AP US History Review Guide 2025
GRADED A LATEST VERSION 250
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
{with practice exams}EXAM
ERABORATION
What motivated Spanish exploration in the New World? - CORRECT ANSWER Gold, God,
and Glory (wealth, Christianity, and national prestige).
How did Europeans justify the conquest of Native Americans? - CORRECT ANSWER
Through ideas of racial superiority and the belief they were civilizing "savages."
What was the encomienda system? - CORRECT ANSWER A labor system that allowed
Spanish colonists to extract labor from Native Americans.
What was the significance of the founding of Jamestown (1607)? - CORRECT ANSWER It
was the first permanent English settlement in North America.
What characterized the New England colonies compared to the Southern colonies? -
CORRECT ANSWER New England had small farms and religious communities; the South
relied on plantation agriculture and slavery.
What role did religion play in the founding of Massachusetts? - CORRECT ANSWER
Puritans established it as a religious haven and a "city upon a hill."
What was the significance of the First Great Awakening? - CORRECT ANSWER It was a
religious revival that emphasized emotional faith and challenged traditional church authority.
,What was salutary neglect? - CORRECT ANSWER Britain's unofficial policy of lenient
enforcement of colonial trade laws, fostering independence.
Why did Britain begin taxing the American colonies after 1763? - CORRECT ANSWER To
pay off debt from the French and Indian War.
What was the Stamp Act and why did it anger colonists? - CORRECT ANSWER A direct
tax on printed materials; colonists objected to taxation without representation.
What were the main arguments in Thomas Paine's Common Sense? - CORRECT ANSWER
That monarchy was corrupt and America should declare independence.
What was the turning point of the American Revolution? - CORRECT ANSWER The Battle
of Saratoga, which convinced France to ally with the U.S.
What did the Treaty of Paris (1783) do? - CORRECT ANSWER It ended the Revolutionary
War and recognized American independence.
Why was the Constitutional Convention called? - CORRECT ANSWER To revise the
Articles of Confederation due to their weaknesses.
What compromise created a bicameral legislature? - CORRECT ANSWER The Great
Compromise (Connecticut Compromise).
What did the Bill of Rights do? - CORRECT ANSWER Guaranteed individual freedoms and
limited federal power.
What was Washington's warning in his Farewell Address? - CORRECT ANSWER Avoid
entangling alliances and political parties.
What were the Alien and Sedition Acts? - CORRECT ANSWER Laws that restricted speech
critical of the government and targeted immigrants.
,What was the significance of the Election of 1800? - CORRECT ANSWER It marked the
first peaceful transfer of power between political parties.
What was judicial review and which case established it? - CORRECT ANSWER The power
to declare laws unconstitutional; Marbury v. Madison.
What was the impact of the Louisiana Purchase? - CORRECT ANSWER It doubled U.S.
territory and expanded westward opportunities.
What caused the War of 1812? - CORRECT ANSWER British impressment of sailors and
interference with U.S. trade.
What was the Era of Good Feelings? - CORRECT ANSWER A period of national unity
following the War of 1812.
What was the significance of the Missouri Compromise? - CORRECT ANSWER It
maintained the balance between free and slave states.
What was the goal of the American System? - CORRECT ANSWER To promote economic
development through tariffs, a national bank, and infrastructure.
What was the significance of the Second Great Awakening? - CORRECT ANSWER It led to
religious revival and inspired reform movements like abolition and temperance.
What was the Trail of Tears? - CORRECT ANSWER The forced removal of Cherokee
Indians, resulting in thousands of deaths.
What did the Seneca Falls Convention (1848) demand? - CORRECT ANSWER Women's
rights, including suffrage.
, What is Manifest Destiny? - CORRECT ANSWER The belief that the U.S. was destined to
expand across the continent.
What was the impact of the Mexican-American War? - CORRECT ANSWER The U.S.
gained vast new territories, reigniting debates over slavery.
What did the Compromise of 1850 do? - CORRECT ANSWER Admitted California as a free
state and passed a stricter Fugitive Slave Act.
What did Uncle Tom's Cabin do? - CORRECT ANSWER It exposed the horrors of slavery
and increased Northern opposition.
What was the significance of the Kansas-Nebraska Act? - CORRECT ANSWER It allowed
popular sovereignty, leading to violence ("Bleeding Kansas").
What was the result of the Dred Scott decision? - CORRECT ANSWER It declared that
African Americans were not citizens and that Congress couldn't ban slavery in territories.
What caused the Southern states to secede? - CORRECT ANSWER The election of
Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
What advantages did the Union have in the Civil War? - CORRECT ANSWER Greater
population, industry, railroads, and navy.
What did the 13th Amendment do? - CORRECT ANSWER Abolished slavery.
What were the Black Codes? - CORRECT ANSWER Laws in Southern states that
restricted the freedom of African Americans after the Civil War.
What were the 14th and 15th Amendments? - CORRECT ANSWER 14th: Equal protection
under the law; 15th: Voting rights for Black men.
