your ap us history exam is approaching! how are you feeling about it? undoubtedly, there are some topics you feel stronger about than others. the civil war is a central topic on the exam, so we’ve devised an apush civil war quiz so you can get a sense of how well you know this material. after you’ve taken the apush civil war quiz, scroll down for additional answer explanations, as well as other apush resources.

take the quiz!

apush civil war quiz answer key with explanations

q#1 – where did robert e. lee surrender to ulysses s. grant, thereby effectively ending the civil war?

a – appomattox courthouse
explanation: on april 9, 1865, robert e. lee, confederate commander of all the southern armies, surrendered to ulysses s. grant, commander of the union armies. he surrendered at appomattox courthouse in virginia, after the battle of appomattox court house, which took place that morning and was one of the last battle of the civil war.

q#2 – which union general is known for the “march to the sea,” in which he and his troops scorched a wide swathe of the south?

a – william sherman
explanation: starting november 15, 1864, william sherman led roughly 60,000 soldiers through georgia on the “georgia campaign.” their route started in atlanta and ended in savannah on december 21. during this march, they destroyed military targets, civilian properties, and transportation means.

q#3 – who served as the president of the confederacy?

a – jefferson davis
explanation: jefferson davis was president of the confederate states of america during the the civil war. the confederacy consisted of 11 southern states that seceded from the union. the first 7 to secede were: south carolina, mississippi, florida, alabama, georgia, louisiana, and texas, in defense of their right to own slaves. after the start of the civil war, virginia, arkansas, tennessee, and north carolina seceded as well.

q#4 – which state is associated with the word “bleeding,” on account of its being a battlefield over whether slavery should be allowed in the new territories?

a – kansas
explanation: “bleeding kansas” is another name for the border war, which was actually a series of very violent altercations that took place in kansas and missouri between 1854 and 1861. ultimately, kansas was admitted to the union as a free state, but many historians consider this conflict a significant precursor to the civil war, also largely fought over the issue of states’ rights concerning slavery. this is an excellent resource on apush topics related to bleeding kansas.

q#5 – what was the name of the chief justice who ruled in the dred scott case?

a – roger taney
explanation: dred scott v. sandford was a supreme court case that took place in 1857. dred scott, a slave, attempted to sue for his freedom, since he was moved to free territory by his master. the united states supreme court, led by justice roger b. taney, ruled against scott, declaring that black individuals were not considered citizens of the united states. this ruling is often considered among the most upsetting and oppressive in american history. here is a more thorough overview of apush topics related to the dred scott decision.

q#6 – which amendment formally abolished slavery?

a – 13th amendment
explanation: the 13th amendment to the u.s constitution, officially ending slavery, was passed by congress on january 31, 1865 and ratified on december 6, 1865. it declares that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the united states, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” previous to this, on january 1, 1863, president lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation, in which he stated “that all persons held as slaves are, and henceforth, shall be free.”

q#7 – what was the costliest battle in terms of the total number of lives lost?

a – gettysburg
explanation: during the 3-day battle of gettysburg, general robert e. lee attempted to invade the north by entering gettysburg, pennsylvania. from july 1-july 3, 1863, 52,000 men were wounded, killed, or missing in action. the battle was a turning point of the war, leading to confederate retreat and halting their progress.

q#8 – which of the following states was, in a sense, both the last to join the confederacy and the last to join the union, a split reflected in the name of the two states to this very day?

a- virginia
explanation: virginia joined the confederacy reluctantly in 1861, after abraham lincoln became president. in 1863, because the state was heavily divided on account of slavery, west virginia became the 35th state to be admitted to the union. read more here on virginia’s involvement in the civil war.

additional civil war resources

for more information on how the civil war is tested on the apush exam, check out the following:

• the american civil war: apush topics to study for test day
• this highly comprehensive overview of the american civil war

other themes on the apush exam

in addition to questions specifically about the civil war, you should also familiarize yourself with the following topics and themes, which will be addressed throughout the exam:

• political parties
• expansion
• social movements
• voting rights
• 5 key american history themes

other ways to prepare for the apush exam

know your apush basics

you’ve probably been discussing this exam all year in your ap us history course, but it can be helpful to review the actual structure of and assessments on the test on your own. this apush overview goes over exactly what will be on the test, including question formats and types. it also covers key concepts, events, and strategies.

this is also a great resource covering 9 thematic topics on the apush exam, to help you brush up on everything from the british colonies to the cold war. along those lines, it’s also worth studying the specific historical periods that show up on the apush exam.

take an apush practice exam

you know the saying: practice makes perfect! you probably take practice tests in your ap us history class as part of your curriculum, but you can always take them at home as well. here are some tests for more practice:

• official apush practice exam from the college board
• other (unofficial) apush practice tests

take these other apush quizzes

if you liked this apush civil rights quiz, check out these other apush quizzes!

• general apush quiz
• the apush american revolution quiz

form apush study groups and share resources

let’s face it, working together is always more fun. try getting together with a few peers from your ap us history course weekly to refresh yourselves on key concepts, review practice test questions, divide and conquer searching for answers, etc. here are some of our favorite apush resources:

• the best apush study notes
• this apush study plan (with various timelines included)
• these apush outlines
• these apush study guides
• this apush crash course

a final word on apush testing day

ap exams can be stressful, and there’s a lot of information on the ap us history exam, but we believe in you! the earlier you can start studying, the better, and here are some tips for studying smarter.

are you looking for more ap us history exam prep? we’ve got you covered!

happy studying and best of luck on test day!

the post apush civil war quiz – are you ready for test day? appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

and remember, no peeking at the answers below before taking it!

take the quiz!

apush american revolution quiz answer key with explanations

q#1 – he famously said in a speech before the virginia commonwealth, “give me liberty or give me death.”

a- patrick henry
explanation: on march 23, 1775, patrick henry gave a speech at the second virginia convention. this speech, including the empowering line, “give me liberty or give me death,” is often credited for passing the resolution to assemble virginia’s troops for the revolutionary war.

q #2 – thomas paine is associated with which political pamphlet, in which he pushed for the overthrow of what he believed was tyranny?

a- common sense
explanation: thomas paine was an activist born in great britain who is one of the united states’ founding fathers. common sense, one of the pamphlets he authored, was incredibly influential in inspiring the patriots to declare independence from great britain in 1776. the text offered a new argument for independence rooted in enlightenment theories of human rights.

q#3 – what was the name of the conflict that raged between 1754-1763, pitting two european nations against each other?

