AP US History Vocabulary Flashcards

AP US History Notes and Review (2024 Exam)

  • This review is designed to help students prepare for the APUSH exam.
  • The author encourages students to reach out with any inquiries via email or Instagram.
  • The author shares notes as a tradition, aiming to help others learn.
  • APUSH started slowly but became genuinely interesting after the Civil War.
  • Focus on memorizing key processes and making connections rather than just reciting facts.
  • The review was uploaded late due to burnout but is intended to be helpful.
  • This review offers a casual tone from a student's perspective.

Exam Layout

  • The APUSH exam includes Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Short Answer Questions (SAQ), a Document-Based Question (DBQ), and a Long Essay Question (LEQ).
  • MCQ:
    • 55 questions, 55 minutes, 40% of the score.
    • Each question is tied to a stimulus, with 3-4 questions per stimulus.
  • SAQ:
    • 3 questions, 40 minutes, 20% of the score.
    • Q1 includes a secondary source stimulus.
    • Q2 includes a primary source stimulus.
    • Choose either Q3 or Q4, both with no stimulus.
  • DBQ:
    • 1 essay, 7 documents, 25% of the score.
  • LEQ:
    • 1 essay, no stimulus, 15% of the score.
    • Choose either Q1, Q2, or Q3.
  • The review includes notes for each unit, tips, and a suggested review calendar.
  • Opinions on difficulty and time per day are subjective estimates.
  • Before reviewing, take a full-length MCQ practice exam and reread notes, focusing on areas of weakness.

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Table of Contents

  • Unit 1: Pre-Colonial Americas (4-6%)
    • Pre-European Americas
    • European Exploration
    • Cultural Exchange
  • Unit 2: Colonial America (4-6%)
    • European Colonization
    • The British Colonies
    • Colonial Developments
    • Colonial Society and Culture
  • Unit 3: American Independence (10-17%)
    • Road to Revolution
    • The Revolutionary War
    • US Constitution
    • Early Republic
  • Unit 4: Young America (10-17%)
    • Early 1800’s
    • Market Revolution
    • Jacksonian Democracy
    • Emerging US Culture
    • Age of Reform
    • The Antebellum South
  • Unit 5: The Civil War and Reconstruction (10-17%)
    • Manifest Destiny
    • Road to Civil War
    • Fighting the Civil War
    • Reconstruction
  • Unit 6: The Gilded Age (10-17%)
    • The Wild West
    • The New South
    • Rise of Capitalism
    • Immigration and Migration
    • Gilded Age Culture
    • Gilded Age Government
  • Unit 7: America’s Rise to World Power (10-17%)
    • US Imperialism
    • The Progressives
    • World War I
    • The Roaring 20’s
    • The Great Depression
    • World War II
  • Unit 8: The Cold War and Post-War America (10-17%)
    • The Cold War
    • Post-War Developments
    • Global Conflicts
    • The Great Society
    • Civil Rights Movement
    • Society in Transition
  • Unit 9: Conservatism and the 21st Century (4-6%)
    • Reagan and Conservatism
    • The End of the Cold War
    • Entering the 21st Century
    • The 21st Century

Unit 1: Pre-Colonial Americas (1492-1607)

  • Pre-European America
  • European Exploration
    • Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztecs.
    • Francisco Pizarro conquered the Incas.
    • Encomienda System:
      • A coerced labor system where Natives were given land and protection in exchange for their labor.
      • Spaniards provided Elabor+ Goods and Protections.
    • For African Slavery, 10-15% died during the Middle Passage.
    • Asiento system: Colonist pays tax per imported slave.
    • The Spanish caste system had a racial hierarchy.
  • Cultural Exchange (August 22, 2023)
    • The Native-European conflict lasted for a long time due to stark differences, resulting in a stalemate.
    • Natives
      • Polytheistic
      • More women's rights
      • Tradition approach
    • Europeans
      • Monotheistic
      • Less women's rights
      • Focused on econ. gain / conversion.
    • Spanish Policy
      • Overwhelmingly subjugated Natives.
      • Bartolomé de Las Casas advocated for better Native rights.
      • Instituted New Laws of 1542, ending Native slavery & the encomienda system.
      • Conservative Spaniards got the king to repeal some of the laws.
      • The Valladolid Debate featured Juan Sepúlveda arguing Natives were less than human.
    • English Policy
      • Settled in areas without large Native populations, expelling Natives rather than subjugating them for forced labor.
      • Marriage with Natives was uncommon, as they came as families rather than single young men.
    • French Policy
      • Fewer colonies and sought fur trade.
      • Viewed Natives as trade partners.
    • Native Survival Strategies
      • One option was to ally with Europeans.
      • Several tribes allied with Spain to gain independence from the Aztecs.
      • Moving west often led to clashes with existing tribes there.
    • Africans contributed to the development of rice, music, and language.
    • Europeans justified slavery with pseudoscience & religion.
  • Summary and Key Points Comparison
    • The Spanish and Portuguese subjugated Natives the most, while the French had the best relations.
    • Spain and Portugal colonized mainly Central and South America, while Britain, France, and Netherlands settled in North America.
    • Native Americans tended to be polytheistic, whereas Europeans were monotheistic.
  • Continuity
    • People wanted land and participation in trade with Asia.
  • Change
    • Many Native American tribes and Mesoamerican societies thrived prior to European arrival but quickly fell to disease and conquest.
    • Economic systems in Europe gradually transitioned from feudalism to free-market capitalism.
  • Causation
    • Natives had no immunity from European diseases, such as smallpox.
    • Desires to spread Christianity and economic gains caused Europeans to seek exploration.

