Glory." They brought horses, firearms, and diseases, devastating indigenous populations and cultures.
APUSH Relevance: Period 1 (1491-1607). This marks the beginning of European interaction with the New World, leading to the Columbian Exchange, the establishment of a Spanish colonial empire, the encomienda system (forced labor), and profoundly impacting Native American societies. It sets the stage for future European colonization and competition in North America.
What Happened: Columbus's voyages opened the Atlantic to Europeans. Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire (1519-1521) in Mexico, and Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire (1532) in Peru. Spain established a vast colonial empire stretching from present-day U.S. Southwest down through South America, extracting immense wealth in gold and silver, and converting natives to Catholicism.
Timeline: Late century (1492: Columbus) through the century (peak of conquistador activity and establishment of Spanish colonial structures).
Jamestown
Detail & Historical Context: Founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company, Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America. Early years were marked by disease, starvation, and conflict with the Powhatan Confederacy. The introduction of tobacco by John Rolfe saved the colony economically, leading to the headright system and a demand for labor, eventually leading to indentured servitude and African slavery.
APUSH Relevance: Period 2 (1607-1754). Represents the start of English colonization, the challenges of early settlements, the economic reliance on cash crops, the development of representative government (House of Burgesses, 1619), and the origins of slavery in North America.
What Happened: Initial struggles almost led to failure. Tobacco cultivation became profitable. The first Africans arrived in 1619. Conflicts with Native Americans, like the Anglo-Powhatan Wars, were frequent. Bacon's Rebellion (1676) highlighted tensions between frontier settlers and the colonial elite, shifting labor preferences toward slavery.
Timeline: 1607 (founding) through rest of century (development as a royal colony).
Religious Freedom in the Colonies
Detail & Historical Context: Many English colonies were founded by groups seeking religious freedom or seeking to establish religious communities. Puritans founded Massachusetts Bay (1630) to create a "city upon a hill." Other colonies, like Rhode Island (Roger Williams), Maryland (Catholics, Toleration Act of 1649), and Pennsylvania (Quakers, William Penn), offered greater religious toleration or specific havens for persecuted groups.
APUSH Relevance: Period 2 (1607-1754). This concept was a fundamental driver for colonization, shaping the diverse social and political structures of different colonial regions and contributing to the development of American ideals of religious liberty, though often limited in practice.
What Happened: Puritans established a theocratic society in Massachusetts, often intolerant of dissenters like Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, who were banished. Rhode Island was founded on principles of religious freedom and separation of church and state. Maryland welcomed Catholics, and Pennsylvania became a haven for Quakers and other persecuted groups.
Timeline: and centuries, as colonies were established and developed their distinct religious policies.
Colonial Regions
Detail & Historical Context: The 13 British colonies developed into three distinct regions: New England, Middle, and Southern. Each had unique economic, social, and political characteristics influenced by geography, climate, and founding motivations.
New England (e.g., Massachusetts, Connecticut): Dominated by Puritanism; economy based on shipbuilding, fishing, trade, and small farms; strong town meetings and community focus.
Middle Colonies (e.g., New York, Pennsylvania): "Breadbasket" colonies, diverse populations (Dutch, German, Scottish, Irish); fertile land for grain farming; significant trade ports; greater religious and ethnic diversity and tolerance.
Southern Colonies (e.g., Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina): Economy based on large plantations (tobacco, rice, indigo) and chattel slavery; hierarchical society with a wealthy planter elite; less urbanized; focus on individual land ownership.
APUSH Relevance: Period 2 (1607-1754). Understanding these regional differences is crucial for comprehending the development of distinct economies, societies, and political systems that eventually led to sectional tensions within the United States.
What Happened: These regions evolved largely independently for over a century, developing distinct identities and interests that would later play a role in intercolonial relations, the Revolution, and later national debates.
Timeline: From early century (founding) through mid-$18^{th}$ century (pre-Revolution).
Colonial Unity
Detail & Historical Context: Early attempts at unity among the colonies were often driven by common threats (Native Americans, French). Examples include the New England Confederation (1643) and the Albany Plan of Union (1754), though the latter failed due to colonial reluctance to surrender autonomy. Over time, shared grievances against British policies fostered a growing sense of common identity.
