🇺🇸AP US History AP Cram Sessions 2021

Key Events and Timeline

• 1492: Christopher Columbus reaches the Americas, initiating the Columbian Exchange and beginning of European colonization
• 1607: Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, is established in Virginia
  • Faced initial struggles including the "Starving Time" in 1609-1610
  • Became profitable with the introduction of tobacco cultivation
• 1620: The Mayflower arrives in Plymouth, Massachusetts, carrying Pilgrims seeking religious freedom
  • Established the Mayflower Compact, an early form of self-government
• 1754-1763: The French and Indian War, a conflict between British and French colonies and their Native American allies
  • Resulted in British victory and acquisition of French territories in North America
• 1770: The Boston Massacre, a confrontation between British soldiers and colonists, escalates tensions
• 1773: The Boston Tea Party, a protest against British taxes on tea, further strains colonial relations
• 1775-1783: The American Revolutionary War, culminating in American independence from Great Britain
  • Key battles include Lexington and Concord (1775), Saratoga (1777), and Yorktown (1781)
• 1787: The Constitutional Convention convenes to draft the U.S. Constitution, replacing the Articles of Confederation

Major Historical Figures

• George Washington: Commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and first U.S. President
  • Played a crucial role in unifying the nation and setting precedents for the presidency
• Benjamin Franklin: Prominent Founding Father, inventor, and diplomat
  • Helped secure French support during the American Revolution
• Thomas Jefferson: Primary author of the Declaration of Independence and third U.S. President
  • Advocated for individual liberties and limited government
• John Adams: Second U.S. President and key figure in the American Revolution
  • Defended British soldiers after the Boston Massacre as a commitment to the rule of law
• Alexander Hamilton: First U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and Founding Father
  • Established the First Bank of the United States and promoted a strong central government
• James Madison: Fourth U.S. President and "Father of the Constitution"
  • Played a significant role in drafting the Constitution and Bill of Rights
• Abigail Adams: Wife of John Adams and early advocate for women's rights
  • Urged her husband to "remember the ladies" in the formation of the new government

Important Concepts and Themes

• Mercantilism: Economic system that emphasized the accumulation of wealth through favorable trade balances
  • Colonies were expected to provide raw materials to the mother country and serve as markets for finished goods
• Enlightenment: Intellectual movement that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority
  • Influenced the Founding Fathers and the principles of the American Revolution
• Republicanism: Political ideology that stressed liberty, individual rights, and opposition to corruption and aristocracy
  • Shaped the development of American political institutions and values
• Federalism: Division of power between a central government and regional governments
  • The U.S. Constitution established a federal system, balancing national and state authority
• Separation of Powers: Distribution of power among three branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial)
  • Enshrined in the U.S. Constitution to prevent the concentration of power and ensure checks and balances
• Checks and Balances: System in which each branch of government has the ability to limit the powers of the other branches
  • Designed to prevent any single branch from becoming too powerful and protect against tyranny
• Sectionalism: Loyalty to one's own region or section of the country rather than to the nation as a whole
  • Contributed to growing tensions between North and South in the early 19th century

Causes and Consequences

• Causes of the American Revolution:
  • British attempts to assert greater control over the colonies after the French and Indian War
  • Colonial resentment of British taxes and lack of representation in Parliament
  • Growing sense of American identity and desire for self-governance
• Consequences of the American Revolution:
  • Establishment of the United States as an independent nation
  • Inspiration for other revolutionary movements around the world
  • Expansion of democratic ideals and individual rights
• Causes of the Constitutional Convention:
  • Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, including lack of central authority and inability to regulate trade
  • Shays' Rebellion, which highlighted the need for a stronger national government
• Consequences of the Constitutional Convention:
  • Creation of a more powerful federal government with a system of checks and balances
  • Establishment of a bicameral legislature, with representation based on population in the House and equal representation in the Senate
  • Framework for the Bill of Rights, which guaranteed individual liberties