Unit 2: Colonial America (1607-1754)

  • European Colonization

  • The British Colonies

    • Rhode Island:
      • Roger Williams was banished from Boston for teachings against the Church's authority.
      • He fled south and founded Providence.
      • Anne Hutchinson banished for antinomianism, found Portsmouth.
      • Tolerant colony became refuge for many.
    • Connecticut:
      • Founded by Thomas Hooker and Boston Puritans.
      • Unhappy w/ Bay authorities.
      • Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was the 1st constitution of America.
    • New Hampshire:
      • Split from Mass. due to King's control.

  • MIDDLE COLONIES:

    • Good, fertile soil attracted diverse ppl.
    • Tolerant w/ good harbors.
    • New York:
      • Taken from Netherlands.
      • Dutch settlers were still treated well.
    • New Jersey:
      • Attracted settlers through cheap land, religious freedom, and an assembly.
      • Split from New York.
    • Pennsylvania:
      • William Penn - Quaker who founded this as refuge for Quakers and minority religions w/Lib. Ideas.
      • Frame of Government
      • Charter of Liberties granted Rep. assembly for all landowners worship and Freedom unblocked Immigration
      • lower 3 counties are Delaware:
    • Maryland:
      • Safe haven for Catholics.
      • L. Baltimore and Cecil Calvert.
      • Catholics were outnumbered by Protestants in assembly, resulting in the Act of Toleration.
      • Act of Toleration granted religious freedom to all Christians, but was later repealed after a Protestant victory in a civil war.

  • SOUTHERN COLONIES:

    • Hot climates w/ fertile soil and agri-based econ.
    • The Carolinas:
      • King Charles I restored his monarchy, granting the Carolinas to 8 nobles.
      • S. Carolina had Lg. rice-growing plantations w/ Slave labor.
      • N. Carolina had Few lg. plantations & Slavery.
    • Georgia:
      • Acted as a Debtor buffer to Spanish Florida, James Oglethorpe Founded Savannah in 1733 being 1st governor.

  • SELF-RULE:

    • Self-rule & democracy began early in colonies.
    • Distance from Britain slowed communication.
    • British was invested.
    • House of Burgesses (1619): America's 1st representative assembly dominated by elite planters.
    • New England had town meetings & elections (Mayflower Compact).
    • Limits: Only white land-owning men could participate.

  • Colonial Developments

    • Bacon's Rebellion led to a shift from servitude to slavery.
    • Landowners preferred owning workers who couldn't rebel, leading to an increase in the slave population.
    • New England Confederation:
      • 4 N. England colonies formed military alliance.
      • Though it ended by the English monarch, this was the 1st example of colony unification.
    • Metacom's War:
      • Won by N. England with help of confederation.
      • In response to encroaching land, Chief Metacom (King Phillip) united S. New England tribes and led to mass destruction & death.
      • Most Native resistance ended in N. England.
    • Pueblo Revolt:
      • Pueblo tribes revolted against Spain's oppressive rule & religious conversion and WOND.
      • A massive example of beating European power, but the Spanish eventually came back and defeated them.
    • Natives escaped too easily, and the supply of indentured servants was too small, they turned to Africa for a cheap labor source for SLAVERY
    • Indentured Servants were Workers owned by masters, under contract usually ~4-7 years and Gained freedom afterwards.
    • Headright System:
      • To attract immigrants, VA offered 50 acres of land to immigrants who paid for their passage.
      • 1619; 1st slaves arrived from England ship.
      • Laws were passed to make bondage permanent & inheritable.
      • WHY? Reduced England migration, dependable workforce, and cheap labor.
      • Many resisted by blending Christianity to create syncratic religions, and ran away/went on strikes.