APUSH Relevance: Period 2 & 3 (1607-1754, 1754-1783). Before the Revolution, colonial unity was fragmented. The process of developing a unified identity and common purpose was essential for the eventual success of the American Revolution and the formation of the United States.
What Happened: The New England Confederation addressed conflicts with Native Americans and intercolonial disputes. Benjamin Franklin's Albany Plan, proposed during the French & Indian War, aimed for greater colonial defense but failed. Later, events like the Stamp Act Congress and the First Continental Congress demonstrated increasing, though still fragile, unity against British rule.
Timeline: Sporadic efforts from mid-$17^{th}$ century through mid-$18^{th}$ century, intensifying during the pre-Revolutionary era.
Triangle Trade
Detail & Historical Context: A complex system of transatlantic trade routes primarily involving three regions: Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Raw materials (e.g., tobacco, sugar, cotton) went from the Americas to Europe. Manufactured goods (e.g., textiles, rum, guns) went from Europe to Africa. Enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from Africa to the Americas via the Middle Passage.
APUSH Relevance: Period 2 (1607-1754). This economic system fueled the growth of the colonial economies, particularly in the South, and was central to the development and expansion of the institution of slavery. It highlights the interconnectedness of global economies and the brutal human cost of colonial prosperity.
What Happened: European powers, driven by mercantilist principles, profited immensely from the exchange. The Middle Passage caused immense suffering and death for millions of Africans, profoundly shaping the demographics and social structure of the Americas.
Timeline: Peaked between the and early centuries.
French & Indian War
Detail & Historical Context: Part of the global Seven Years' War, this North American conflict (1754-1763) was primarily between Great Britain and France, with both sides aided by Native American allies (and colonists for Britain). The war was fought over control of the Ohio River Valley and ultimately determined control of North America.
APUSH Relevance: Period 3 (1754-1783). This war was a pivotal turning point. While a British victory secured their dominance in North America, it also left Britain with massive debt, leading to new taxes and policies (e.g., Proclamation of 1763) that alienated the colonists and became a major cause of the American Revolution.
What Happened: George Washington gained early experience. The Albany Plan of Union was proposed and rejected. British victory, secured by the Treaty of Paris (1763), removed French presence from mainland North America. Tensions arose between British officers and colonial militias. Pontiac's Rebellion followed, leading to the Proclamation of 1763, which angered colonists.
Timeline: 1754-1763.
Salutary Neglect/Mercantilism
Detail & Historical Context: Mercantilism was an economic theory prevalent in Europe from the to centuries, asserting that a nation's wealth and power were best served by accumulating bullion (gold/silver) and maintaining a positive balance of trade. Colonies existed to serve the mother country by providing raw materials and markets. Salutary Neglect was an unofficial British policy (mid-$17^{th}$ to mid-$18^{th}$ century) that allowed American colonies to largely govern themselves and regulate their own economies, as long as they remained loyal and British mercantilist goals were generally met.
APUSH Relevance: Period 2 & 3 (1607-1754, 1754-1783). Mercantilism fundamentally shaped colonial economic development, restricting colonial trade and manufacturing. The end of salutary neglect after the French & Indian War, as Britain sought to enforce mercantilist policies and raise revenue, directly fueled colonial grievances and the movement towards revolution.
What Happened: Under salutary neglect, colonists developed self-government and a sense of growing independence. Post-French & Indian War, Britain ended this policy and began strict enforcement of trade laws (e.g., Navigation Acts) and new taxes, sparking widespread protest.
Timeline: Mercantilism throughout colonial era; Salutary Neglect from about 1650s to 1763.
Causes of the American Revolution
Detail & Historical Context: A culmination of grievances and ideological shifts. British policies after 1763 (ending salutary neglect, new taxes to pay war debt) spurred colonial resistance. Enlightenment ideas emphasizing natural rights and self-government also played a crucial role.
APUSH Relevance: Period 3 (1754-1783). This section is central to understanding the motivations, events, and rhetoric that led to American independence.
