The APUSH Timeline outlines significant events in American history from 1492 to 2000, providing a comprehensive overview for AP U.S. History students. Key events include the arrival of Columbus, the founding of Jamestown, the American Revolution, and the Civil Rights Movement. This timeline serves as a valuable study guide for students preparing for the AP U.S. History exam, highlighting critical dates, legislation, and social movements. Each entry offers insights into the impact of these events on the development of the United States.

Key Points

  • Covers major events from early colonization to the 21st century.
  • Highlights significant legislation and social movements in U.S. history.
  • Includes key dates for the AP U.S. History exam preparation.
  • Provides context for the evolution of American society and government.
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8 pages
Language:English
Type:Notes
History of the Americas
newtopiccyclegrowin
8 pages
Language:English
Type:Notes
History of the Americas
220
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APUSH Timeline of Important Events
1492-1650 Early Colonization Period
DATE
EVENTS
1492
Columbus arrives PERIOD 1 (1491-1607)
-begins Columbian Exchange
-Spain sends conquistadors & Armada
-Spain sets up encomiendas (missions like in CA & others)
1587
-Sir Walter Raleigh Roanoke Island
-disappeared by 1590 “Lost Colony”
1588
-England defeats Spanish Armada
-England becomes superpower begins colonization soon after
1607
Jamestown PERIOD 2 (1607-1754)
-Joint Stock Company investor-backed
-backer company Virginia Company
-Captain John Smith leader
-martial law instituted for survival
1609-1610 desperate times
- Powhatan Confederacy aides Jamestown
-tobacco cash crop, saves colony from extinction
-Chesapeake becomes name of surrounding area
-indentured servants – popular and useful
-1618 headright sys. 50 acres given to a plantation owner who sponsored ppl over to America
1619
House of Burgesses first government in colonies
-white property-owning males could vote
-slavery begins in the English colonies
1620
Separatists leave England accidentally
arrive in Massachusetts in “Mayflower”
-settlement called “Plymouth”
-Mayflower Compact government established, power not from God but from governed
-received aid from local Indians to further the settlement
1629
Mass. Bay Colony Congregationalists John Winthrop “City on a hill”
-Puritan and Calvinist ideas
ex. of religious intolerance
-Roger Williams banished
-created Rhode Island free religion
-Anne Hutchinson
1629-42 Great Puritan Migration
1649-1660 little immigration because England was mainly Puritan
1635
Connecticut gets charter for being a colony
-Maryland Lord Baltimore haven for Christians & Catholics
1649 Act of Toleration protects Christians
1685
New York = colony
-Pennsylvania William Penn Quaker
-Carolina (proprietary) split into NC (Virginia-like colony) and SC (settled by people from Barbados)
-proprietary colonies usually became royal colonies (king-controlled)
Salutary Neglect 1650-1750 Britain was hands-off on American colonies; gave America autonomy
1670’s
Bacon’s Rebellion
-settlers v. Indian = issue
- Governor Berkeley - corrupt, elite group gets best land, fail to protect backcountry farmers
- Nathanial Bacon - led frontier farmer in raids against "Indians" / burned Jamestown, drove out Berkeley
-led to creation of Black Codes, can't control white indentured servants
1692
Salem Witch Trials
-many executions
-unrest in religion, politics and gender led to the witch hysteria
1730’s
to
1740’s
Great Awakening
-Jonathan Edwards: Congregationalist, “sinners in hands of angry God”, fire & brimstone
-message was about Hell and predestination
-George Whitefield: Methodist, Christianity, evangelical movement (emotionalism and spirituality)
- sermons outside of traditional church (outdoors)
- scaled the length of the colonies becoming a shared experience for colonies (building a shared identity)
Enlightenment = rationalism & science (John Lock: natural rights, Montesquieu: separation of powers)
-Ben Franklin ex of enlightenment man
Independence 1750 – 1781
1754
Albany Plan by Ben Franklin PERIOD 3 (1754-1800)
-inter-colonial government plans
-for defense
-not accepted
1754 - 1763
7 Years War “French-Indian War”
-Britain wins – leads to anti-British sentiment
1763
Proclamation of 1763
-forbids colonial settlement past Appalachian Mountains
-angered colonists
-end of salutary neglect
-turning point of British-Colonial relations
1764
Sugar Act – to stop smuggling
Currency Act – colonists can’t make paper money
1765
Stamp Act
-direct tax for revenue
-broad tax covered legal documents too
-affected almost everyone, especially literate and lawyers
-taxed goods made in the colonies
“No taxation without representation”
British response - virtual representation
1766
Stamp Act Congress formed, boycotts - Act repealed
Declaratory Act passed - Parliament can tax and legislate in all cases anywhere in the colonies
1767
Townshend Act
-taxed goods imported from Britain
-paid for government officials’ salaries
-more vice-admiralty courts created
-suspended NY legislation
-“writ of assistance” – British can search anywhere; soldiers sent to Boston to keep peace, March 5, 1770
Colonists protest
1769 Townshend Duties repealed
Mar 5, 1770
Boston Massacre
Dec 16, 1773
Boston Tea Party - tea tax protest
early 1774
Coercive Acts (“Intolerable Acts”)
-closed Boston port; except for essentials
-colonists had to house soldiers
late 1774
First Continental Congress = all but Georgia
goals -determine grievances
-address actions to grievances such as boycotts
-Parameters which were considered Parliamentary interference
April 1775
Battles of Lexington (first battle) and
Concord (American colonists held off British “shot heard ‘round the world”)
1775
2
nd
Continental Congress
-established continental army
-printing $
-established government offices for policies
-George Washington - leader of army
July 5, 1775
Olive Branch Petition
-America wants reconciliation with Britain
-last attempt to avoid armed conflict
-King George III ignored it
January 1776
Common Sense - Thomas Paine
-“Why should an island rule a continent?”, Colonists have suffered abuses by British gov.
June 1776
Thomas Jefferson commissioned to write Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776
Declaration of Independence signed
1778
Franco-American Alliance
-negotiated by Ben Franklin
-brings French into war on the colonists side
-because of battle of Saratoga
1783
Treaty of Paris
-gave US land and independence
1777
Articles of Confederation
-1
st
central government
-lacked ability to tax, declare war, form a military
summer
1787
Constitutional Convention
-NJ plan support small states, equal representation
-Virginia plan checks & balances, support large states, representation based on population
-Great Compromise - bicameral
-House of Representatives - representation according to population
-Senate - equal, 2 per state
-3/5ths Compromise (count 3/5 of slave population toward representation, empower Southern states)
1789
Constitution is effective
1791
Bill of Rights added
1789
Election of Washington
-cabinet Jefferson (Secretary of State), Hamilton (Treasury)
events
-National Bank created
-Hamilton’s financial plan to reduce debt
-Neutrality Proclamation
-Pinckney’s treaty 1796
-no third term
1797
Farewell Address – neutrality championed
1797
John Adams
-XZY affair
-Alien & Sedition Acts
-VA & KY resolutions nullification
-midnight appointments Adams placed more judges in judicial positions with Federalists
leads to Marbury v. Madison
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FAQs