  • Colonial Society and Culture

    • MEN of wereProperty owning, could vote, had unlimited power at home
    • women had Muve rights, especially in S., than in N.
    • They could Inherit property
    • When expanding econ. & food, ppl. married young and had many children, and standard of living, Comp. to Europe, enhanced
    • Due to fertile land & mercantile policies, colonies engaged in agri, fishing, and forestry.
      • New England was Rocky soil & long winters, and limited ppl to subsistence farming, but had Logging & Shipbuilding that hired labors, and had a few on 19. plantations
      • Middle Colonies had Larger farms (200 acres) that were Mostly slave freed that Subsistence with Breadbasket crops while were Hired labor used. Middle Colonies also had Water transport that easier and allowed key harbor cities (trading centers) Emerged like NYC & 13uston.
      • Southern Colonies had on Tobacco, timber indigo wwith lg. plantations
      • Britain controlled Colonies by limiting use of money, and N.Y.C. & 13uston Emerged
    • The colonies had Dominion Protestant. while New England was mainly Protestants, and Pennsylvania were Quakers, and N. York Dutch Church of England and Maryland Catholics. All faced discrimination.
    • GREAT AWAKENING:
      • Intense religious movement in the 1730's-40's.
      • The Enlightenment was a revolution in logical & Secular thought, took away from religion - resulting religious feelings "fought back".
      • Jonathan Edwards was a Notable leader of G. Awakening who preached using emotion and emphasized personal faith. saying "If you do not repent for your lack of connection, you will be damned to hell for eternity!!????!"
      • Several new schisms/sects formed.
      • There were Secularism, plus 1st signs of abolitionism, and that Person's Religious experience mattered
      • George Whitefield spread G. Awakening throughout colonies, gaining tons of followers.
    • By the 1700's, colonial life had flourished enough to develop arts & education, as Humanities, Painting, art, and literature grew. Benjamin Franklin's wrote Pour Richard's Almanac was best seller
      • Education was Best in N. England, because they valued education, which led to Pop. of intellectuals (litercite ppl.), who began to build their own secterian colleges to promote Doctrine.
    • Press
      • John Peter Zenger was charged on libel for criticizing NY governor, which at time was illegal.
      • His lawyer Andrew Hamilton said he only printed truth.
      • Zenger acquitted - encouraged freedom of press/criticism of government.
    • Despite their diversity, the colonies will still be distinctively British with Llang and English
      • They developed unique culture.
      • Gradual Mistrust between colonists and Britain started
      • Colonists were Eager to move west, and were self governing with pride, and and were ethnically and religiously diverse, and Desired peace on frontier
      • while Britain sometimes enforced regulations and claimed sovereignty over colonies being Major white and Protestant and had similar gov. syst, and sometimes desired peace on frontier.
      • However, Colonies had Gov. often appointed by King/ proprietor or election in House uf Burgesses, and democracy while limited to white landowners, was much better compared to Europe, and hadAdditionally, religious restrictions declining.

  • Summary and Key Points Comparison

    • New England was predominantly English, while the Middle and Southern Colonies were much more diverse.
    • New England prioritized ships and fishing, while the Middle Colonies focused on grains, and the Southern Colonies focused on agriculture, specifically indigo and tobacco.
    • New England was cold and rocky, the Middle Colonies had fair weather, while the Southern Colonies had hot weather good for crops.
    • Education was the best in New England.
    • England--and thus, English colonists--were used to the democratic process and representative government, unlike Spain or France.
    • Colonists had the same religious attitudes as Britain but were more tolerant.
    • While the Spanish were mainly Catholic, the English were mainly Protestant.

  • Continuity

    • Huge religious and ethnic diversity across all the colonies.
    • Representative government present in all colonies.
    • Slavery continued and grew.

  • Change

    • Settlements in the Americas became permanent.
    • Gradually, the colonies began growing distant towards Britain and developing their own unique identity.
    • Conflicts with Natives continued, often bloody and violent.

  • Causation

    • As a result of the Enlightenment, the First Great Awakening "fought back".
    • Due to mercantilist policies, the colonies often exported to Britain solely, yet their economy was growing nicely.

Unit 3: American Independence (1754-1800)

  • Road to Revolution

    • The representatives in Stamp Act Congress, stated that only elected rep. would approve taxes ,leading to Sons and Daughters of Liberty that often violently intmiditaed. tax agents
    • BOYCOTTS Repealed Stamp act.
    • [repealed Declators Act!] saying "we can tax you, I deal w/ it."
    • Townshend Acts placed tax on tea, glass, paper, etc.
    • Allowed search of homes for smuggled goods with only writ of Assistance needed, according to James Utis, John Dickinson, and Sam Adams who pushed for Circular Letter Regulation on unrepresented tax Repeal townshend which was Eventually repealed by new P. minister Frederick North.
    • Leading to relatively peaceful period from 1770-1772, but Boston Massacre happened in 1770.
    • Committees of Correspondence Sam Adams then spread ideas of liberty an Suspicious activities
    • Gaspee-British ship that caught smugglers the took chance to burn it down.
    • Boston Tea Party happened as result of Tea Act,which caused Interable [Coercive ] Acts, who led by Led to Port Act, MA. Gov. Act, Quebec Act that gave land to French Canadians,. expanded. and Royal officials Justice Act
    • Enlightenment (esp. John Locke's writing) influenced rev with Deism, rationalism, social contract which said that power comes from below not above.
    • Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" spread like wildfire.