What Happened: Key causes include:
Proclamation of 1763: Restricted westward expansion.
Sugar Act (1764): First direct tax aimed at raising revenue.
Stamp Act (1765): Tax on printed materials, led to widespread protests (Stamp Act Congress, Sons of Liberty).
Townshend Acts (1767): Taxes on imports, led to boycotts.
Boston Massacre (1770): Confrontation between British soldiers and colonists.
Tea Act (1773) & Boston Tea Party: British attempt to save East India Company, led to destruction of tea.
Intolerable (Coercive) Acts (1774): Punitive measures against Massachusetts, closed Boston port.
First Continental Congress (1774): Colonial response to Intolerable Acts.
Enlightenment Philosophy: Ideas from Locke (natural rights), Montesquieu (separation of powers), Rousseau (social contract).
"No Taxation Without Representation": Core colonial grievance.
Timeline: 1763-1775.
Ratification of the Constitution
Detail & Historical Context: After the Constitutional Convention (1787) drafted the new Constitution, it needed ratification by 9 of the 13 states. This sparked a fierce debate between Federalists (supporters, e.g., Madison, Hamilton, Jay) and Anti-Federalists (opponents, e.g., Patrick Henry, George Mason). Federalists argued for a strong central government; Anti-Federalists feared tyranny and demanded a bill of rights.
APUSH Relevance: Period 3 (1754-1783). This process directly led to the establishment of the U.S. federal government as we know it, defining the distribution of power and liberties. The debate illuminated foundational questions about government structure and individual rights that continue to resonate.
What Happened: Federalists wrote the Federalist Papers to persuade states to ratify. Anti-Federalists pushed for amendments protecting individual liberties. Compromises were made, notably a promise to add a Bill of Rights, which secured ratification from key states.
Timeline: 1787-1788 (ratification debates); 1791 (Bill of Rights ratified).
Excise Tax
Detail & Historical Context: An excise tax is an indirect tax charged on the sale of particular goods or services. In the early U.S., Alexander Hamilton, as Secretary of the Treasury, proposed an excise tax on whiskey in 1791 to raise revenue and assert federal authority. This led to the Whiskey Rebellion.
APUSH Relevance: Period 3 (1754-1783). The Whiskey Rebellion demonstrated the new federal government's strength to enforce laws under the Constitution, unlike the weak federal response to Shays' Rebellion under the Articles of Confederation. It affirmed the authority of the national government to levy taxes.
What Happened: Western Pennsylvania farmers, who distilled whiskey from surplus grain, strongly resisted the tax, viewing it as unfair. President George Washington personally led a federal militia to suppress the rebellion (1794), which quickly dispersed. No battle occurred, but the government's decisive action established its power.
Timeline: 1791 (tax imposed), 1794 (Whiskey Rebellion).
America in the World
Detail & Historical Context: In its early years, the U.S. faced challenges in establishing its sovereignty and defining its foreign policy amidst powerful European nations, particularly Britain and France, who were frequently at war. Key issues included neutrality, trade relations, and territorial disputes.
APUSH Relevance: Period 3 (1754-1783) & Period 4 (1800-1848). Early foreign policy decisions significantly shaped the nation's identity, economy, and the balance of power between isolationism/neutrality and engagement.
What Happened: Key events include:
Washington's Farewell Address (1796): Advised against permanent foreign alliances.
Jay's Treaty (1794): Attempted to resolve issues with Britain post-Revolution, unpopular but avoided war.
Pinckney's Treaty (1795): Secured American navigation rights on the Mississippi River and access to New Orleans from Spain.
XYZ Affair (1797-1798): Diplomatic incident with France that led to the Quasi-War, stimulating American nationalism.
Barbary Wars (early 1800s): Fought against North African states to protect American shipping.
War of 1812: Fought against Britain over impressment and maritime rights, solidified American independence.
Timeline: Late century through early century.
Louisiana Purchase
Detail & Historical Context: In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson purchased a vast territory (approximately 828,000 square miles) from France, doubling the size of the United States. This came unexpectedly as Napoleon needed funds for European wars and lost interest in a North American empire.