a- the french and indian war
explanation: the french and indian war started in american and moved europe, becoming part of the seven year’s war. it was fought between the french and british over american expansion. the french received help from the mohawk and algonquin indians while the british received help from the iroquois. the british eventually captured quebec and montreal, ending the war.

q #4 – the tax on tea, at the time, was part of a broader leveling of duties against the colonialists, which included paper, lead, and paint. what was the name given to these acts?

a- the townshend acts
explanation: the townshend acts were a series of taxes on goods imported to the american colonies. these acts were enforced by british troops in america, and were considered unfair by colonists, who had no representation in parliament.

q #5 – what was the name of the first military engagement of the revolutionary war?

a- lexington and concord
explanation: the battles of lexington and concord commenced on april 19, 1775, and marked the start of the revolutionary war. facing rebellion, the british attempted to seize arms being stored in concord, massachusetts. paul revere and other riders warned of british invasion and assembled troops accordingly. the defensive gunfire that ensued has been come to know as “the shot heard ‘round the world.”

q #6 – what was the name of the british group in parliament who were against the war and helped hasten the end of the war?

a- whigs
explanation: the whig party was an american political party from 1834-54. they opposed what they saw as president jackson’s tyranny, and consisted of former members of the national republican and anti-masonic parties. among many other platforms, they also advocated for ending the war.

q#7 – which of the following was not one of the acts passed by head of the parliament at the time, george grenville?

a- imprison act.
explanation: the quartering act was passed in 1765 and required colonies to provide food, housing, and other provisions to british forces occupying their territory. the stamp act, also passed in 1765, taxed all papers in colonies, including newspapers, pamphlets, legal papers, etc.

q#8 – the declaration of independence was signed in which year?

a- 1776
explanation: the declaration of independence was signed in 1776 and detailed all of the reasons the american colonies sought independence from great britain.

additional american revolution resources

other themes on the apush exam

in addition to information on the american revolution specifically, you’ll also want to brush up on the following themes, which will be tested across the exam:

other ways to prepare for the apush exam

know your apush basics

you’ve probably been discussing this exam all year in your ap us history course, but it can be helpful to review the actual structure of and assessments on the test on your own. this apush overview goes over exactly what will be on the test, including question formats and types. it also covers key concepts, events, and strategies.

this is also a great resource covering 9 thematic topics on the apush exam, to help you brush up on everything from the british colonies to the cold war. along those lines, it’s also worth studying the specific historical periods that show up on the apush exam.

take an apush practice exam

you know the saying: practice makes perfect! you probably take practice tests in your ap us history class as part of your curriculum, but you can always take them at home as well. here are some tests for more practice:

take these other apush quizzes

if you liked the apush american revolution quiz, check out these others!

form apush study groups and share resources

let’s face it, working together is always more fun. try getting together with a few peers from your ap us history course weekly to refresh yourselves on key concepts, review practice test questions, divide and conquer searching for answers, etc. here are some of our favorite apush resources:

a final word on apush testing day

ap exams can be stressful, and there’s a lot of information on the ap us history exam, but we believe in you! the earlier you can start studying, the better, and here are some tips for studying smarter.

are you looking for more ap us history exam prep? we’ve got you covered!

happy studying and best of luck on test day!

the post apush american revolution quiz – are you ready for test day? appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

remember, no peeking at the answers ahead of time!

take the quiz!

apush quiz answer key with explanations

q #1 – in what decade did the civil war occur?

a- the 1860’s
explanation: the civil war was fought in the united states, between the north and the south, from april 12, 1861-may 9, 1865. it commenced with the battle of fort sumter, when the confederate army bombarded fort sumter (near charleston, south carolina), leading to surrender by the united states army. the battle of palmito ranch is widely considered the last official battle of the civil war.

q#2 – during his bid to become an illinois senator, abraham lincoln had a series of debates with which other man, who was trying to win the same senate seat?

a- stephen douglas
explanation: the lincoln-douglas debates, sometimes also known as the “great debates of 1858,” were 7 debates between abraham lincoln and stephen douglas that took place between august and october of 1858. lincoln was the republican candidate for us senator and douglas was the democratic incumbent. they debated a range of topics, primarily related to slavery in the united states. while he ultimately lost to douglas, abraham lincoln became a national figure through these debates. more on the lincoln-douglas debates here!

q#3 – which us battleship was sunk in the port of havana in 1898, lending its name to a popular rallying cry of the time?

a- uss maine
explanation: the uss maine blew up and sank on the night of february 15, 1898. it was sent to protect u.s. interests during cuba’s revolt against spain in the cuban war of independence. here’s a fantastic overview of how this incident fits into american imperialism.

q#4 – which of the following most accurately describes the articles of confederation?

a- it acted as a precursor to the us constitution and established how the national government would function.
explanation: the articles of confederation was a legal document in place from 1781-1789, and was in many ways the first us constitution. it served as a bridge of sorts between the government put in place by the continental congress, and the us constitution of 1787. this document was an agreement between the 13 original states for how the government would operate. for more information, and a detailed account of each article, you can read the full articles of confederation here.

q#5 – the bay of pigs and the cuban missile crisis are two events that occurred under which president?

a- john f. kennedy
explanation: president kennedy held office from january 20, 1961-november 22, 1963, when he was assassinated by lee harvey oswald. jfk’s presidency was short, but eventful. the bay of pigs took place on april 17, 1961, when a group of 1,400 cuban exiles attempted to invade the south coast of cuba, a plan jfk was privy to before his presidency. the cuban missile crisis took place during october of 1962, after the united states discovered soviet union nuclear missile sites in cuba and responded with a naval blockade of cuba.

q#6 – during wwi the us formed the allied powers along with which other nations?

a- great britain, france, and russia
explanation: the allied powers of wwi officially joined forces on september 5, 1914 through the treaty of london. they opposed the central powers, consisting of germany, austria-hungary, and turkey.

q#7 – which of the following best summarizes frederick jackson turner’s frontier thesis?

a- many of the european customs that had informed the american lifestyles were found wanting for those pioneers who moved west.
explanation: frederick turner’s frontier thesis, published in 1893, stressed the importance of american frontier life on american democracy, and critiqued the limitations of old european customs and mindsets.

q#8 – who was the founder of one of the largest states east of the mississippi river, where he also founded a quaker community?

a- william penn
explanation: after being persecuted for their faith, the quakers, led by william penn, founded the colony of pennsylvania in 1862. read more about apush topics regarding the quakers here!

