what is the hudson river school?

the hudson river school was a mid-19th century art movement that focused on nature. before this, western artists portrayed nature as evil or as something wild that needed to be civilized.

the hudson river school artists portrayed humans and nature coexisting. they celebrated landscapes and showed their appreciation for “untouched” lands. the artists also explored themes of discovery, exploration, romanticism, and nationalism.

the hudson river school was named for the place where many of its paintings were created: the hudson river valley, in the white mountains of north england.

why is the hudson river school important?

hudson river school apush topics are important to study because the movement is considered the first truly “american” art style. although the artists were inspired by both european artists and american writers, the art movement was a first for the united states.

years

approximately 1825 to 1875

hudson river school artists

• thomas cole: considered the founder of the hudson river school, thomas cole painted landscapes of the catskill mountains and hudson river valley. his artwork was popular at the time.
• frederic edwin church: although he was an architect, farmer, and landscaper, he enjoyed painting. he studied with thomas cole and painted landscapes from his many travels.
• thomas doughty: he worked exclusively on landscapes, especially painting rivers and mountains in pennsylvania, new york, new england, and the hudson river valley. in 1827, the national academy of design elected him as an honorary academician.
• asher durand: even though he started out doing engravings, he moved on to paintings after traveling with thomas cole to the adirondack mountains. then, he focused on painting rocks, foliage, and trees.
• albert bierstadt: after traveling west on an overland survey expedition, he painted popular american west landscapes.
• martin johnson heade: at first, he painted landscapes. then he went to brazil and discovered hummingbirds. after that, most of his paintings featured a hummingbird.

hudson river school apush sample questions

question 1

what was the hudson river school known for painting?
a. landscapes
b. portraits
c. still lifes
d. battle scenes

answer: a. departing from the neoclassical tradition, the hudson river school did not paint people or objects. they went out into nature and painted what they saw, which resulted in realistic landscape paintings.

question 2

what did thomas cole found in the u.s.?
a. mormonism
b. transcendentalism
c. oberlin college
d. hudson river school

answer: d. people credit thomas cole for founding the hudson river school. his artwork was popular. he worked with several other painters from this time.

question 3

what was the hudson river school?
a. the first american college to accept both men and women.
b. the first truly american art style, which focused on landscapes.
c. a school for tradesmen who worked around the hudson river valley.
d. a group of transcendentalist writers who formed a commune.

answer: b. hopefully this question was easy for you. however, be prepared to discuss what the hudson river school was and its importance to u.s. history. the name may throw you off on the exam (no, it wasn’t actually a brick-and-mortar school). just remember that it was an art movement in the mid-to-late 19th century. the artists of the huston river school created landscape paintings that featured the magnificence of nature.

other ways to prepare for hudson river school apush questions

if you haven’t already, take a few minutes to explore artwork from the hudson river school. do you see the nature themes? do you notice any similarities among or differences between the works? as you prepare to answer hudson river school apush questions on the exam, think about these pictures. good luck!

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what was the vietnam war?

the united states wanted to prevent the spread of communism through a policy called containment. to do this, they fought with south vietnam against north vietnam, which wanted to unify the country under a communist government.

it was a terrible war. soldiers dealt with high grass, booby traps and landmines, monsoon season, and chemical weapons. in the end, the united states lost the war and pulled out from vietnam. approximately 60,000 americans and 2 million vietnamese people died in the war.

why is the vietnam war important to understand?

the vietnam war was one of the longest wars fought by the united states. it was also the first time that the public received daily updates on the war through broadcast radio and television.

the war was controversial: it sparked bitter debate and a host of protests. people were angry about how and why the us went to war. many people also disagreed with the draft, which led to the all-volunteer army that we have today.

similarly, people didn’t like that 18-year-old men could go to war but couldn’t vote. this led to the adoption of the 26th amendment, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

years

november 1, 1955 – april 30, 1975

people

• ho chi minh – ho chi minh was the nationalist leader in vietnam. he organized the vietnamese against japan and later france. he became the leader of north vietnam and organized the vietnamese communist party.
• vietcong – this is the name given to the communist guerrilla force in north vietnam. they intimidated american and south vietnamese troops.
• ngo dinh diem – ngo dinh diem was the south vietnamese president during the vietnam war. he was a catholic who strongly opposed communism. however, corruption in the government and other problems made him an ineffectual leader. he was assassinated during a military coup.
• le duc tho – the vietnamese diplomat who helped negotiate the end of the war with the us.
• dwight d. eisenhower – as president of the united states during the outset of the war, he sent financial and military support to help south vietnam.
• john f. kennedy (jfk) – jfk was the 35th president of the united states. he increased financial and military support for the war. he worried that pulling out of the war would result in grave consequences for south vietnam.
• lyndon b. johnson – after serving as the vice president, he became the 36th president of the united states when jfk was assassinated. although he promised to withdraw troops from vietnam, he in fact did the opposite. he didn’t want to be the first u.s. president to “lose” a war. unfortunately, his approval rates declined, so he didn’t seek reelection.
• richard m. nixon – president eisenhower’s vice president, richard m. nixon became the 37th president of the united states. he started the process of “vietnamization”. however, his administration expanded the war to laos and cambodia. during nixon’s last year in office, the final troops came home, but some marines and advisors remained in vietnam.
• robert mcnamara – having served as the u.s. secretary of defense during the vietnam war, he resigned when the u.s. lost the war.