  • The Revolutionary War

    • In Stamp Act Congress, it was resolved by representatives only elected rep. would approve taxes leading to Sons and Daughters of Liberty that often violently intmiditaed. tax agents who caused BOYCOTTS to repealed Stamp act
    • ,but resulted in \repealed Declators Act!] with the premise that "we can tax you, I deal w/ it."
    • Townshend Acts placed Leads Allowed search of homes for smuggled goods with only writ of Assistance needed, promoted by James Utis, John Dickinson, and Sam Adams who wrote a Circular Letter Regulation to try to repealed it, which was Eventually repealed by new P. minister Frederick North,Leading to relatively peaceful period from 1770-1772
    • Committees of Correspondence Sam Adams then spread ideas of liberty through suspicious activities
    • Gaspee-British ship that caught smugglers the took chance to burn it down due to a tea caused Boston Tea Party under a result Tea Act which caused Interable [Coercive ] Acts, led by Port Act, then MA. Gov. Act, expanded land gave to French Canadians making Quebec Act that ended Justice Act, and Royal officials which built the basis for Enlighment thinking ( esp. John Locke's writing) that promoted devism ratiion, social constract that the foundation of which was that power comes bottom up insted if top down

  • He dismissed it & responded w/ Prohibatory Act, banning trade and declaring them in open rebellion.

  • After >1 year of meeting, delegates began favoring independence and eventually put Declaration of Independence passed July 4th, 1776, putting Battle of Saratoga at the peak

  • Battle of Saratoga (oct. 1777)

    • Turning point - American victory
    • France openly allied w/ US following Saratoga.
    • King Louis saw chance to defeat historic enemy.
    • A year later, so did Spain & Netherlands.
    • George R. Clark through 1779, captured British forts to gain control of rust onio territory lands that put Battle of Yorktown (Sep. 1781) on the map of the war between Cornwallis and Washington.

  • By this point a war between Brt and Americans createdTreaty of Paris (1783) clauses that: Country
    Brt, would recognize US as indepMississippi River would be US west border
    Americans would have fishing rights off COCIST ofFreedom to slave Fighters through out. Cost where VS would honor debts owned to the Brt. and loyalist property claims

  • African= Patriots Americans: which Brt. fought but lost because they: availibility in Weath, Short of suppilies. MUTNATED. Brt promised, washinton did the same, and used: = Natives that families for there strength. Familles that are conservatine

  • Loyalists) fought against Brt and with natives whose strongest attacks brought down Colnial womens as cooks & nurses and evenfought in battle w maintained econ.

  • The constutions emphasized equality, which resulted in abolision growth in North though Slavery surged again. in South post cottongin. in Status who where given Republican Motherhood.

  • US Constitution

    • The fear of tyranny led to the creation of an intentially weak government: the Articles of Confederation, and led to the creation of seperate laws like List and Bill or rights. despite the differences in powers all had list of rights seperatrion of power and power
    • They worte thier contruciton that where extendeds White Voting

  • • Articles of Confederation (1781-1789)

    • - Declave wor
      -Regulate commerce
      -Burrow $
      -end diplomatic reps to

  • 4/13 votes to pass power collect taxes and Enforce laws
    G. Lakes and the weaknesse from to stop Brt Land of was set Attractive revision(ALL but RI) issues to revise . on new federalism= States plan: Equal citizens equal, purposes elections by not didn't unconst., the right rights Congress was elected by ppl., they didn't need to protect themselves.

  • To appease Anti-Feds, they added Bill of Rights.

  • After 9/13 won, VA and NY (most populous) still hadn't ratigied, which meant no notional unity possible, as after VA ratified, so did NY.

  • Federalism, federal laws the country, and power.

  • Bill of Rights
    olice
    righ

  • 1st: Freedoms
    2nd: Arms
    3rd: No quartering,
    4th: No search & seizure,
    5th: Plead the fifth
    6th Speedy trial
    7th Trial by jury in civil court
    8th No cruel punishments
    9th Move rights than these
    10th states have own rights
    Early Republic
    Washington was unanimous choice as.
    . To combat finance plan. to at for
    militaries & debt
    1) Pay off nat. debts @ face valve.
    2) I toriffs on imports to protect infant industries and collect $.
    3) create not. bank to cleposit & print $.
    Opposed Farmers benefit from tariffs) . France-bound ships for not strong enough the Jay Treaty John Jay impressment. to Spain openedy and it concerns by open it settleme with Defeated , OH natives, led Treaty - Stay Europe's shit form make that