themes on the apush exam

here’s a great overview of all of the themes that will be addressed throughout the apush exam:

other ways to prepare for the apush exam

know your apush basics

you’ve probably been discussing this exam all year in your ap us history course, but it can be helpful to review the actual structure of and assessments on the test on your own. this apush overview goes over exactly what will be on the test, including question formats and types. it also covers key concepts, events, and strategies.

this is also a great resource covering 9 thematic topics on the apush exam, to help you brush up on everything from the british colonies to the cold war. along those lines, it’s also worth studying the specific historical periods that show up on the apush exam.

take an apush practice exam

you know the saying: practice makes perfect! you probably take practice tests in your ap us history class as part of your curriculum, but you can always take them at home as well. here are some tests for more practice:

take these other apush quizzes!

form apush study groups and share resources

let’s face it, working together is always more fun. try getting together with a few peers from your ap us history course weekly to refresh yourselves on key concepts, review practice test questions, divide and conquer searching for answers, etc. here are some of our favorite apush resources:

a final word on apush testing day

ap exams can be stressful, and there’s a lot of information on the ap us history exam, but we believe in you! the earlier you can start studying, the better, and here are some tips for studying smarter.

are you looking for more ap us history exam prep? we’ve got you covered!

happy studying and best of luck on test day!

the post apush quiz – are you ready for test day? appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

we know that getting all the details about what happened in u.s. history (let alone explaining the significance of those events) can be hard. that’s why we have created this series of posts that gives you a brief overview of one theme at a time, along with tips to help you think about patterns of change and continuity. ready to dive in? let’s go!

a brief overview of political parties

before we dive into the theme for this post, it’s important for me to point out two things.

1. this is not ap us government, and this blog post will be looking at the development of political parties in the united states as a historical phenomenon.
2. because of #1, this blog post will not get into the nuances of each political party.

now that we have gotten those two things out of the way, let me try to orient you to what this blog post will be doing. in order to look at the development of political parties in the united states as a historical phenomenon, we will be examining three historical periods.

1. the early republic
2. the age of jacksonian democracy
3. political machines
4. the civil rights movement

the astute student (which i am sure you are!) likely noticed that there are several events missing; in any survey of history, there likely will be!

however, i want you to think about how the four themes above might change if i chose different events to highlight for the development of political parties. furthermore, as always, keep a close eye on multiple themes that might be important in the events that i do highlight.

apush themes: party politics

1. the early republic

portrait of james madison, writer of the federalist 10 (source)

if you’ve read any of the federalist papers, you likely know that there were a lot of conflicting opinions about how to run the country once the united states actually became a country. this sentiment is, perhaps, best articulated by james madison in federalist 10. here, he writes:

“among the numerous advantages promised by a well-constructed union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction…by a faction, i understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community. there are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controlling its effects.”

madison goes on to explain that the goal of a country is to control factions where they exist. eliminating them altogether would require tyranny and, even then, human nature would bend people towards factioning off.

and how did madison propose controlling the effects of factions? see if you can parse it out here:

“the smaller the society, the fewer probably will be the distinct parties and interests composing it; the fewer the distinct parties and interests, the more frequently will a majority be found of the same party; and the smaller the number of individuals composing a majority, and the smaller the compass within which they are placed, the more easily will they concert and execute their plans of oppression. extend the sphere, and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens…”

essentially, madison is saying that the only way to protect against an overwhelming majority faction to stomp on the rights of the minority factions is to have so many options to choose from that no one faction gains too much power. this is totally in line with a classical liberal ideology, and it’s totally not what we have today. so what gives?

well, political parties are really good at organizing people and, in a republic where individuals vote on their representatives, organizing people is key to gaining political power. perhaps no one knew that better than our seventh president, andrew jackson.

2. the age of jacksonian democracy

the era of jacksonian democracy would dramatically change the political landscape in america. how? three words: expand. the. base.

andrew jackson’s election to president in 1828 would give him the title (often debated) of “the people’s president.” and it’s easy to see why that happened. let’s examine the changing voter qualifications in one state: new jersey.

source: edsitement lesson on andrew jackson

i mean, the expansion isn’t perfect, but going from owning 50 pounds in 1776 (the equivalent in 2018 of nearly $8,000, as a low estimation) to just being a (white, male, at least 21-year-old) citizen is a big step.

how did this happen?

a lot of things had to go right, including the expansion of newspapers and the increased political maneuvering of many individual actors. but the basic idea is that, through practices such as campaigning—which included what we would consider grassroots organizing, like door-to-door canvassing and meet-and-greets with the politicians—presidential elections became national news. and, with this expanded voter base, political parties became even more important in assisting the effort to get individuals elected.

3. political machines

it can be argued that the strength of political parties would reach their zenith in what came to be known as “political machines.” broadly speaking, political machines were controlled by bosses or a small group of individuals who directed the party’s members to get votes for the favored candidate; the members were, in turn, rewarded for their loyalty through the spoils system.

one of the most infamous political party bosses was william “boss” tweed. political machines had their detractors, of course. take, for instance, the work of political cartoonist thomas nast below.

tweed depicted in harper’s weekly, october 21, 1871 (source)

4. the civil rights movement

but how does any of this help explain the striking differences that we see over time in the sway certain political parties have in different parts of the country?

source: 270 to win

the historical maps above are, from top to bottom, the results of the 2016, 2008, and 1960 elections.

some individuals look to the legislation of the civil rights movement to explain the dramatic switch and then dramatic consistency. i say, check out this excellent video to help you get a sense of how the civil rights movement influenced the switch we see in the maps above.

so what should i do with all this history on apush themes: party politics?

well, there are several things you can do with it! if you were to write a change over time essay based on the information presented here, you might highlight:

1. the ways in which factions were present from the country’s founding;
2. how broadening the base of who was allowed to vote shifted the importance of political parties as organizational tools; and
3. the changing power of political parties over time.

there are so many themes you can use to help you make sense of this important topic. do you have any other ideas? reply in the comment section below!

the post themes across apush: party politics appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

as you are reading, you should be thinking about:

1. what patterns of continuity and change to you recognize over time?
2. how can you connect this theme to other themes across u.s. history?
3. what argument would you make about this theme on the apush exam?

the goal for these blogs is not to give you an exhaustive view of this topic; believe me, people much smarter than i am have written books and books on the subject. instead, we want you to be able to think about patterns in u.s. history so that you can organize your own studying efficiently. ready? let’s go!

source: government map created in mid-20th century

a brief overview: expansion in u.s. history

the story of u.s. history generally goes east to west; that is, some people (a mix of europeans and africans) arrived in the east and headed, slowly but surely, west. the people these europeans—history textbooks tend to leave out the africans at this point—encountered as they marched west were generally indigenous people, sometimes different europeans, but were always considered “others” that had to be integrated into the america that existed back east.

