#AP US History Study Guide: Period 5 (1844-1877)

Hey! Let's get you prepped for the APUSH exam. This guide is designed to be your go-to resource, especially the night before the big day. We'll break down the key concepts, make connections, and get you feeling confident. Let's do this!

#🚀 The Big Picture: Expansion, Reform, and Division

Period 5 is all about the dramatic changes that transformed the US, setting the stage for the Civil War. We're talking westward expansion, social reforms, and growing tensions between the North and South. It's a wild ride!

#🗽 Manifest Destiny & Westward Expansion

• What it was: The idea that the US was divinely ordained to expand across North America. 🗺️
• Impact: Justified territorial acquisition like the Mexican-American War and the annexation of Texas.
• Consequences: Forced relocation of Native Americans, like the Trail of Tears, and increased sectional tensions over slavery.

#🚂 The Market Revolution

The Market Revolution is HUGE! It transformed the US economy from local to national, thanks to new tech and transportation. This led to urbanization, a new working class, and the widening gap between rich and poor.

• What it was: A shift from local, agrarian economies to a national, industrial one. 🏭
• Key Innovations:
  • Transportation: Canals, roads, and especially railroads. 🚆
  • Communication: Telegraph.
  • Technology: Cotton gin, steam engine.
• Effects:
  • Growth of cities and a new urban working class.
  • Increased economic opportunities for some, displacement for others.
  • Environmental impact: deforestation and pollution.

Source: The American Yawp

#😠 Antebellum Reform Movements

The Antebellum Reform Movements were a response to the social changes brought by the Market Revolution and the Second Great Awakening. They aimed to improve society through Temperance, Women's Rights, and Abolitionism.

• What they were: Social, religious, and political movements aiming to fix societal problems.
• Driven by: The Second Great Awakening's emphasis on personal and social reform.

#🍷 The Temperance Movement

• Goal: Reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption. 🚫🍺
• Belief: Alcohol was the root of many social problems.
• Key Players: Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).
• Outcome: Led to state-level Prohibition laws and eventually the 18th Amendment (Prohibition).

Source: ThoughtCo

#♀️ The Women's Rights Movement

• Key Event: Seneca Falls Convention (1848). 📜
• Declaration of Sentiments: Called for equal treatment of women under the law.
• Key Figures: Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
• Focus: Initially on legal rights, later on suffrage (voting rights).
• Impact: Laid the groundwork for future women's rights movements.

Source: Oregon Secretary of State

#✊ The Abolitionist Movement

• Goal: End slavery and the slave trade. 🚫⛓️
• Key Figures: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown.
• Methods: Speeches, writings, protests, and the Underground Railroad.
• Impact: Increased sectional tensions and directly led to the Civil War.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

#🏘️ The Utopian Communities Movement

• Goal: Create a perfect society based on equality and cooperation.
• Examples: Oneida Community, Amana Colonies, Shakers.
• Outcome: Most were short-lived due to internal conflicts and other issues.

#🏫 The Public School Movement

• Goal: Establish publicly funded schools.
• Key Figure: Horace Mann.
• Impact: Increased access to education, especially in the North.

#⚔️ Sectionalism and the Road to War

The reform movements and the Market Revolution didn't impact the North and South equally. This led to growing sectional tensions and ultimately, the Civil War.

#🌎 Expansionist Foreign Policies

• Motives: Economic interests, national security, and Manifest Destiny.
• Territorial Gains: Parts of Mexico, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
• Controversies: Debates over rights and citizenship for various groups, especially regarding slavery.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

#💔 North vs. South

• Growing Divisions: Over slavery, economic systems, and cultural values.
• North: Industrializing, more urban, generally anti-slavery.
• South: Agrarian, reliant on slave labor, fiercely protective of its way of life.
• Election of 1860: Abraham Lincoln's election was the final straw for the South, leading to secession.

Source: American Battlefield Trust

#🎯 Final Exam Focus

Okay, you've made it through the key topics. Here's what to focus on for the exam:

• High-Priority Topics:
  • Manifest Destiny and its consequences.
  • The Market Revolution and its economic and social impacts.
  • The Antebellum Reform Movements, especially Abolitionism and Women's Rights.
  • Sectionalism and the causes of the Civil War.
• Common Question Types:
  • Multiple Choice: Expect questions that test your understanding of cause-and-effect relationships and the impact of key events.
  • Short Answer: Be prepared to explain the significance of specific movements or events.
  • Free Response: Focus on crafting well-structured essays that analyze the connections between different topics.
• Last-Minute Tips:
  • Time Management: Don't spend too long on any single question. Move on and come back if needed.
  • Common Pitfalls: Avoid vague answers. Be specific and use evidence to support your claims.
  • Strategies: When answering FRQs, start with a clear thesis statement and use topic sentences to guide your reader.

#📝 Practice Questions

Okay, let's test your knowledge with some practice questions!

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. The concept of Manifest Destiny was primarily used to justify which of the following? (A) The abolition of slavery (B) The expansion of U.S. territory westward (C) The growth of industrial cities (D) The passage of temperance laws

2. Which of the following best describes the impact of the Market Revolution on the United States? (A) It led to a decrease in immigration to the United States. (B) It resulted in a more localized and agrarian economy. (C) It increased the interconnectedness of the North and West. (D) It reduced the gap between the rich and the poor.

3. The Seneca Falls Convention is most closely associated with which of the following reform movements? (A) Temperance (B) Abolitionism (C) Women's Rights (D) Public Education

Free Response Question (FRQ):

Analyze the extent to which the Market Revolution and the Antebellum Reform Movements contributed to growing sectional tensions in the United States between 1840 and 1860. Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): Presents a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question. The thesis must establish a line of reasoning about the extent to which the Market Revolution and the Antebellum Reform Movements contributed to growing sectional tensions.
• Contextualization (1 point): Describes a broader historical context relevant to the prompt. The context should situate the Market Revolution and Antebellum Reform Movements within the larger historical narrative of the early to mid-19th century.
• Evidence (2 points): Provides specific examples of how the Market Revolution and the Antebellum Reform Movements contributed to sectional tensions. This could include:
  • The Market Revolution's differing impact on the North and South.
  • The rise of abolitionism in the North and its opposition in the South.
  • The differing views on women's rights and social reform.
• Analysis and Reasoning (2 points): Explains how the evidence supports the argument and demonstrates a clear line of reasoning. This should include:
  • Analyzing the economic differences between the North and the South.
  • Explaining the social and cultural differences that led to conflict.
  • Discussing how the reform movements exacerbated existing tensions.
• Complexity (1 point): Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic by considering different perspectives or acknowledging the limitations of the argument. This could include:
  • Recognizing that not all Americans in the North were abolitionists.
  • Acknowledging that the South had its own internal divisions.
  • Discussing the impact of other factors on sectional tensions.

Alright, you've got this! Take a deep breath, review this guide, and go into the exam with confidence. You're ready to rock this APUSH test!