APUSH Relevance: Period 4 (1800-1848). This event was a landmark in American expansion, providing vast new resources and land for agrarian expansion. It posed a constitutional dilemma for Jefferson (strict constructionist vs. implied powers) and set precedents for future territorial acquisitions. It also fueled westward migration and future conflicts over slavery's expansion.
What Happened: Jefferson, despite his strict constructionist views, justified the purchase as an implied power necessary for the nation's well-being. The land was explored by Lewis and Clark (1804-1806), mapping new territories and establishing claims.
Timeline: 1803.
American System/Canal System
Detail & Historical Context: Proposed by Henry Clay in the early century, the American System was a comprehensive economic plan to promote national economic growth. It consisted of three main parts:
Protective Tariffs: To promote American industry.
National Bank: To foster commerce and a stable currency.
Internal Improvements: Federally funded infrastructure projects like roads and canals to connect different regions.
The Canal System, particularly the Erie Canal (completed 1825), was a key example of these internal improvements, dramatically improving transportation and trade.
APUSH Relevance: Period 4 (1800-1848). The American System aimed to unite the diverse regions of the U.S. through economic self-sufficiency and infrastructure development, fostering the Market Revolution. It was a major point of debate regarding the role of the federal government in the economy and contributed to regional specialization and interdependence.
What Happened: While not fully implemented as a federal program due to constitutional debates (especially over internal improvements), elements like tariffs and the Second Bank of the U.S. were adopted. The Erie Canal, built by New York State, transformed trade in the Northeast and Midwest, making New York City a dominant port. The success of canals spurred further infrastructure development.
Timeline: Early century, especially 1815-1840s.
Missouri Compromise
Detail & Historical Context: In 1820, as Missouri sought statehood as a slave state, it threatened the balance of power between free and slave states in the Senate. The compromise, brokered by Henry Clay, had three main parts:
Missouri admitted as a slave state.
Maine admitted as a free state, maintaining the balance.
Slavery prohibited in the Louisiana Purchase territory north of N latitude (Missouri's southern border), with the exception of Missouri itself.
APUSH Relevance: Period 4 (1800-1848). This was the first major legislative attempt to address the expansion of slavery into new territories. It temporarily diffused sectional tensions but highlighted the deep divisions over slavery that would eventually lead to the Civil War, foreshadowing future struggles over the character of westward expansion.
What Happened: It maintained peace for over 30 years regarding slavery expansion but did not resolve the fundamental issue. It established a precedent for congressional power to regulate slavery in territories.
Timeline: 1820.
Nullification
Detail & Historical Context: The doctrine of Nullification asserts that a state has the right to invalidate (nullify) any federal law deemed unconstitutional. This idea was first articulated in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions (1798-1799) in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. It rose to prominence again in the 1830s with John C. Calhoun and South Carolina during the Nullification Crisis.
APUSH Relevance: Period 4 (1800-1848). This concept highlights the ongoing debate over states' rights vs. federal power, a foundational tension in American history. The Nullification Crisis demonstrated the fragility of the Union and President Andrew Jackson's commitment to preserving federal authority.
What Happened: South Carolina, led by Calhoun, declared the "Tariff of Abominations" (1828) and the Tariff of 1832 null and void within its borders, threatening secession. President Andrew Jackson responded by threatening military force and secured the Force Bill (1833), asserting federal supremacy. A compromise tariff eventually defused the crisis.
Timeline: Late century (Kentucky/Virginia Resolutions) and 1832-1833 (Nullification Crisis).
Manifest Destiny
Detail & Historical Context: A widespread belief in the century that the United States was divinely ordained to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Coined by journalist John L. O'Sullivan in 1845.
APUSH Relevance: Period 5 (1844-1877). Manifest Destiny was a driving force behind American territorial expansion (e.g., Texas annexation, Oregon Territory, Mexican Cession), significantly impacting Native Americans (forced removal, conflicts) and intensifying the debate over the expansion of slavery into new territories, leading directly to the Civil War.