with this blog post, i hope to disrupt that “east to west” narrative. in order to do that, i will go in depth about one particular type of expansion: that of the original colonies. in this section, i will make connections between the “mainland” colonies and the west indies/caribbean colonies and argue that the framework of “middle grounds” or “native grounds” between settlers and indigenous populations can help you make sense of changes and continuities over time.

at the end of the post, i will give you three sample documents to help you make sense of other aspects of territorial expansion in united states history (and one of these is likely to come up in the apush exam!). i will highlight some potential ways you could make sense of these documents if you were to write an essay that had to attend to changes as well as continuities over time.

of course, this story i am presenting leaves out quite a bit. but think, as you continue to read, how the story might change if you added, say, the annexation of texas or the floridas to this story. in essence, by leaving out some types of territorial expansion, i am hoping that you will continue the process of thinking about change and continuity over time in u.s. history.

apush themes: expansion and the original colonies

at this point, it’s not news to you that the thirteen “original” colonies had disparate ideologies and charters. many wonderful historians have done the work of demonstrating how improbable a “united” anything was at the eve of revolution. this is not the argument i will take up here. instead, i want you to think about the connections between the west indies/caribbean and the “original” colonies in order to ask the question:

in what ways was the success of the original colonies dependent upon expansion elsewhere?

in the groundbreaking work titled new england bound, historian wendy warren makes the provocative argument that it was only through the expansion of the slave trade in places like barbados that the colonists in new england were able to create a successful new world settlement. although new england is often thought of as separate from the horrors of slavery, professor warren shows how the colonies were intimately connected.

you can listen to her explanation of this relationship in more detail here:

middle grounds and native grounds: how colonists interacted with indigenous populations

in addition to thinking outside of the geographic boundaries of the current united states, it will be important that you think about how colonists interacted with indigenous populations based on location.

in the middle ground: indians, empires, and republics in the great lakes region, 1650-1815, historian richard white looks at the relationship of indigenous peoples and european settlers in the great lakes region. instead of the common narrative that europeans dictated the terms of the relationship between settlers and indigenous people, white shows how these relationships were constantly negotiated.

historian kathleen duval challenges this notion of a “middle ground” by arguing that “it was indians rather than european would-be colonizers who were more often able to determine the form and content of the relations between the two groups. along the banks of the arkansas and mississippi rivers, far from paris, madrid, and london, european colonialism met neither accommodation nor resistance but incorporation. rather than being colonized, indians drew european empires into local patterns of land and resource allocation, sustenance, goods exchange, gender relations, diplomacy, and warfare” (source: university of pennsylvania press).

but why does any of this matter when you are thinking about territorial expansion in the united states?

here’s one potential reason: you should always be asking yourself who occupied a territory before the united states expanded into it and what happened to those original occupants as a result. this question will not only make your analysis more complete, it will also likely make your argument stronger.

document analysis for apush themes: expansion

in this section, i will be presenting you with three documents that address the issue of territorial expansion in united states history. i want you to identify some of the changes over time that are present in the documents, as well as the continuities. you should also be thinking about how the story would change if the documents i presented here were different.

document a

eric foner, historian, on western expansion in united states history

slavery was intimately related to the major trends [and] developments that we associate with american history in the first half of the 19th century. for example, territorial expansion, the westward movement, the frontier. the country grew tremendously in this period until, by the 1840’s, it reached the pacific ocean. frederick jackson turner, the great historian of the late 19th century, said it was on the frontier that democracy was born, that american ideas of equality were born, individualism.

but the frontier also carried with it the expansion of slavery. the westward expansion of slavery was one of the most dynamic economic and social processes going on in this country. the westward expansion carried slavery down into the southwest, into mississippi, alabama, crossing the mississippi river into louisiana. finally, by the 1840’s, it was pouring into texas. so the expansion of slavery, which became the major political question of the 1850’s, was not just a political issue. it was a fact of life that every american had experienced during this period.

americans in the 19th century thought of or spoke of their country as in jefferson phrase — an “empire of liberty.” and the history of the united states was conceived of as part of the progress of mankind and the spread of liberty throughout the world. and you can see this in graphic illustrations of the period — of liberty leading people westward. and progress was the essence of the american story.

now, in the south, southern slaveowners insisted that slavery was absolutely essential to that story of progress. without slavery, you could not have civilization, they said. slavery freed the upper class from the need to do manual labor, to worry about economic day-to-day realities, and therefore gave them the time and the intellectual ability to devote themselves to the arts and literature and mechanical advantages and inventions of all kinds. so that it was slavery itself which made the progress of civilization possible.

now, northerners by this period wouldn’t have put it exactly that way, because they lived in a non-slave area. but i think in the north, the connection of slavery and american growth was really sort of ignored. in other words, people would talk about the expansion of the “empire of liberty” and never quite mention that millions of people in this “empire of liberty” were slaves.

document b

map of “louisiana,” edged on the west by the rocky mountains, c. 1804 (source)

matthew karp, historian, interview discussing his book, this vast southern empire

interviewer: when americans talked about a “vast southern empire” before the civil war, what did they have in mind?
matthew karp: the short answer is that they weren’t talking about an independent southern republic, but the entire united states.

it’s easy to find sectionalism in southern politics before the civil war, but the most powerful antebellum southerners—from andrew jackson to jefferson davis—were nationalists, not separatists. what john c. calhoun really wanted, as richard hofstadter wrote long ago, was not for southerners to leave the union but to dominate it, which they more or less did in the thirty years before the civil war. southerners imagined—and worked to build—an american republic whose foundation was slavery. in their minds, this was a powerful state, continental in scope and hemispheric in influence, which put the preservation of slaveholding property at the center of u.s. politics and u.s. foreign policy. that’s what they meant by “this vast southern empire”…

what themes did you identify throughout these sources?

some possibilities could include:

1. the role of slavery in early territorial expansion and capitalism in later expansion
2. the impact of expansion on who was included as american
3. the relationship between expansion and democratic ideals

there are many more themes you could include! if you have any good ideas, write them in the comments section below. and happy studying!

the post themes across apush: expansion appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

the purpose of these “themes across apush” blog posts are for you to see how to practice the skill of change over time that will be necessary for the apush exam. it is also important to note that this is not an exhaustive list of social movements in the united states; that is, i won’t be detailing each and every event that could be classified as a social movement. however, i will be giving you enough of an overview for you to feel comfortable approaching the topic on the apush exam. ready to dive in? let’s go!