events

• geneva conference – after the first indochina war, in which ho chi minh’s communist army had declared independence from france, france decided to abandon its vietnamese colony. the conference led to the division of vietnam, between north and south, at the 17th parallel. ho chi minh, who had great support in the north, was the leader who signed the treaty.
• tet offensive – launched on january 30, 1968, the tet offensive included about 70,000 north vietnamese and vietcong forces. together, they launched aggressive attacks on over 100 towns and cities in south vietnam.
• gulf of tonkin resolution – on august 7, 1964, congress approved a plan to expand the war due to information they received about submarine warfare. the intel may have been falsified to get congress to agree.
• pentagon papers – the department of defense, led by robert mcnamara, created a study of the vietnam war political and military actions. daniel ellsburg leaked these to the new york times.
• paris peace accords – henry kissinger and le duc tho negotiated the end of the war on january 27, 1973. it was signed by north and south vietnam, the united states, and the nlf. it called for a cease-fire, as well as, the withdraw of american troops within 60 days.
• fall of saigon – the north vietnam troops captured the south vietnamese capital of saigon on april 30, 1975. this led to the reunification of north and south vietnam.

vietnam war apush practice question 1

during the vietnam war, “containment” was best described as:
a. segregating americans of asian descent to prevent espionage within the country.
b. limiting the number of communist nations throughout the world.
c. reducing the number of people and nations involved in the vietnam war.
d. removing the draft and creating an army consisting of volunteers alone.

answer: b. one of the reasons that america got involved in the vietnam war was to prevent the north korean communist government from taking over the entire country. the u.s. hoped to limit the number of communist countries since they were already involved in the cold war with russia.

vietnam war apush practice question 2

the u.s. ultimately lost the vietnam war because of all of the following except:
a. the lack of a clear and coherent war strategy.
b. untrained and inexperienced south vietnamese troops.
c. intimidating vietcong guerrilla tactics in the high grasses.
d. absence of the draft to recruit american troops to fight.

answer: d. although americans relied on the draft at the beginning of the war, it became a point of contention. many people looked for ways to dodge the draft, which led to the present-day army of volunteers. reasons for the u.s. loss include the lack of a clear strategy, untrained south vietnamese troops, the conviction of the north vietnamese, and the intimidating vietcong tactics.

vietnam war apush practice question 3

president nixon’s “vietnamization” policy called for what?
a. working toward a ceasefire with the north vietnamese government.
b. providing refuge to as many south vietnamese people as possible.
c. gradually removing american troops from vietnam.
d. training american troops to imitate the vietcong guerrilla tactics.

answer: c. president nixon promised the american people that he would start to bring american troops back. then, the south vietnamese troops would take over. this was to be a gradual process known as “vietnamization”. however, it turned out to be a much slower process than expected.

vietnam war apush practice question 4

why did congress pass the 26th amendment to the constitution?
a. because john f. kennedy’s assassination left people confused about who should take office.
b. since they didn’t want the right to vote tied to how much money someone paid in taxes.
c. because people were upset that an 18-year-old man could get sent to war but couldn’t vote.
d. since congress wanted to show their constituents that they weren’t raising their salary unfairly.

answer: c. with 18-year-old men drafted into the war, people questioned why they were old enough to fight but not old enough to vote. at the time, the voting age was 21. with this amendment to the u.s. constitution, the age was reduced to 18.

the vietnam war created great divisions in the united states between the pro-war hawks and anti-war doves. as you continue to practice vietnam war apush questions for the exam, think about how the war continues to impact the us today.

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who are the mormons?

the mormons are members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. there are mormons in over 150 countries across the world today. however, the religion started in new york in the 1800s. founded by joseph smith during the second great awakening, members believe that they belong to the restored church created by jesus christ.

in the early mormon history, members were often persecuted because they didn’t keep slaves, they practiced polygamy, and they were outsiders for their religious beliefs. many people also worried about the mormons’ political power due to their cooperative community environment.

because of this persecution, the mormons migrated from new york to ohio to illinois. then, they made the trek out west to the salt lake valley.

why is the history of mormons important to american history?

the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints is the only new religious tradition founded in 19th century america.

it’s also one of the fastest growing world religions. in 1845, there were 40,000 members. by 1870, there were 120,000 members. fast forward to 2017, there are 15.8 million members around the world. half of these members reside in america.

