APUSH Thematic Review
Historical Periods

By the time you are ready to take the Advanced Placement (AP) test in May, you will have been bombarded by hundreds of facts and dates.  In this blizzard of information, it is possible to lose track of the broad delineations of U.S. history.  On the AP test, however, there will often be essay question or multiple-choice questions that refer to a historical period rather than to a set of specific years.  Unless you are familiar with the labels for these eras, you may misinterpret or incorrectly answer a question that you could otherwise easily master.

The following chart presents the major historical periods of U.S. history.  In addition, it identifies events that roughly marked the beginning and ending of the era.  You might review the chart by looking at a list of events (perhaps in the index of your primary textbook) and placing them in their appropriate historical period.  This will help you develop a stronger chronological sense and decrease the likelihood of encountering unfamiliar time references on the AP test.