a brief history of social movements

in many ways, you can view the history of the united states through the lens of social movements. the country had a decidedly “anti-establishment” start, even as it developed its own institutions and governments later on.

so, for this post, we will be starting with the ways in which colonists had to form a social movement – although inextricably tied to economic and political interests, as most social movements are – in order to form a collective surrounding a single idea: that the thirteen colonies, who had more in common with england than with each other, should become a nation. we will close with the suffragist movement.

of course, this blog post could have ended with the civil rights movement or the women’s rights movement or the lgbtq rights movement (all of which are continuing into the present day). however, by closing off with the suffragist movement and the passage of the 19th amendment, you will have a solid grounding to incorporate other movements as you see fit.

apush themes: social movements

1. revolutionary war

it’s hard to recognize how unlikely the revolutionary war actually was sitting from the vantage point of 2018; the united states has been a thing for some time now. perhaps john adams summed it up most eloquently when he said in 1818 that the revolution was, “perhaps a singular example in the history of mankind. thirteen clocks had been made to strike together – a perfection of mechanism, which no artist had ever before effected.”

why did these diverse colonies decide to rebel against their common source? what did they gain by going out on their own? if you’ve ever seen the musical hamilton, it’ll seem like the revolution was an inevitable outcome. but this is not so.

historian thomas breen has argued that it was only through the boycotts and popular pressure leading up to the revolution that the events were even possible. it was through the non consumption of imported british tea and the supporting of patriot businesses that colonists became americans. of course, as breen also shows us, there is sometimes a downside to social movements: all that peer pressure can lead us to situations where tarring and feathering seems like a good idea.

to get more of an understanding about who the various parties were in the revolution, see this open course video from yale university.

2. abolition movement

1787 medallion by josiah wedgewood (source)

the movement to end slavery – the abolitionist movement – is often touted as one of the earliest and most successful social movements in the united states. abolitionists had varying views: some advocated for equality among the races, while others still believed in white supremacy as the ruling doctrine of the united states. but what they shared was the belief that slavery should be abolished. by the dawn of the civil war, most abolitionists (again, not all) believed that slavery was a moral failure for the country.

examine the following quote from abolitionist william lloyd garrison. it is important to recognize that black individuals (both enslaved and free) were some of the most ardent abolitionists, even though the quote i am presenting here is from a white individual. notice how garrison makes his argument in the same language as the declaration of independence, a common move for social activists who wanted to petition that the ideas of equality be expanded.

“i am a believer in that portion of the declaration of american independence in which it is set forth, as among self-evident truths, “that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” hence, i am an abolitionist.”

william lloyd garrison, 1854, “no compromise with the evil of slavery”

3. progressivism

as industrialization was becoming more common in major urban centers in the north, and especially after the civil war, the social ills that accompanied rampant capitalist growth were becoming more acute. jacob riis, a danish photographer, was influential in showing the downsides of industrialization through his work in the book how the other half lives. the street in the photo below was considered the most crime-ridden and dangerous street in new york city at the time.

jacob riis, bandit’s roost, 1888 (source)

progressivists were those individuals who wanted to help ameliorate some of the suffering in urban centers by advocating for clean cities, public schooling for immigrants, and even “moral decency” through the short-lived prohibition movement.

of course, we know there were insidious practices within the progressive social movement as well. attempts to make individuals more “american” were a bedrock of the public schooling system, and immigrants came up with innovative forms of resisting the “help” of some progressives (like through the advent of catholic schools). in examining the progressive movement, we can see the limits of paternalistic policies.

4. suffrage movement

suffragists parade down fifth avenue, 1917 (source)

last for this blog post, but certainly not least, is the suffragist movement. even though the 15th amendment declared unconstitutional any attempts to limit voting on the basis of race, it took the 19th amendment to strike down voting restrictions based on a person’s sex.

the women’s suffrage movement was the social movement that made the 19th amendment possible. however, much like the abolitionist movement, the suffrage movement had all different types of individuals supporting it; in fact, not all women believed women should have the right to vote!

let’s examine the following two excerpts about women’s suffrage. both of these excerpts come from lessons curated by the stanford history education group.

it has often been pointed out that women should not pass laws on matters of war and peace, since no woman can do military duty. but this point applies to other issues, too. no woman can have any
practical knowledge of shipping and navigation, of the work of trainmen on railways, of mining, or of many other subjects of the highest importance. their legislation, therefore, would not be intelligent, and the laws they devised to help sailors, trainmen, miners, etc., might be highly offensive to the very people they tried to help. if sailors and miners refused to obey the laws, who would have to enforce them?

the men! the entire execution of the law would be in the hands of men, backed up by irresponsible voters (women) who could not lift a finger to catch or punish a criminal. and if all the dangers and difficulties of executing the law lay upon men, what right have women to make the law?

excerpt from molly elliot seawell, an anti-suffragist from virginia who published the anti-suffrage book, the ladies’ battle, in 1911.

we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. . . . whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance (loyalty) to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government. . . . the history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations (taking away power) on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.

declaration of sentiments, written in 1848 by elizabeth cady stanton.

women had complex views for supporting suffrage and for opposing it. like most social movements in united states history, there is no one story to tell.

putting it all together

as always, i have given you a lot of history to digest. but here’s a way to start identifying some areas that you could use on your apush exam!

1. social movements often intersect with politics and economics.
    
2. it was a common tool to invoke the declaration of independence for future social movements.
    
3. individuals who partook in social movements had mixed motives.

these are just a few of the ideas that you could start to use to analyze the large swath of history i have provided here. do you have any more good themes? add them to the comments below!

further resources for apush themes: social movements

other 19th century reform movements (including utopian societies)

source: crash course

anti-lynching campaigns

source: ida b. wells biography

the post themes across apush: social movements appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

one of the skills that is super important for you to master for the apush exam is thinking across time periods. it’s not enough that you know when the war of 1812 was (hah! a little history humor for you) or why it happened. you need to know how that event is similar to, but also differs from, events that came before it (like the war of independence) and those that came after (like the mexican-american war).

this means you need to be able to recognize change and continuity throughout us history. ready to dive in? let’s go!

a brief history of voting rights

with reports of u.s. citizens turning out to vote at depressing lows, it can be hard for present day apush students to recognize that:

• voting was not considered a right until the ideas of representative government took hold, and individuals were not seen as subjects of a monarch, but citizens of a state;
   
• the notion of citizenship had to be negotiated (and sometimes, violently negotiated) in order for us to have a more expansive idea of who can vote; and
   
• even today, many individuals within the united states do not have the right to vote.