the mormons also migrated to utah, which became the 45th state of the united states of america in 1896.

what are some important historical figures and events that might come up in mormons apush questions?

key terms and people

• mormon: the name given to members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. it started out as a derogatory nickname from the book of mormon. now, it’s a nickname commonly used by members and non-members.
• joseph smith: as the founder of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints, he served as the first prophet-leader in this dispensation. according to his accounts, he saw god and jesus christ. he also saw the angel moroni, who led him to golden plates. through divine revelation, he translated these plates into the book of mormon. joseph smith led the mormons until he was martyred by an angry mob on june 27, 1844.
• brigham young: brigham young was joseph smith’s successor as the prophet and leader of the mormon church. he led members west to the rocky mountains and served as the governor of the territory. also, he led the efforts in expanding the telegraph and railroad lines, and founded byu and the university of deseret (now known as the university of utah).
• polygamist: select members of the mormon church practiced polygamy from about 1847-1890. a man who practiced polygamy would have multiple wives.

key years

• spring 1820: joseph smith’s first vision
• march 1830: the book of mormon first published
• april 6, 1830: church organized
• june 27, 1844: joseph smith martyred
• 1847-1869: mormons migrate to utah

key events

• first vision: in the spring of 1820, joseph smith went to a grove of trees in palmyra, new york. he said that he knelt to pray and was visited by god and jesus christ, who instructed him to restore the church jesus christ founded when he lived on the earth.
• the coming forth of the book of mormon: after being visited by the angel moroni on september 22-23, 1823, joseph smith learned about golden plates hidden in the hill cumorah in new york. he received these plates on september 22, 1827 and started translating them through divine revelation. he completed this translation in june 1829 and published the translation as the book of mormon
• church organized: the church was officially organized on april 6, 1830 in fayette township, new york. joseph smith followed the laws of the state of new york for the creation of new churches.
• gathering in ohio: as missionaries spread the message of the mormon church and people converted to this new religion, they started to gather in ohio. this occurred between december 1830 and january 1831. due to persecution, the mormons moved to nauvoo, illinois a short time later.
• martyrdom: joseph smith was martyred on june 27, 1844. after being jailed on false charges, an angry mob broke down the doors and shot joseph smith and his brother, hyrum.
• migration to utah: due to persecution and a revelation from god, brigham young led the migration to the rocky mountains. the mormons left illinois on february 6, 1846. they arrived in the salt lake valley on july 24, 1847.

what are some example mormons apush questions?

1. what delayed the statehood for utah?
a. the president had to send troops to utah to squash a mormon uprising.
b. the railroad lines didn’t extend to utah, making it hard to communicate with people there.
c. polygamy was practiced in utah, which was illegal in the united states.
d. mormons wanted an oligarchy government with the prophet as the leader.

2. one of the reasons mormons settled in utah was:
a. because they followed the gold rush in hopes of striking it rich.
b. to escape persecution at the hands of non-members in the east.
c. because the angel moroni told the prophet to lead the people there.
d. to find more fertile soil for the utopian society they hoped to create.

3. all of the following are reasons for mormon persecution except:
a. they didn’t own slaves, worrying slave owners that they would fight to end slavery.
b. the cooperative community feel, which could give them greater political power.
c. polygamy, or plural marriage, that some members practiced.
d. an unwillingness to vote for local or presidential elections.

4. who was the first latter-day prophet of the mormon religion?
a. brigham young
b. wilford woodruff
c. john taylor
d. joseph smith

correct answers:

1. c. laws passed in the united states made the practice of polygamy illegal. the president at the time, woodruff wilson, sent a manifesto to members of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints to end the practice of polygamy on october 6, 1890.

2. b. mormons moved from place to place, persecuted for their beliefs and way of life. although they first gathered in ohio, they eventually moved to illinois and then utah.

3. d. because they didn’t own slaves, practiced polygamy, and enjoyed a cooperative community, some non-members persecuted mormon members. mormons were assaulted, their homes were burned, and their property was destroyed. this led them to eventually migrate to utah.

4. d. joseph smith is the founder of the mormon religion. also, he’s the first prophet and president of the church.

 
during the second great awakening in america, there was a religious revival. many religions were created, including mormonism. it continues to be a fast-growing religion in america and around the globe.

prepare for mormons apush exam questions by reviewing the founding and history of mormonism, and thinking about how it relates to the second great awakening. good luck!

