Exhaustive APUSH Timeline and Historical Period Study Guide

Period One: 1492 – 1607

Period One begins with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World in 1492. This event initiated flows of trade between the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) and the New World, which helped increase food production and stimulated global growth. During this time, Spain established itself as the dominant colonial power in the Americas. A significant aspect of this period is the contrast in worldviews between Native Americans and Europeans. In 1587, England made its first attempt to settle in North America when Sir Walter Raleigh sponsored the Roanoke Island colony; however, the settlement disappeared, earning the name the "Lost Colony." In 1588, a major geopolitical shift occurred when the English defeated the Spanish Armada.

Period Two: 1607 – 1754

Period Two is marked by the establishment of permanent English settlements, beginning with Jamestown in 1607. Jamestown was funded by the Virginia Company and led by Captain John Smith. Between 1609 and 1610, the English settlers faced extreme desperation, receiving aid from the Powhatan Confederacy. The colony eventually found economic stability through tobacco as a cash crop. In 1620, the Mayflower arrived in Plymouth. Religious developments included the Toleration Act of 1649 in Maryland, which granted religious freedom to Christians and served as a significant step toward religious tolerance in the American colonies. In 1688, the Glorious Revolution resulted in the overthrow of James II and the establishment of William and Mary as joint monarchs. In 1692, the Salem Witch Trials occurred, driven by unrest in religion, politics, and gender, resulting in numerous executions.

Period Three: 1754 – 1800

The Seven Years’ War (1754–1763) was fought between the British and the French due to competition for control of colonial territories and disputes over regions like the Ohio Valley. William Pitt served as the English Prime Minister during this conflict. The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, giving England control of Canada and nearly all land east of the Mississippi Valley. Post-war debt led to heavy taxing, fueling anti-British sentiment. The Proclamation of 1763 forbade colonial settlement past the Appalachian Mountains, angering many colonists.

Taxation and legal acts further strained the relationship: the 1765 Stamp Act taxed goods produced within the colonies, leading to boycotts and the cry "no taxation without representation." Although the Stamp Act was repealed, the Declaratory Act was passed, asserting Parliament's right to tax and legislate in all cases. In 1770, the Boston Massacre occurred, followed by a propaganda campaign suggesting soldiers shot innocent bystanders. The 1773 Boston Tea Party protest against tea taxes resulted in the "Intolerable Acts," which closed Boston Harbor, tightened control over the Massachusetts government, and included a new Quartering Act. The American Revolutionary War began in 1775 at Lexington & Concord.

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence articulated the principles of individual liberty and the government’s responsibility to the people. Notable military events include the 1777 Battle of Saratoga and the 1781 Battle of Yorktown, where British General Cornwallis surrendered after being surrounded by George Washington’s troops and the French navy. The war officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783, granting the U.S. independence and land. Domestically, the 1777 Articles of Confederation served as the first national constitution but had severe limitations: no power to raise an army, no executive or judicial branch, and an equal vote for every state regardless of population. In 1778, Ben Franklin negotiated the Franco-American Alliance. The 1787 Constitutional Convention addressed government structure via the Great Compromise (creating the House of Representatives based on population and the Senate with 2 members per state) and the 3/5ths Compromise (counting three-fifths of the slave population for representation to empower Southern states). George Washington was elected in 1788; his term saw the creation of a National Bank, Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan, the Neutrality Proclamation, and Pinckney’s treaty. The Bill of Rights was added in 1791. Under John Adams, the 1798 XYZ Affair occurred, followed by the Alien & Sedition Acts.

Period Four: 1800 – 1848

The election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800 marked a transition of power. Key legal and territorial developments included the Marbury v. Madison case and the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, explored by Lewis & Clark. The War of 1812 (1812–1815) led to the Hartford Convention and the end of the Federalist Party. Henry Clay lobbied for the American System, which featured protective tariffs, roads, and a re-chartered National Bank. Andrew Jackson gained fame at the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. The Era of Good Feelings (1816–1824) was characterized by a brief period of single-party unity. Significant events included McCulloch v. Maryland, the Panic of 1819, and the 1820 Missouri Compromise, which admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, establishing the boundary for slavery at the $36^\circ 30'$ parallel. In 1823, the Monroe Doctrine established a policy of mutual non-interference and the American right to intervene in its own hemisphere.