 
with these three concepts in mind, i will take you on a whirlwind history that highlights the following four periods:

1. expansion of the right to vote for white, male property owners at the founding of the country
2. the establishment of the 15th amendment, and the voting rights act of 1965 that made the 15th amendment protections real
3. the establishment of the 19th amendment

apush themes: voting rights

1. initial expansion of the right to vote

as i mentioned earlier, voting, citizenship, and individual rights were coming into vogue when the united states was founded (you can thank the enlightenment philosophers, in large part, for those ideas). the idea that individuals had the right to choose their government was a key part of the declaration of independence. but there was just one problem with all of these individual rights: who would count as an individual?

prior to the enlightenment, the unit of measurement that mattered for purposes of government administration was much larger than an individual; generally, a town, village, or community would be taxed, not an individual. so, we see a shift towards thinking about representative government, and a need for individual voices to be heard. but the cacophony of every individual voice was, perhaps, untenable to most lawmakers. see this excerpt from federalist 10, written by james madison, regarding the dangers of too many individual voices to a well-functioning government:

from this view of the subject it may be concluded that a pure democracy, by which i mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person, can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. a common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual. hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention…a republic, by which i mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking.

(source: university of groningen)

and so, as the fledgling united states gained its footing, voting rights applied only to heads of household recognized by the government: white, male, property-owning individuals.

2. the establishment of the 15th amendment

source: “the first vote” by a.r. ward (1867). library of congress.

we know, however, that this republican government could not solve all problems among factions. there was one issue that was too great, too central to the very idea of the united states that a war broke out between opposing sides: that is, of course, the issue of slavery.

when the union won the civil war, the reconstruction amendments (amendments 13-15) were proposed (and ratified). they were a means of establishing rights of citizenship to formerly enslaved individuals, and voting rights to the men (not women; not yet).

the first section of the 15th amendment reads as follows:

the right of citizens of the united states to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the united states or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

source: the library of congress

however, the amendment was not enough to guarantee black americans the right to vote. the onslaught of jim crow era laws and policies, grandfather clauses, poll taxes and tests, and outright intimidation and violence kept black people away. it was only through civil rights era legislation – and the voting rights act of 1965 in particular – that the 15th amendment was actually put into effect.

3. the establishment of the 19th amendment

as i have hopefully made clear, the founding of the united states – and even the 15th amendment that was meant to expand voting rights – included men, and men only.

we have the 19th amendment, and the suffragettes who made that amendment possible, to thank.

many suffragettes (suffrage means the right to vote, so a suffragette was a woman seeking the right to vote for herself and others of her sex) got their activist start during the abolition movement prior to and during the civil war. in 1848, at the seneca falls convention, a group of mostly women declared the following:

we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

source: declaration of sentiments

in a not so subtle dig at the declaration of independence, these women called out the hypocrisy of patriarchy. however, women would not receive the right to vote until 1920 with the passage of the 19th amendment.

recognizing change and continuity

there are plenty of ways to recognize change and continuity throughout these events. the following table provides some starting points for you to think about.

and there are many other ways to think about change and continuity with voting rights throughout united states history! want to talk through your ideas? start a thread in the comment section below!

what other resources can i use to learn about apush themes: voting rights?

books

give us the ballot, by ari berman.

videos

crash course

history channel

the post themes across apush: voting rights appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

we know that getting all the details about what happened when in u.s. history (let alone explaining the significance of those events) can be hard. that’s why we have created this series of posts, “themes across apush,” that gives you a brief overview of one theme at a time, along with tips to help you think about patterns of change and continuity. ready to dive in? let’s go!

a brief history of immigration in the united states

if you’ve been paying even a little bit of attention to recent news, you will have seen the current debates about immigration in the united states.

“the united states is a nation of immigrants,” these politicians and pundits will declare. but what does that even mean?

this blog post will explore the theme of immigration for the apush test by outlining the following events:

1. the naturalization act of 1790
2. the official end of the slave trade in the united states in 1808
3. mass immigration of the mid-1800s
4. the transcontinental railroad and the chinese exclusion act of 1882
5. the settlement house movement and progressivism
6. the spanish american war
7. the dillingham commission

we have a lot of ground to cover, so as you continue reading, i want you to be thinking about what has changed in u.s. immigration policy, and what has continued.

i also want you to be thinking about what i have left out of this post. for example, this overview will stop in 1907; a lot of immigration stories have happened since then! how would you incorporate those events into this story about immigration in u.s. history? furthermore, i am separating immigration from migration; therefore, i am not including forced movements of indigenous people further west. (for that, you should check out my post on the indian removal act, as well as explorations of the themes of imperialism and expansion in this series.) you should ask yourself questions like: should the forced and violent movement of indigenous peoples be a part of the immigration theme? why or why not?

in short, as you are reading this post, you should be doing a lot of thinking, too!

apush themes: immigration

1. the naturalization act of 1790

for purposes of a blog post about immigration, it is important that you understand what naturalization means. here’s a quick definition:

naturalization (noun): the process by which a non-citizen of a country becomes a legal citizen of that country

with that definition in mind, it becomes clear that the naturalization act of 1790 was meant to determine who could become a citizen. according to the following passage (which is an excerpt from the act), who could become a citizen in 1790?

be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america, in congress assembled, that any alien being a free white person, who shall have resided within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the united states for the term of two years, may be admitted to become a citizen thereof on application to any common law court of record in any one of the states wherein he shall have resided for the term of one year at least, and making proof to the satisfaction of such court that he is a person of good character…

source: naturalization act of 1790

the legal language can be a little hard to follow, but the idea is that only a “free white” man of “good character” can become a citizen, provided that he has lived in the united states for two years. however, as we well know, more than just white men were immigrating to the united states. therefore, all women and non-white (non-white, of course, was a very loose definition) men were considered noncitizens.

2. end of slave trade in 1808

one of the biggest forms of immigration was forced; that is, the movement of africans to the western hemisphere for the purposes of enslavement.

of course, slavery continued within the united states until 1865, and the internal slave trade continued long after 1808. any full exploration of immigration in the united states has to account for the fact that immigration occurred on a spectrum from violent and forced to peaceful and non-coercive. another example of the paradox of immigration black americans faced would be the great migration.

3. mass immigration of the mid-1800s

in the early to middle part of the 19th century, the united states saw a decisive uptick in immigrants from the following places:

• germany. because of crop failures and the consequences of rapid industrialization, many german individuals sought out opportunities in the united states.
• ireland. the infamous irish potato famine drove immigrants to the united states in droves.
• mexico. as a result of the mexican-american war, mexicans living in texas, california, and other areas in the southwest became citizens through the treaty of guadalupe hidalgo; however, the influx of mexicans into the united states was not necessarily the result of individual movement, but rather, the movement of national boundaries.

