United States History: Overview

What the page covers

The resources follow American history in broad sweeps. Early topics include the notes on the origins of American slavery, the American War of Independence and the Second Great Awakening. Mid-period material covers Jacksonian America, westward expansion, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the Gilded Age. Later ones reach imperialism, the Spanish-American War, the Civil Rights Movement, Kennedy, Watergate and the War on Terror.

Where to start

Begin with the AP US History Intro mind map. It lays out the time periods in order, so you can see where each topic belongs. Then move to the period you are studying. The APUSH Period 7(1890-1945) map links WWI, WWII, the 1920s and the Great Depression with imperialism ideas such as the Roosevelt Corollary. The APUSH Period 9(1980-Present) map covers the Iraq War, the Clinton years and Obama Care.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself. Good quiz options include the Mexican American War Practice Test, the U.S. History Regents Practice Questions and the Part2 US History EOC Review Test, which uses a Reconstruction Era cartoon. Note which questions you miss, then go back to the matching map branch.

1. Skim a map to get the sequence of events.
2. Take a quiz on the same period.
3. Revisit the branches behind your wrong answers.
4. Use flashcards for key terms such as federalism, due process and checks and balances.

Where it fits

This page sits in the The Americas strand of History. It is one place to move between periods, themes and people, such as African-American history, elections and presidents.

Choose one period, open a map and try a quiz when you feel ready.