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who is john c. calhoun?

john c. calhoun started as a farmer. he graduated from yale at the top of his class, and he went on to became a lawyer. then, he served as a congressman, the secretary of war for james monroe, secretary of state for john tyler and james k. polk, and the vice president to john quincy adams and andrew jackson. later, he resigned as the vice president to serve as a senator.

john c. calhoun was a member of the great triumvirate. he, along with two other statesmen, received this nickname for the way they dominated american politics during their time. during his time in congress, john c. calhoun was one of the war hawks in the war of 1812. he also supported henry clay’s american system, which called for an increase in tariffs to support the american economy.

john c. calhoun was important because he was a champion of states’ rights. he led the idea of nullification. this idea stated that each state should decide if a law is constitutional or not. if not, the state could determine if the law was null and void.

what are some key years in john c. calhoun’s life?

• born march 18, 1782 and died march 31, 1850
• u.s. house of representatives: march 4, 1811 – november 3, 1817
• u.s. secretary of war: december 8, 1817 – march 4, 1825
• vice president: march 4, 1825 – december 28, 1832
• u.s. secretary of state: april 1, 1844 – march 10, 1845
• u.s. senator (south carolina): november 26, 1845 – march 31, 1850

what are some important events john c. calhoun was part of?

• tariff of 1828: known as the “tariff of abomination”, congress passed the tariff on may 19, 1828. southern states felt that it hurt their economy since it taxed imported goods.
• south carolina exposition: in 1828, south carolinians protested the tariff of 1828. they threatened succession, which led to the doctrine of nullification written by john c. calhoun.
• tariff of 1832: congress passed the tariff of 1832 to reduce the tariff of 1828 and hopefully put an end to protests.
• nullification crisis: south carolinians continued to protest the tariff of 1828 and 1832. finally, andrew jackson sent military forces to end the protests.

which other historical figures were associated with john c. calhoun?

• james monroe: he was the 5th president of the united states. he served from 1817 to 1825. his presidency was known as the era of good feelings. in addition, he negotiated the louisiana purchase.
• john quincy adams: he was the son of former president john adams, and he served as the 6th president of the united states. when he lost re-election to andrew jackson, he went back to serving as a u.s. senator.
• andrew jackson: after he led the victory of the battle of new orleans during the war of 1812, he became a war hero. his popularity helped him become the 7th president of the united states. also, he shaped the modern democratic party to what it is today.
• daniel webster: he was the leader of the whig party. then, he served as the secretary of state for 3 presidents. he was a persuasive speaker, and he was a member of the great triumvirate with henry clay and john c. calhoun.
• henry clay: not only was he one of the members of the great triumvirate, but he led the war hawks during the war of 1812. he served as a congressman in the u.s. house of representatives and the u.s. senate for kentucky. he also served as the secretary of state and invented the american system.

what are some example john c. calhoun apush questions?

1. during the south carolina exposition, john c. calhoun argued for what?
a. states’ rights
b. decreased tariffs
c. peace between the states
d. abolishing slavery

answer: a. john c. calhoun believed that the states should have the power to declare a law null and void if it was unconstitutional. he felt that each state should be able to decide this instead of the federal government.

2. the nullification crisis came about because of:
a. the annexation of texas during the mexican-american war.
b. tariffs that hurt the economy and angered southerners.
c. the louisiana purchase negotiated by james monroe.
d. the legislation passed by the great triumvirate during the 19th century. b

answer: b. the nullification crisis came about because of the tariff of 1828. the tariffs negatively impacted americans in the south, especially south carolina. because of this, south carolina felt that the law was unconstitutional and should be null and void in their state.

3. what did congress do to appease south carolina over the tariff of 1828?
a. congress passed the ordinance of nullification.
b. they allowed south carolina to secede from the union.
c. congress decided to send military forces to keep the peace.
d. they passed another tariff to reduce the first one.

answer: d. to appease south carolina over the tariff of 1828, congress decided to pass the tariff of 1832. although this reduced the amount that people would pay, it did not stop protests.

 
how did you do on the practice questions? as you continue to prepare for the exam by reviewing historical figures, consider creating john c. calhoun apush facts with flashcards. this can help you remember which historical figure made what contribution to american history. happy studying!

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who was henry clay?

henry clay was an important politician in the 18th and 19th centuries. he served as a senator from kentucky and as speaker of the house of representatives. he also ran for president three times but never won. however, he did serve as secretary of state for john quincy adams.

most important, clay was known as the “great pacificator” or “great compromiser”. he proved this when he created the missouri compromise and squashed the nullification crisis. during the war of 1812, he was a leader of the war hawks faction of congress. and he created the american system, an economic plan that used tariffs to generate subsidies to build roads, canals, and strengthen the american agricultural sector.

key years:

• born april 12, 1777
• deceased june 29, 1852

why is henry clay important?

henry clay devised the missouri compromise and the compromise of 1850 to keep the union together in the years before the civil war.

what are some key events related to henry clay?