The 1820s saw rising sectionalism. Andrew Jackson’s 1828 election ushered in the "Era of the Common Man" and universal white male suffrage. In 1830, Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, a highly criticized policy regarding the treatment of the Cherokees. In 1832, Nat Turner’s Rebellion resulted in the death and mutilation of 60 white people. Manifest Destiny (1830–1850) captured the belief in a God-given right to western territories. Military conflict continued with the 1836 Battle of the Alamo.

Period Five: 1844 – 1877

Territorial expansion continued with the 1845 Annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American War (1845–1848), which saw the defeat of the Wilmot Proviso. Social movements grew, including the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention for women's rights. Slavery remained a central conflict, seen in the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law, the 1852 publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Bleeding Kansas in 1854, and the 1857 Dred Scott Decision. Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860, followed by the Civil War (1861–1865). During the war, the 1862 Homestead Act was passed, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, and the Battle of Gettysburg occurred in 1863. Lincoln was assassinated in 1865. Post-war Reconstruction included the Military Reconstruction Act of 1867 and the 1867 Purchase of Alaska. Reconstruction ended in the South with the Compromise of 1877.

Period Six: 1865 – 1898

This period was marked by conflicts with Native Americans, including the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn and the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre. Legislative actions included the 1887 Dawes Act and the 1887 Interstate Commerce Act. Labor unrest was prominent, exemplified by the 1886 Haymarket Square Riot and the 1894 Pullman Strike. Economic policies included the 1890 McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act. In 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered the "Cross of Gold" speech, and the Supreme Court ruled on Plessy v. Ferguson.

Period Seven: 1890 – 1945

The U.S. moved toward imperialism with the 1898 Annexation of Hawaii and the 1898 Spanish-American War, which drove Spain from Cuba and the Philippines and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1900. Foreign policy was shaped by the 1902 Platt Amendment and the 1904 Roosevelt Corollary (the "Big Stick Policy"), which justified military intervention in Latin America. In 1903, the Wright Brothers successfully flew. The U.S. entered WWI in 1917, passing the Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918). Woodrow Wilson proposed the Fourteen Points in 1918, but the League of Nations failed to pass in Congress due to his refusal to compromise. In 1919, Schenck v. United States was decided. The 1920s saw women’s suffrage, the Red Scare, and Prohibition. The Great Depression began with the 1929 Stock Market Crash. FDR’s first 100 days in 1932 saw the implementation of the New Deal, followed by the 1935 Social Security Act. WWII began in Europe in 1939; the U.S. entered following the 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor. D-Day occurred in 1944.

Period Eight: 1945 – 1980

WWII ended with the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Cold War began with the 1947 Truman Doctrine (containing Communism through financial support) and the Marshall Plan. The Korean War (1950–1953) began when North Korea invaded South Korea; U.S. involvement under the UN led to Chinese entry. General MacArthur was fired by Truman after disagreeing with his decisions. Domestically, the 1950s saw McCarthyism and the start of the Civil Rights Movement. Key events included Brown v. Board of Ed. (1954) and the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, which elevated Martin Luther King Jr. and integrated city buses. The 1957 launch of Sputnik led to the establishment of NASA.

John F. Kennedy became President in 1961, overseeing the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the closest the U.S. and USSR came to military confrontation. The Vietnam Conflict began in 1961. The 1963 March on Washington preceded JFK’s assassination, making Lyndon B. Johnson President. LBJ passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act (outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, or gender in employment and public facilities) and the 1965 "Great Society" legislation. In 1968, both MLK and RFK were killed. The 1968 Tet Offensive was a turning point in Vietnam, convincing the public the war was not winnable. Other events include the 1968 Chicago Convention and the 1969 Moon landing. The Watergate break-in (1972) led to Senate hearings in 1973 that lasted for $1.5$ years. Richard Nixon resigned in August 1974; Gerald Ford pardoned him. Other social landmarks include Roe v. Wade (1973) and the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis.

Period Nine: 1980 – Present

Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980. The Cold War ended in 1989. Major conflicts included the 1991 Persian Gulf War. In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was established. Domestic tragedy occurred with the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing. The 2000 election resulted in the Bush v. Gore decision. The 21st century has been shaped by the September 11 Attacks (2001), the 2008 Great Recession, the 2008 election of Barack Obama, and the 2011 Affordable Care Act.