GRADED A LATEST VERSION 250
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
{with practice exams}EXAM
ERABORATION
What motivated Spanish exploration in the New World? - CORRECT ANSWER Gold, God,
and Glory (wealth, Christianity, and national prestige).
How did Europeans justify the conquest of Native Americans? - CORRECT ANSWER
Through ideas of racial superiority and the belief they were civilizing "savages."
What was the encomienda system? - CORRECT ANSWER A labor system that allowed
Spanish colonists to extract labor from Native Americans.
What was the significance of the founding of Jamestown (1607)? - CORRECT ANSWER It
was the first permanent English settlement in North America.
What characterized the New England colonies compared to the Southern colonies? -
CORRECT ANSWER New England had small farms and religious communities; the South
relied on plantation agriculture and slavery.
What role did religion play in the founding of Massachusetts? - CORRECT ANSWER
Puritans established it as a religious haven and a "city upon a hill."
What was the significance of the First Great Awakening? - CORRECT ANSWER It was a
religious revival that emphasized emotional faith and challenged traditional church authority.
,What was salutary neglect? - CORRECT ANSWER Britain's unofficial policy of lenient
enforcement of colonial trade laws, fostering independence.
Why did Britain begin taxing the American colonies after 1763? - CORRECT ANSWER To
pay off debt from the French and Indian War.
What was the Stamp Act and why did it anger colonists? - CORRECT ANSWER A direct
tax on printed materials; colonists objected to taxation without representation.
What were the main arguments in Thomas Paine's Common Sense? - CORRECT ANSWER
That monarchy was corrupt and America should declare independence.
What was the turning point of the American Revolution? - CORRECT ANSWER The Battle
of Saratoga, which convinced France to ally with the U.S.
What did the Treaty of Paris (1783) do? - CORRECT ANSWER It ended the Revolutionary
War and recognized American independence.
Why was the Constitutional Convention called? - CORRECT ANSWER To revise the
Articles of Confederation due to their weaknesses.
What compromise created a bicameral legislature? - CORRECT ANSWER The Great
Compromise (Connecticut Compromise).
What did the Bill of Rights do? - CORRECT ANSWER Guaranteed individual freedoms and
limited federal power.
What was Washington's warning in his Farewell Address? - CORRECT ANSWER Avoid
entangling alliances and political parties.
What were the Alien and Sedition Acts? - CORRECT ANSWER Laws that restricted speech
critical of the government and targeted immigrants.
,What was the significance of the Election of 1800? - CORRECT ANSWER It marked the
first peaceful transfer of power between political parties.
What was judicial review and which case established it? - CORRECT ANSWER The power
to declare laws unconstitutional; Marbury v. Madison.
What was the impact of the Louisiana Purchase? - CORRECT ANSWER It doubled U.S.
territory and expanded westward opportunities.
What caused the War of 1812? - CORRECT ANSWER British impressment of sailors and
interference with U.S. trade.
What was the Era of Good Feelings? - CORRECT ANSWER A period of national unity
following the War of 1812.
What was the significance of the Missouri Compromise? - CORRECT ANSWER It
maintained the balance between free and slave states.
What was the goal of the American System? - CORRECT ANSWER To promote economic
development through tariffs, a national bank, and infrastructure.
What was the significance of the Second Great Awakening? - CORRECT ANSWER It led to
religious revival and inspired reform movements like abolition and temperance.
What was the Trail of Tears? - CORRECT ANSWER The forced removal of Cherokee
Indians, resulting in thousands of deaths.
What did the Seneca Falls Convention (1848) demand? - CORRECT ANSWER Women's
rights, including suffrage.
, What is Manifest Destiny? - CORRECT ANSWER The belief that the U.S. was destined to
expand across the continent.
What was the impact of the Mexican-American War? - CORRECT ANSWER The U.S.
gained vast new territories, reigniting debates over slavery.
What did the Compromise of 1850 do? - CORRECT ANSWER Admitted California as a free
state and passed a stricter Fugitive Slave Act.
What did Uncle Tom's Cabin do? - CORRECT ANSWER It exposed the horrors of slavery
and increased Northern opposition.
What was the significance of the Kansas-Nebraska Act? - CORRECT ANSWER It allowed
popular sovereignty, leading to violence ("Bleeding Kansas").
What was the result of the Dred Scott decision? - CORRECT ANSWER It declared that
African Americans were not citizens and that Congress couldn't ban slavery in territories.
What caused the Southern states to secede? - CORRECT ANSWER The election of
Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
What advantages did the Union have in the Civil War? - CORRECT ANSWER Greater
population, industry, railroads, and navy.
What did the 13th Amendment do? - CORRECT ANSWER Abolished slavery.
What were the Black Codes? - CORRECT ANSWER Laws in Southern states that
restricted the freedom of African Americans after the Civil War.
What were the 14th and 15th Amendments? - CORRECT ANSWER 14th: Equal protection
under the law; 15th: Voting rights for Black men.