• war of 1812: henry clay was one of the leading advocates for going to war with britain. he was a leader of the “war hawks” in congress. he also served as an ambassador for the u.s. during negotiations over the treaty of ghent.
• second bank of the u.s.: after the war of 1812, congress created a bank in philadelphia, pennsylvania. however, it led to foreclosures, which caused the panic of 1819.
• missouri compromise: before missouri became a state, there were 11 free states and 11 slave states. a debate broke out over whether missouri would be a free state or slave state. to address this, henry clay drafted the missouri compromise. his ideas kept the peace for over 30 years.
• corrupt bargain of 1824: the election of 1824 pitted andrew jackson, john quincy adams, and henry clay against one another. clay was eventually disqualified, and congress elected john quincy adams to be president. adams then named henry clay as his secretary of state. some suspected that henry clay, using his power as speaker of the house, convinced legislators to elect adams over jackson. although such an action wouldn’t be illegal, it gave henry clay a bad reputation.
• compromise tariff of 1833: after the nullification crisis, henry clay convinced congress to reduce the tariffs initiated in the tariff act of 1828.
• compromise of 1850: to prevent a problem between the north and the south, henry clay helped draft the compromise of 1850. it revised the fugitive slave act, ended the slave trade in washington d.c., and determined what to do with the land won in the mexican-american war.

henry clay apush practice question 1

in the election of 1824, henry clay:
a) was chosen to serve as vice president under john quincy adams when he became disqualified as a presidential candidate.
b) selected the next president of the united states since he was the current speaker of the house of representatives.
c) received a bad reputation when the newly elected president of the united states chose him to be secretary of state.
d) was the people’s choice because they knew him as the “great compromiser” from his work with the missouri compromise.

answer:

c. another name for this incident is the corrupt bargain of 1824. after he was disqualified from the race for president, henry clay threw his support behind john quincy adams. when adams won, he named henry clay as the secretary of state. some suspected that clay had come to an agreement with adams behind closed doors, which gave henry clay a bad reputation.

henry clay apush practice question 2

who helped diffuse political tensions during the nullification crisis of 1828?
a) henry clay
b) andrew jackson
c) john c. calhoun
d) daniel webster

answer:

a. the great compromiser, henry clay helped pacify the people with the tariff of 1833.

henry clay apush practice question 3

as speaker of the house, henry clay promoted an economic program known as:
a) the first bank of the united states
b) the morill tariff
c) the new deal
d) the american system

answer:

d. although the program was first proposed by alexander hamilton, henry clay used his position as speaker of the house to promote it.

henry clay apush practice question 4

one of the tenets of henry clay’s american system was:
a) preventing the sale of imported goods.
b) building canals, harbors, and roads.
c) improving the quality of education for children.
d) reducing the number of foreign allies.

answer:

b. as proposed by henry clay, the american system was focused on domestic improvements. not only did it call for building canals, harbors, and roads, but it also proposed a tariff to protect american industry and the creation of a national bank.

henry clay was a lawyer and statesman. even though he never became president, he worked hard to serve the country. as you prepare for henry clay apush questions, think about how he affected the country as the “great compromiser.”

happy studying and good luck!

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what is the leq apush section?

the leq apush section (a.k.a. the long essay question section) is worth 15% of your overall score. it asks you to choose one of two prompts. then, you need to write a solid essay within the 35 allotted minutes. the essay should demonstrate one of the historical thinking skills. here are the 6 best ways that you can prepare in order to ace the leq apush section.

1. dissect the question

start by analyzing the question. find out what the question is asking you to do. you need to make sure that you answer every part of it.

go through the question and circle all the directive words, such as analyze, compare/contrast, or assess.

there may be a few trick directives in the question. these are there to distract you from the topics you really need to address. pay attention, and read closely to determine what the question is really asking you to answer.

2. craft a solid thesis

one of the most important parts of any essay is the thesis. why? because it is the outline to your paper. your thesis tells the reader what your stance is on the issue, what you’re going to compare and contrast, etc. then, it tells the reader which supporting details you will discuss further.

practice crafting a thesis that won’t just reiterate the question. be prepared to answer every part of the question, with relevant evidence to support your ideas.

3. create an outline

once you have your thesis, you have a pretty good idea of what you’re going to discuss throughout your essay. take a minute to brainstorm ideas. it could be a cluster, bulleted list, or other way to get your ideas on paper.

then, jot down an outline with a few notes to remind you what you want to include in each paragraph. refer to your outline while writing the essay. this will allow you to attack the question methodically to help you earn more points.

4. use historical lingo

since your essay should prove to graders that you know what you’re talking about, try to use as much historical lingo as possible. of course, you need to use it correctly. study the vocabulary so you can speak as an expert on american history.

5. make connections

the paragraph before your conclusion should be used to make connections to a different historical period, geographical area, or theme. don’t just make the comparison. take some time to develop the idea, so you can describe the period (or theme, geographical area, etc.) and discuss why you chose it.