4. the transcontinental railroad and the chinese exclusion act of 1882

chinese workers immigrated to the united states in order to complete the transcontinental railroad. the chinese exclusion act was an outgrowth of their presence in the united states; however, individuals had mixed feelings about this exclusion.

see the political cartoon from thomas nast as an example of one point of view about the exclusion of chinese immigrants. what is his view on these immigrants? how is he making his point?

5. the settlement house movement and progressivism

as a result of rapid industrialization in the northeast and midwest of the united states, many individuals from all over the world immigrated to the united states for economic opportunities. they were not always welcomed in cities, however.

progressive era reformers (that is, individuals who wanted to ameliorate society from the excesses of the gilded age) began what came to be known as the settlement house movement in order to assist new immigrants in their process of assimilation to the united states.

one of the most famous of these progressives was jane addams, who published detailed maps about the neighborhoods she lived in and the immigrants she met there.

5. the spanish american war of 1898

i am highlighting the spanish american war as an important piece of the immigration story because it is often left out. one of the implications of this war was that the united states “won” the philippines, puerto rico, and guam from the spanish empire. the philippines would be recognized as an independent nation after world war ii, but puerto rico and guam remain territories of the united states and the individuals who are born on these two islands are citizens.

6. the dillingham commission of 1907

the dillingham commission was formed in 1907 when u.s. lawmakers were concerned about increased immigration from southern and eastern europe. the work of this commission would have the following consequences:

1. providing the justification for restrictive immigration policies through the 1920s, including the emergency quota act of 1921
2. lead to the eventual national origins formula of 1929

how should i make sense of all this history?

while this was an overview, there are lots of ways to think about change and continuity based on these events. the following is a list to get you started:

1. the changing definition of what it meant to be a u.s. citizen;
2. the spectrum of causes motivating immigration; and
3. reactions to immigrants from within the united states.

i am sure that you can think of many more ways to make sense of this important theme for apush. check out the additional resources below for more ideas. happy studying!

videos

historian nell irvin painter on race and immigration

podcasts

the melting pot: listen as several historians debate the meaning of assimilation at various points in u.s. history.

the post themes across apush: immigration appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

use our five last minute test prep suggestions to help you finish strong and test your best.

test prep tip #1: keep studying

even if you feel that you know all the information, it is a good idea to continue reviewing for your apush exam. this isn’t a time to learn new material. instead, aim for a quick overview of a time period, historical event or major concept. daily 30-minute study sessions will help keep apush exam information fresh in your mind. you can also use our apush study plans to stay organized.

unless you have a preferred method for studying that works for you like nothing else, you can use your apush course notes to study. use your class notes as a study guide outline: review each chapter chronologically to make sure you are familiar with each section of apush material that may appear on your exam. if you want to incorporate other materials, our apush cram packet has other suggested resources.

test prep tip #2: practice writing by hand

why should you include writing as part of your apush exam review? there are three different types of essays that appear on the apush exam: short answer questions, a data-based question and one long essay. you write every single one of these essays by hand. if you are a student who generally takes notes on a tablet or laptop, writing for an extended period of time can be difficult. hand cramps are no joke!

prepare yourself by writing an essay every day. find a prompt, set a timer for 45 minutes and start writing! focus not only on the content (of course, you want a quality essay when finished) but also on the physical position of your body. make sure your back is nice and straight, your shoulders are rolled back and your writing hand is relaxed.

having trouble locating a prompt? hundreds of prompts for all three essay types are available online, but your best bet is to visit ap college board for the most up-to-date free response questions.

test prep tip #3: review the apush exam expectations

no matter how much content you know, if you don’t answer a question completely or in the correct format, you run the risk of losing valuable points. don’t let silly mistakes lower your overall exam score. use some of your apush exam review time to brush up on how each section of the apush exam is scored. for complete scoring information, read ap college board’s course & exam description, beginning on page 129.

section i: part a – multiple choice

55 questions = 40% of exam score total
answering these questions is no big deal. choose the best option from up to 4 choices. just be sure to fill in the bubble completely with your #2 pencil.

section i: part b – short answer

3 questions = 20% of exam score total
questions 1 and 2 are required (both focus on periods 3-8). however, you can choose between question 3 (periods 1-5) and question 4 (periods 6-9), depending on which periods you prefer. each question prompt is divided into three parts: a, b, and c. each individual part is worth 1 point, for a total of 3 points.

each part is scored separately, so if you miss part a, it doesn’t necessarily mean the rest of your short answer is incorrect. use complete sentences when answering these questions.

section ii: part a – data-based

1 question = 25% of exam score total
this question focuses on periods 3-8, and is worth a maximum of 7 points. official apush exam readers look for a clear thesis and development of your argument. your essay must include evidence from the historical documents provided.

in addition to providing your own outside evidence, also extend your argument by connecting material across historical themes and content. although taken from the 2016 apush exam, ap college board’s scoring guidelines still contain relevant scoring information.

section ii: part b – long essay

1 question = 15% of exam score total
choose one from three prompt options, each focusing on a different period:

• option 1: periods 1-3
• option 2: periods 4-6
• option 3: periods 7-9

a quality long essay response looks very much like your typical school paper. make sure you include a thesis, develop your argument using evidence, and synthesize concepts across themes.

each area of your paper is scored separately, for a total of 6 possible points. read through the scoring guidelines for the long essay response for more in-depth information.

test prep tip #4: take even better care of yourself in the days prior to testing

like studying, cramming a “healthy” lifestyle into the night before your apush exam isn’t really going to make a difference. in order to reap the benefits of being well-rested on test day, start making healthier changes at least a week before your test. this means getting to bed on time, drinking lots of water, and start eating a light breakfast (if you don’t already).

these small changes may not seem like much, but can pay off big when you test. a well-rested body = a calm and prepared mind. go into your test knowing that your body and brain are functioning at peak performance.

test prep tip #5: act confident, be confident

show confidence in yourself. your hours of apush exam review are finally going to pay off! walk confidently into your testing classroom knowing you are as prepared as you can be. believe in yourself and your academic skills!

ned more apush exam review tips?

for even more apush exam review tips, check out these tips from ap college board and the magoosh apush blog.

when is your exam date? which of these prep tips will you be incorporating into your apush exam review?

the post apush exam review: 5 last minute test prep tips appeared first on magoosh blog | high school.

in this blog post, i will outline what apush scorers are looking for from past tests and give student examples. all of this information is available on the college board website, which i encourage you to use as a resource for your studying.

the format of this blog will be as follows: i will give you one example question and break down three student responses. i will then present a new question, and provide a link to the information so you can score yourself on your short answer responses. sound good? let’s get started!

apush short answer questions: question 1

the first of our apush short answer questions is taken from the 2016 exam. again, all of the content presented on this blog is available at the college board website.

the question asks you to answer parts (a), (b), and (c):

a) briefly explain one important similarity between the goals of the spanish and the english in establishing colonies in the americas prior to 1700.

b) briefly explain one important difference between the goals of the spanish and the english in establishing colonies in the americas prior to 1700.

c) briefly explain one way in which the difference you indicated in (b) contributed to a difference in the development of spanish and english colonial societies.

now, before you walk off and throw your hands up in the air because this seems impossible, let’s walk through what the question is asking you to do.