What was the significance of the year 1607 in American history?
The year 1607 marked the establishment of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America. Funded by the Virginia Company, it was led by Captain John Smith and instituted martial law for survival. The settlement faced desperate times, but the Powhatan Confederacy aided Jamestown, and the introduction of tobacco as a cash crop ultimately saved the colony from extinction.
What were the main outcomes of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692?
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 led to many executions and were fueled by unrest in religion, politics, and gender dynamics. This period of hysteria highlighted the social tensions in colonial Massachusetts and reflected broader societal anxieties about authority and community. The trials ultimately resulted in a loss of credibility for the courts involved and a reevaluation of the legal proceedings in witchcraft cases.
How did the Great Awakening influence American society in the 1730s and 1740s?
The Great Awakening was a significant religious revival that emphasized emotionalism and personal faith, with figures like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield leading the movement. Edwards preached about predestination and the wrath of God, while Whitefield's outdoor sermons reached wide audiences, fostering a shared colonial identity. This movement contributed to the questioning of traditional authority and laid the groundwork for future democratic ideals.
What events led to the American Revolution in 1775?
Key events leading to the American Revolution included the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, where American colonists first resisted British forces. The Second Continental Congress convened shortly after, establishing a continental army led by George Washington. The Olive Branch Petition was sent to King George III as a final attempt for reconciliation, but it was ignored, escalating tensions further.
What was the significance of the Declaration of Independence in 1776?
The Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776, was a pivotal document asserting the American colonies' right to self-governance and independence from British rule. Commissioned to Thomas Jefferson, it outlined grievances against King George III and articulated Enlightenment ideals such as natural rights. This declaration not only united the colonies in their struggle for freedom but also inspired future democratic movements worldwide.
What were the main components of Hamilton's financial plan in 1789?
Hamilton's financial plan aimed to stabilize the American economy and included the creation of a National Bank, the assumption of state debts by the federal government, and the establishment of tariffs to protect American industries. This plan was crucial for establishing credit and financial credibility for the new nation. It faced opposition from figures like Thomas Jefferson, leading to the formation of political factions.
How did the Civil War begin in 1861?
The Civil War began on April 12, 1861, with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. This marked the start of armed conflict between the Northern states (Union) and the Southern states that seceded to form the Confederacy. Key issues such as states' rights and slavery had been escalating tensions, leading to this pivotal moment in American history.

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