6. practice good writing techniques

don’t simply spill all your good ideas on the paper. you need to use good writing techniques, and pay attention to your spelling, grammar, capitalization, and so on. some of the common things to watch for include:

• active voice (not passive voice)
• past tense
• third person
• strong verbs
• descriptive adjectives and adverbs

refrain from using abbreviations, casual language, or a lot of fluff. keep your essay concise as you answer the question.

as you work on these 6 things, practice writing solid essays for the leq apush section. have a friend or teacher check your writing to help you determine what you can do to improve. you can also refer to the college board’s leq scoring guidelines and commentary for examples that can guide your writing, and help you ace the leq apush section. remember, practice makes perfect!

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the apush frq section provides two free-response questions you need to answer in the allotted time. the questions could address just about anything you learned during the course of ap u.s. history. so, what can you do to prepare for this section? try these 4 tips to help you face the apush frq section on the exam.

1. read and study

you don’t know what you’ll be asked on the exam. therefore, the best ways to prepare to answer the questions are to listen in class, do your reading, and study. as you pay attention to the apush material, you’ll have the information you need.

to strengthen your essay, you need to remember people, events, dates, and facts. use flashcards and other methods to memorize these, so you can provide detailed evidence to support your thesis.

2. write solid theses

those scoring apush frq essays will start by reading your thesis. is it clear and easy to understand? is it well developed? does it answer every part of the question? does it outline your supporting details so the reader knows what to expect? your thesis needs to do more than reiterate the question. practice developing a strong thesis, so you can be better prepared to attack these questions on the exam.

3. work on your pacing

you have five minutes to plan your essay. during this time, you should read the question, make notes, and write an outline. then, use the 30 minutes for writing each essay. during this time, you need to craft a strong essay with well-developed supporting details. practice writing essays, so you can write the essay in the given time.

if you run out of time, skip the conclusion and take the last minute or two to read through the essay and check your spelling and grammar.

4. practice proofreading

although your ideas are more important, good writing can bump an essay from a 7 to an 8 or 9. so, if you want one of the top scores, you need to practice good writing techniques. most students attack the apush frq essays with the 5-paragraph format. of course, your essay doesn’t have to rigidly follow this format. just make sure that you have good organization and few (if any) spelling and grammar errors.

the best way to prepare for the apush free-response questions is to practice. practice makes perfect, right? as you complete practice essays, work to recall information from class, write a solid thesis, pace yourself, and proofread. then, have an apush classmate or teacher check it for you. get feedback, so you can improve and get top scores on exam day!

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what is roe v. wade?

in 1971, “jane roe” wanted to have an abortion. unfortunately for her, texas law said that a woman could not seek an abortion unless the pregnancy was detrimental to her health. she teamed up with a lawyer to fight against this law.

eventually, the case made its way to the supreme court. the supreme court justices ruled 7-2 that the texas law was unconstitutional based on the fourteenth amendment. thereby, the case legalized abortion. it said that state laws could not restrict abortions in the first trimester.

dates

argued: december 13, 1971
reargued: october 11, 1972
supreme court decision: january 22, 1973

why is it important?

roe v. wade is one of the most recognized court cases of all time. due to the supreme court ruling for roe v. wade, abortion is legal during the first trimester of a woman’s pregnancy in the united states.

this continues to be a hotly debated issue throughout the country. people debate whether or not abortion should be legal, who has the power to decide if abortion is legal or not, and how late into a pregnancy abortion should be legal.

people

• “jane roe”- although this is the defendant’s name in the case, norma leah mccorvey nelson admitted that she was the person represented in the case. she couldn’t get an abortion according to texas law, because she was healthy and the baby wasn’t a product of rape. lawyers found her and asked to represent the case. she ended up having the baby and giving it up for adoption.
• henry wade- as the district attorney of dallas at the time, he was named as the plaintiff in the case. however, he had very little to do with the case. and luckily, it didn’t negatively impact his career.
• sarah r. weddington- before serving as jane roe’s lawyer, she worked to find a pregnant woman to represent to fight against the abortion laws in texas.
• jay floyd- although he was the first attorney to prosecute the case, it’s said that he wasn’t well-liked by the supreme court justices.
• robert c. flowers- after jay floyd argued the case, robert c. flowers took it over to argue it before the supreme court justices.
• supreme court justices- thurgood marshall, byron white, harry blackmun, william rehnquist, lewis f. powell, jr., potter stewart, warren burger, william o. douglas, and william j. brennan, jr.

other cases and legislation

• griswold v. connecticut- in 1965, the supreme court ruled that states can’t prohibit the use of contraception between adults. because of this case, the supreme court justices determined that the right to privacy made the texas laws against abortion illegal.
• the fourteenth amendment- adopted in 1868, the fourteen amendment to the united states constitution discusses rights and equal protection for all citizens. it was this amendment that helped determine the outcome for griswold v. connecticut and roe v. wade.

