Must-Know Dates for AP U.S. History
NOTE: A date qualifies as “must-know” because it is specifically mentioned in the official Course
and Exam Description published by the College Board. Any language below in quotations is
taken from that document.
Period 1: 1491-1607
● 1491: symbolic date describing the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans
● 1607: the establishment of the first British colony in North America: Jamestown.
Period 2: 1607-1754
● 1607: the establishment of the first British colony in North America: Jamestown.
● 1754: beginning of the French and Indian War
Period 3: 1754-1800
● 1754: beginning of the French and Indian War
○ Unit 3.7: “As settlers moved westward during the 1780s, Congress enacted the
Northwest Ordinance for admitting new states; the ordinance promoted public
education, the protection of private property, and a ban on slavery in the
Northwest Territory.”
○ Unit 3.8: “The Constitutional Convention compromised over the representation of
slave states in Congress and the role of the federal government in regulating
both slavery and the slave trade, allowing the prohibition of the international slave
trade after 1808.”
○ Unit 3.10: “Political leaders in the 1790s took a variety of positions on issues
such as the relationship between the national government and the states,
economic policy, foreign policy, and the balance between liberty and order. This
led to the formation of political parties—most significantly the Federalists, led by
Alexander Hamilton, and the Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas
Jefferson and James Madison.
● 1800: the election of Thomas Jefferson
Period 4: 1800-1848
● 1800: the election of Thomas Jefferson
○ Unit 4.2: “In the early 1800s, national political parties continued to debate issues
such as the tariff, powers of the federal government, and relations with European
powers.”
○ Unit 4.8: “By the 1820s and 1830s, new political parties arose—the Democrats,
led by Andrew Jackson, and the Whigs, led by Henry Clay— that disagreed
about the role and powers of the federal government and issues such as the
national bank, tariffs, and federally funded internal improvements.”
● 1848: signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Period 5: 1844-1877
NOTE: A date qualifies as “must-know” because it is specifically mentioned in the official Course
and Exam Description published by the College Board. Any language below in quotations is
taken from that document.
Period 1: 1491-1607
● 1491: symbolic date describing the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans
● 1607: the establishment of the first British colony in North America: Jamestown.
Period 2: 1607-1754
● 1607: the establishment of the first British colony in North America: Jamestown.
● 1754: beginning of the French and Indian War
Period 3: 1754-1800
● 1754: beginning of the French and Indian War
○ Unit 3.7: “As settlers moved westward during the 1780s, Congress enacted the
Northwest Ordinance for admitting new states; the ordinance promoted public
education, the protection of private property, and a ban on slavery in the
Northwest Territory.”
○ Unit 3.8: “The Constitutional Convention compromised over the representation of
slave states in Congress and the role of the federal government in regulating
both slavery and the slave trade, allowing the prohibition of the international slave
trade after 1808.”
○ Unit 3.10: “Political leaders in the 1790s took a variety of positions on issues
such as the relationship between the national government and the states,
economic policy, foreign policy, and the balance between liberty and order. This
led to the formation of political parties—most significantly the Federalists, led by
Alexander Hamilton, and the Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas
Jefferson and James Madison.
● 1800: the election of Thomas Jefferson
Period 4: 1800-1848
● 1800: the election of Thomas Jefferson
○ Unit 4.2: “In the early 1800s, national political parties continued to debate issues
such as the tariff, powers of the federal government, and relations with European
powers.”
○ Unit 4.8: “By the 1820s and 1830s, new political parties arose—the Democrats,
led by Andrew Jackson, and the Whigs, led by Henry Clay— that disagreed
about the role and powers of the federal government and issues such as the
national bank, tariffs, and federally funded internal improvements.”
● 1848: signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Period 5: 1844-1877