What Happened: Fueled significant territorial acquisitions, including the annexation of Texas (1845), the Oregon Treaty (1846), and the Mexican Cession (1848) following the Mexican-American War. It led to mass migration westward (e.g., Oregon Trail) and displaced or destroyed Native American cultures.
Timeline: 1830s-1850s (peak period).
Second Great Awakening
Detail & Historical Context: A Protestant religious revival movement that swept the U.S. in the early century, particularly from the 1790s through the 1840s. It emphasized emotional conversions, personal piety, and the belief that individuals could achieve salvation through good works and moral reform. Key figures included Charles Grandison Finney.
APUSH Relevance: Period 4 (1800-1848). This revival had a profound impact on American society, democratizing religion and inspiring numerous social reform movements (abolitionism, temperance, women's rights, prison reform, education reform), shaping an era often called the Antebellum Reform Era.
What Happened: Led to a surge in church membership, the growth of new denominations (e.g., Methodists, Baptists), and widespread evangelical fervor. Its emphasis on individual moral responsibility directly contributed to the push for social betterment and justice.
Timeline: Roughly 1790s-1840s.
Compromise of 1850
Detail & Historical Context: Another set of legislative measures intended to resolve the dispute over the expansion of slavery into territories acquired from Mexico after the Mexican-American War. Proposed by Henry Clay.
APUSH Relevance: Period 5 (1844-1877). This compromise temporarily averted secession but included provisions that inflamed sectional tensions, particularly the Fugitive Slave Act, which brought the issue of slavery's legality more directly into free states. It ultimately proved to be a fragile and temporary solution.
What Happened: Key provisions:
California admitted as a free state.
Slave trade, but not slavery, abolished in Washington D.C.
New Mexico and Utah territories organized under popular sovereignty (residents decide on slavery).
Texas received million dollars in exchange for land claims in New Mexico.
Stronger Fugitive Slave Act enacted, requiring federal enforcement and compelling citizens to assist in returning runaway slaves.
Timeline: 1850.
Harpers’ Ferry/Abolitionism
Detail & Historical Context: Abolitionism was the movement to end slavery, gaining momentum in the early to mid-$19^{th}$ century. It encompassed various strategies, from moral suasion (William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass) to political action (Liberty, Free-Soil, Republican parties) and increasingly, radical acts. Harpers' Ferry was a raid in 1859 by radical abolitionist John Brown and his followers on a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), with the aim of starting a slave rebellion.
APUSH Relevance: Period 5 (1844-1877). Abolitionism was a central moral and political force leading to the Civil War. Harpers' Ferry intensified sectional division, convincing many Southerners that the North was attempting to incite slave revolts, and further solidified Southern resolve to protect slavery.
What Happened: Abolitionists used pamphlets, newspapers (e.g., The Liberator), speeches, and underground networks (Underground Railroad) to oppose slavery. John Brown's raid was unsuccessful; he and his men were captured, tried for treason, and executed. His actions were glorified in the North by some and seen as domestic terrorism in the South.
Timeline: Abolitionist movement from 1830s-1860s; Harpers' Ferry raid in 1859.
Causes of the Civil War
Detail & Historical Context: The Civil War (1861-1865) resulted from decades of growing sectional divisions, primarily over slavery, states' rights, and economic differences. These tensions were exacerbated by westward expansion and a series of political compromises that failed to resolve the core issue of slavery's future.
APUSH Relevance: Period 5 (1844-1877). This topic explains the fundamental breakdown of the Union and the deep societal conflicts that led to war by identifying the specific events, ideologies, and legislation that fractured the nation.
What Happened: Major contributing factors include:
Slavery: Fundamental moral, social, and economic division.
States' Rights: Debate over federal vs. state authority, especially regarding slavery.
Sectionalism: Loyalty to one's region over the nation.
Missouri Compromise (1820), Compromise of 1850: Temporary solutions that ultimately failed.
Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): Opened new territories to popular sovereignty, sparking "Bleeding Kansas" violence.
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857): Supreme Court ruled slaves were not citizens and Congress could not ban slavery in territories.
John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry (1859).
Election of 1860: Abraham Lincoln's victory without Southern electoral votes triggered secession of Southern states.