roe v. wade apush practice question 1

in roe v. wade, the supreme court ruled that state laws prohibiting abortion were unconstitutional, because:
a.the religious element could not be included due to separation of church and state.
b.fetuses don’t have the same equal protection for citizens under the fourteenth amendment.
c.states did not have the right to make medical-related laws.
d.women have the right to privacy as determined by a previous case involving contraception.

answer: d. the supreme court determined to legalize abortion based on an earlier case: griswold v. connecticut. in this case, the supreme court determined that it’s a violation of one’s right to privacy to create laws that prohibit the use of contraception.

roe v. wade apush practice question 2

which earlier court case impacted the supreme court ruling for roe v. wade?
a. gideon v. wainwright
b. griswold v. connecticut
c. plessy v. ferguson
d. mccullough v. maryland

answer: b. since the griswold v. connecticut ruling occurred 8 years prior, it impacted the results in the roe v. wade case. the supreme court justices who ruled in favor of roe determined that the case also fell with the right to privacy clause of the fourteenth amendment.

roe v. wade apush practice question 3

the roe v. wade decision:
a. was unanimous among the 9 supreme court justices who heard the case.
b. continues to cause heated debate whether abortion should be legal.
c. angered americans because it violated their tenth amendment rights.
d. only impacted states that didn’t have laws regarding abortion already.

answer: b. when the ruling in roe v. wade legalized abortion, many americans were outraged. many disagreed with the morality of abortion. others didn’t think that the supreme court should have the power to do this. abortion continues to be heavily debated year after year.

roe v. wade apush practice question 4

which constitutional amendment influenced the supreme court ruling in roe v. wade?
a. 12th amendment
b. 14th amendment
c. 16th amendment
d. 18th amendment

answer: b. the fourteenth amendment discusses the right to equal protection under the law and the right to privacy. the supreme court decision, based on previous court cases, decided that a woman’s right to abortion should be a private issue.

how did you do on the roe v. wade apush practice questions? as you continue to prepare for the exam, think about other cases, events, and themes that relate to roe v. wade. good luck and happy studying!

the post roe v. wade: apush topics to study for test day appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

what was the xyz affair?

france seized american ships as they fought against the british. however, tensions between these nations continued to rise, especially when president john adams criticized the french revolution.

finally, president adams decided to send three delegates to meet with the french foreign minister. unfortunately, when the delegates got to france, they had to meet with three french agents instead.

the agents said that the americans needed to pay a substantial bribe among other things to even meet with the french foreign minister. this angered president adams. he reported the event to the u.s. senate, referring to the french agents as x, y, and z. thus, the event became known as the xyz affair.

dates

1797- july 1798

importance of the xyz affair

the xyz affair caused tensions to increase between the united states and france. it led to an undeclared war on the united states. because of it, congress chose to increase their defenses, so the department of the navy and warships.

people

• charles c. pinckney- after george washington appointed him as the u.s. minister to france, he served from 1796 to 1797. he was one of the three u.s. delegates sent to meet with the french foreign minister.
• president john adams- john adams was the vice president of the united states under george washington. later, he became the second president of the united states. because he criticized the french revolution, the relationship between the u.s. and france diminished.
• marquis de talleyrand- as the french foreign minister, he refused to meet with american delegates without a very large bribe. also, he became the prime minister of france in july 1797.
• elbridge gerry- because he considered himself a jeffersonian republican, the federalists blamed him for the failure to meet with the french foreign minister. however, he considered himself to be an ally of the french, especially since he was against the british.
• john marshall– he also served as a delegate in the xyz affair. at the time, he was a u.s. congressman. he later served as the secretary of state and chief justice of the u.s. supreme court.
• xyz= the three french agents were pierre bellamy, lucien hauteral, and jean conrad hottingner.

events

• quasi war- the french-american war was known as the quasi war since neither side declared war. battles were fought by both countries’ navies. the quasi war ended when napoleon took control of france.
• franco-american treaty of 1778- also known as the treaty of alliances, this treaty was signed during the american revolution. however, the treaty became void during the french revolution.
• jay’s treaty- jay’s treaty was signed by the united states and great britain. france believed that this treaty violated the franco-american treaty of 1778. they also said that jay’s treaty crippled french trade and hurt their economy.
• convention of 1800- at the convention of 1800, france and the u.s. signed the treaty of mortefontaine. then, the u.s. senate ratified the treaty in 1801, ending the quasi war.

xyz affair apush practice question 1

what transpired from the xyz affair?
a. the americans refused to meet with the french delegates.
b. americans were able to purchase the louisiana territory for only $15 million.
c. the americans and french fought an undeclared naval war.
d. americans provided support to the british during the napoleonic wars.

answer: c. because of the xyz affair, the americans increased their navy and warships. then, they fought a naval war against the french. this lasted until napoleon took control of the country.