1. first, identify the time period of interest. for this question, you should only be looking at the colonies prior to 1700. we are talking early, early u.s. history here.
    
2. next, identify the region of interest. again, we are talking about the colonies that would eventually become the united states (not necessarily the thirteen original colonies). notice, though, that the question is not asking about the colonists themselves but the goals of the empires the colonists came from: spain and england.
    
3. finally, identify the type of response requested. in parts a and b, you are being asked to compare and contrast by identifying similarities and differences. this is a completely different question than a cause/effect or change over time type question, so you should be answering the question in a way that makes it clear that you can compare and contrast. notice, though, that in part c, you are to explain how the difference in part b caused a difference in the development of the two societies (a cause/effect question).

let’s see how other students responded to the question.

example student response #1

let’s look at our first student example from the college board website.

what score do you think this student received? well, let’s break it down some more.

part a
part a asks you to explain one similarity in the goals of the spanish and the english in the american colonies prior to the 1700s. this student identifies one similarity here: power. although it’s not very specific (the fact that “each wanted to expand their empire and become more powerful through the cultivation of the resources found in the americas” could apply to just about any colonial relationship), it does outline a similarity. student: 1 point.

part b
part b is asking you to do the opposite of part a: that is, explain one difference. here, the student becomes more specific in highlighting different settlement patterns. the spanish used the encomienda system, which enslaved indigenous peoples, whereas the english forced indigenous peoples off the land. (notice, too, that this could have been a similarity as well: the mistreatment and oppression of indigenous peoples.) the student gets a point here, too.

part c
here is where an important shift occurs. you are no longer answering a compare/contrast question and, instead, are looking at a historical causation question. no problem; you got this.

in the student example above, the student does give a difference in the development of the labor force in the two societies. it is a simplistic response that does not get into very many specifics, but it answers the question that was being asked. and guess what? the student got a point here too.

reflection
so what can we learn from looking at this response? here’s what you should keep in mind when answering apush short answer questions:

1. identify what it is you need to answer.
2. answer the question being asked.
3. for short answers only: be specific when necessary. after all, you only have a limited number of space and time to demonstrate your understanding.

example student response #2

let’s see if you can apply what you have learned to the following student response.

the student response above lost a point. can you guess where?

it’s actually on part b!

the student did not frame the response in terms of goals, something that was explicit in the question. as noted above, answer the question you are being asked.

example student response #3

let’s try one more student response on this question.

what score would you have given the above student response?

the apush scorers gave this student 1 point, for accurately identifying a similarity between the english and the spanish (“new riches”), but the student did not receive any credit for parts b and c.

why not?

first, for part b, this is an inaccurate claim about the goals between the english and the spanish. it goes without saying that if you make a statement not supported by the facts of history, you will not get credit. finally, part c continues making what the apush scorers called “erroneous claims” because it was based on the inaccurate statements of part b.

as the first example showed, you don’t have to be super specific to get full credit. but you do have to be correct. so, instead of making lofty-sounding statements about motivations, make simple statements that you can be specific about, should you need to be. that’s the difference between scoring a 3 and a 5 on the apush exam.

scoring notes

it’s always super helpful to look at the scoring notes for apush short answer questions. these notes tell you all the acceptable answers that are possible.

a) briefly explain one important similarity between the goals of the spanish and the english in establishing colonies prior to 1700.

examples of responses to (a) that would earn the point:

• to acquire wealth
• to increase power, pride, prestige of the spanish or englishs crowns
• to promote religion
• to find access to asia

 
b) briefly explain one important difference between the goals of the spanish and the english in establishing colonies.

examples of responses to (b) that would earn the point:

spanish:

• more intent on religious proselytizing (spread catholicism)
• more interested in glory (power of spanish crown)
• more openly interested in achieving individual fame and glory of conquistadores
• more interested in establishing and protecting trade networks and routes
• colonization more directed by central government

english:

• pursued a wider range of goals, including religious settlement and economic gain (e.g., extractive industries and farming/fishing/forests/fur)
• more willing to allow bases for privateers
• more motivated by imperial competition with spain and other nations
• more likely to be fleeing from political and religious conflicts

 
c) briefly explain one way in which the difference indicated in (b) contributed to a difference in the development of spanish and english colonial societies.

examples of responses to (c) that would earn the point:

• england more likely to allow private individuals and joint stock companies to colonize in the name of england.
• spanish developed extractive industries in precious metals, whereas english were more likely to establish economies based on trade.
• more royal control over spanish colonies than english because english were settled to escape political and religious persecution.
• many english colonists tended to establish more permanent settlements than the conquistadores. however, the spanish eventually established permanent settlements.
• because spaniards were more concerned with conversion, they eventually integrated indigenous peoples into their culture, albeit not equally.
• english were more concerned with excluding indigenous peoples from colonial society so they were more likely to dislocate them from their lands.
• english were more willing to embrace diverse labor systems (indentured servants, enslaved african americans).
• the encomienda system developed as a spanish labor system, which also reinforced efforts to instill catholic religious practices in native americans.
• the english developed diverse labor systems (indentured servants, enslaved african americans).

apush short answer questions: question 2

now, it’s your turn. take your time to go through the steps of figuring out what you are supposed to answer before you tackle this question.

after you have written your response, check your response against the student responses and score notes that are listed on the college board website. this short answer is taken from the 2016 exam and is listed as short answer question 1. good luck!

the question asks you to answer parts (a), (b), and (c):

a) briefly explain how one major historical factor contributed to the change depicted on the graph.

b) briefly explain one specific historical effect that resulted from the change depicted on the graph.

c) briefly explain another specific historical effect that resulted from the change depicted on the graph.

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