Document Analysis Skills

• Sourcing: Identifying the author, date, and purpose of a document to assess its credibility and perspective
  • Consider the author's background, motivations, and intended audience
• Contextualization: Placing a document within its historical context to better understand its significance
  • Examine the social, political, and economic conditions of the time period
• Close Reading: Carefully analyzing the language, tone, and structure of a document to extract meaning
  • Pay attention to word choice, rhetorical devices, and any biases or assumptions
• Corroboration: Comparing multiple documents to identify similarities, differences, and patterns
  • Look for points of agreement or disagreement among various sources
• Synthesis: Combining information from multiple documents to develop a comprehensive understanding of a topic
  • Integrate evidence from different sources to support an argument or interpretation

Essay Writing Strategies

• Thesis Development: Crafting a clear, concise, and argumentative statement that directly addresses the prompt
  • Make sure the thesis takes a position and sets up the structure for the essay
• Organization: Structuring the essay with a logical flow of ideas and supporting evidence
  • Use topic sentences to introduce main points and tie them back to the thesis
  • Employ transitions to create coherence between paragraphs
• Evidence Integration: Incorporating relevant historical facts, examples, and quotes to support the argument
  • Analyze the evidence to demonstrate its significance and connection to the thesis
  • Avoid simply listing facts without explaining their relevance
• Historical Reasoning: Demonstrating an understanding of causation, comparison, continuity, and change over time
  • Consider the relationships between events, the impact of context, and patterns of development
• Conclusion: Summarizing the main points and reinforcing the thesis without introducing new information
  • Offer a broader insight or connection to other historical themes or events

Practice Questions and Answers

1. Q: Explain how the French and Indian War contributed to the growing tensions between the American colonies and Great Britain. A: The French and Indian War strained the relationship between the colonies and Britain by:
   • Increasing British debt, leading to new colonial taxes
   • Prompting Britain to assert greater control over the colonies
   • Fostering resentment among colonists who felt their contributions were unappreciated
2. Q: Analyze the impact of the Great Awakening on colonial society and politics. A: The Great Awakening, a religious revival movement, influenced colonial society and politics by:
   • Promoting individualism and challenging traditional religious authority
   • Encouraging a sense of shared American identity across colonies
   • Laying the groundwork for the democratic ideals of the American Revolution
3. Q: Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution. A: The Articles of Confederation and U.S. Constitution differed in their approach to governance:
   • Articles of Confederation: Weak central government, no executive or judicial branches, limited ability to tax or regulate trade
   • U.S. Constitution: Strong federal government, separation of powers, checks and balances, supremacy of national laws over state laws
   • Both documents sought to balance power between national and state governments, but the Constitution created a more effective central authority

Exam Tips and Tricks

• Time Management: Allocate time wisely during the exam, ensuring enough time for each section
  • Spend more time on higher-point questions and essays
  • Keep an eye on the clock and pace yourself accordingly
• Active Reading: Engage with the questions and documents by underlining key words and making brief notes
  • Identify the central theme or skill being assessed in each question
  • Note any specific instructions or parameters provided
• Process of Elimination: Use elimination strategies to narrow down answer choices in multiple-choice questions
  • Rule out clearly incorrect or irrelevant options
  • Select the best answer that directly addresses the question
• Outlines and Planning: Take a few minutes to outline your thoughts before writing an essay
  • Organize your main points and supporting evidence
  • Ensure your outline aligns with the thesis and addresses all parts of the prompt
• Review and Revision: Leave time at the end to review your answers and make any necessary revisions
  • Check for clarity, coherence, and proper grammar and punctuation
  • Make sure you have fully answered each question and provided sufficient evidence
• Confidence and Positive Mindset: Approach the exam with confidence and a positive attitude
  • Trust in your preparation and ability to apply your knowledge
  • Stay focused and avoid getting discouraged by challenging questions