xyz affair apush practice question 2

the xyz affair:
a. occurred because the french refused to stop firing on american naval ships even though they were at work with the british and not america.
b. involved three french agents who refused to let american delegates speak to the french foreign minister until they paid a bribe.
c. strengthened the relationship between america and france during a time when both countries were at war with britain.
d. included three american delegates and three french agents who worked diligently together to improve the bad relationship between both countries.

answer: b. the xyz affair is the name given to the events that conspired when three american delegates went to speak to the french foreign minister. instead, they met with three french agents (referred to as x, y, and z). the agents said that the americans needed to pay money in order to meet with marquis de talleyrand. when president adams announced the event to congress, it became known as the xyz affair.

if you’re making flashcards for the exam, use these xyz affair apush review points to help you. make sure that you know what the xyz affair was and how it led to the war between france and america. also, think about how it led to america’s increased defense with warships and the navy. although there isn’t too much to know about the xyz affair, think about how it impacted america. good luck, and happy studying!

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what was the gadsden purchase?

americans negotiated the gadsden purchase (aka the gadsden treaty) with mexico. in the treaty, americans agreed to pay $10 million for about 29,670 square miles of land south of the gila river. thus, this land became the southern parts of arizona and new mexico.

even though americans needed the land to complete the transcontinental railroad. also, they hoped that the treaty would improve relations with mexico.

unfortunately, the treaty caused major disagreements. however, the disagreement wasn’t between america and mexico; it was between sectional rivalries in the u.s. some believed that this was a stepping stone to taking over all of mexico. others worried that adding these states to the union would increase the number of slave (or free) states in the country.

dates

negotiations started on september 25, 1853.
the senate ratified the gadsden treaty on june 24, 1854.

why is it important to know?

the gadsden purchase created the southern border of the united states. it helped provide the route to the west coast needed to build the southern transcontinental railroad. also, it opened the northwest territory for settlement.

people/events

• franklin pierce- as the 14th president of the united states, franklin pierce oversaw the gadsden purchase. he also passed the kansas-nebraska act, which made him an unpopular president.
• james gadsden- chosen to negotiate the treaty by jefferson davis, he met with the mexican president to determine the terms.
• antonio de santa anna- antonio de santa anna was the president of mexico who negotiated the terms of the gadsden purchase.
• mexican-american war- the mexican-american war occurred from 1846 to 1848. it ended with the treaty of guadalupe hidalgo. this determined american territory, especially in texas. because of this war, the mexican treasury was depleted, making the $10 million for this land irresistible.
• california gold rush- after finding gold at sutter’s mill in california, thousands of people made their way to the west coast. the gold boosted the american economy, and it helped settle the western states.
• manifest destiny- first mentioned by john l. o’sullivan in 1845, manifest destiny was the belief that us expansion throughout the american continent was bound to happen but justified. with the acquisition of parts of arizona and new mexico, many people thought that this was coming to pass.

gadsden purchase apush practice question 1

the gadsden treaty helped the us acquire parts of which states?
a. arizona and new mexico
b. arizona and california
c. texas and new mexico
d. california and nevada

answer: a. with the gadsden purchase, the southern parts of arizona and new mexico joined the united states. this helped shape the present-day southern border of america.

gadsden purchase apush practice question 2

the reason for the gadsden purchase was to:
a. prevent further mexican raids on american settlers in arizona.
b. help pierce’s administration on their quest for manifest destiny.
c. construct the transcontinental railroad along the southern route.
d. guarantee that the united states gained control of california.

answer: c. as more and more settlers headed west, americans wanted a southern route for the transcontinental railroad. in order to build it, the u.s. needed to gain control of the southern parts of arizona and new mexico. therefore, the gadsden purchase helped this come to pass.

gadsden purchase apush practice question 3

why did sectional disagreements occur during negotiations for the gadsden treaty?
a. southerners didn’t want another transcontinental railroad helping the economy in the north.
b. northerners believed that $5 million was too much for such a small piece of land.
c. many people worried that purchasing the land would lead to second mexican-american war.
d. northerners worried that these territories would tip the scales of free states and slave states in the union.

answer: d. southerners wanted a transcontinental railroad to help their economy. however, northerners worried that these states would become slave states. thus, there would be more slave states than free states in the union.

gadsden purchase apush practice question 4

how did the gadsden purchase reflect the belief in manifest destiny?
a. americans believed that expanding america through the entire american continent was inevitable.
b. settlers along the west coast wanted to be more connected with americans along the east coast.
c. the u.s. strived to acquire more land and territories throughout the world.
d. the pierce administration wanted to remain neutral and strive for peace with other countries.

answer: a. according to the gadsden purchase, many americans held the belief that the u.s. would and should expand throughout the entire american continent. americans thought that acquiring this land demonstrated this belief in manifest destiny.

add information from this gadsden purchase apush review to your flashcards to help you remember what it was and why it’s important to american history. and as you prepare to take the apush exam, think about how the gadsden purchase impacted western settlement.

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