Timeline: Escalation from 1820s-1860.
Sherman’s March to the Sea
Detail & Historical Context: A military campaign conducted from November 15 to December 21, 1864, by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army during the American Civil War. His forces marched from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia, then north through the Carolinas, employing a "total war" strategy to break the Confederate's will to fight.
APUSH Relevance: Period 5 (1844-1877). This campaign was crucial to the Union victory. It devastated the agricultural and industrial capacity of the Confederacy, demoralized the Southern population, and demonstrated the effectiveness of total war, hastening the end of the Civil War.
What Happened: Sherman's army destroyed military targets as well as infrastructure (railroads, crops, factories) and civilian property, disrupting the Southern economy and infrastructure. This left a path of destruction miles wide and miles long through Georgia, then continued into the Carolinas.
Timeline: November-December 1864 (Georgia), continuing into early 1865 (Carolinas).
Reconstruction Era South
Detail & Historical Context: The period (1865-1877) following the Civil War, focused on rebuilding the South, reintegrating former Confederate states into the Union, and addressing the status of newly freed African Americans (freedmen). The South faced immense challenges in economic recovery and social transformation.
APUSH Relevance: Period 5 (1844-1877). This era represents a pivotal attempt to redefine American citizenship and race relations after slavery, laying the groundwork for future civil rights struggles and revealing the persistent challenges of racial equality and regional division.
What Happened: The South struggled with economic devastation, the establishment of Black Codes to control freedmen, and the rise of sharecropping and other exploitative labor systems. White supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan emerged. Efforts were made to establish public education and some freedmen gained political representation, though often short-lived.
Timeline: 1865-1877.
Military Reconstruction
Detail & Historical Context: Initiated by the Radical Republicans in Congress, Military Reconstruction (1867-1877) was a more stringent phase of Reconstruction that aimed to protect the rights of freedmen and punish former Confederates. It involved dividing the former Confederate states (except Tennessee) into five military districts, each governed by a Union general.
APUSH Relevance: Period 5 (1844-1877). This policy represents Congress's forceful assertion of federal power over the states to enforce civil rights. It led to the passage of the and Amendments, expanded voting rights for African American men, and temporary political changes in the South, but also sparked fierce Southern resistance and ultimately failed to secure long-term racial equality.
What Happened: Congress passed the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, disenfranchising many former Confederates and requiring Southern states to ratify the Amendment (granting citizenship and equal protection) and grant voting rights to African American men. President Andrew Johnson's attempts to obstruct these policies led to his impeachment. Federal troops were stationed in the South to ensure compliance.
Timeline: 1867-1877.
Essay Expectations
Essay Choice: One essay prompt from the following periods
Periods 1-3
Period 4
Period 5
Skills Integration:
Utilize historical thinking skills throughout the essay.
A single mention of a skill will not suffice; it must be woven into the argument using evidence and analysis.
Historical Thinking Skills
Comparison
Definition: Compare and contrast events, philosophies, time periods, presidencies, etc.
Key Focus:
Similarities (compare)
Differences (contrast)
Not all prompts will require both aspects; focus on the prompt's specific requirements.
Analyze multiple perspectives on a specific historical experience, explaining relevances and significances of the observations.
Determine reasoning behind the identified similarities and differences.
Causation
Definition: Look into multiple cause-and-effect relationships related to events, philosophies, time periods, presidencies, etc.
Considerations:
Both long-term and short-term consequences
Identify most and least important causes and consequences, including primary and secondary causes.
Assess the significance of these causes on the event in question.
Continuity & Change Over Time (CCOT)
Definition: Examine a specific theme in history across different time periods.
Tasks:
Identify elements that remained the same and those that changed over time, focusing on a distinct time period.
Relate unique events to larger patterns of continuity and change throughout history.
Evaluate overall trends: is there more continuity or change observed during the time period in question?
Study Tips
Contextual Understanding:
Beyond definitions, know the proper context in history for each bullet point listed above.
Understand relationships, significance, and impact on American history.
Make Contextual Lists: For each bullet, create a list of what it relates to and why it is important.