Advanced flashcard deck focusing on historiographical schools, historical thinking skills, and complex thematic connections for APUSH exam mastery.
20 cards
Front
Consensus School of History
Back
A mid-20th century historical school (post-WWII) emphasizing the unity of American history and shared values (liberty, individualism) across conflicts. Critics like Howard Zinn argue it overlooks deep class and racial divisions. Key figures: Daniel Boorstin, Louis Hartz.
Front
Frontier Thesis (Turner Thesis)
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Argued by Frederick Jackson Turner (1893) that the American frontier was the driving force of U.S. history, fostering democracy, individualism, and innovation. Critiqued by the "New Western Historians" (Patricia Limerick) for ignoring the role of conquest, federal government, and diverse populations.
Front
Market Revolution (1793–1860) – Social Impact
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While it integrated national markets, it sharply divided the North (industrial, wage labor) and South (cotton, slave labor). It sparked the Second Great Awakening as a reaction to perceived materialism and spurred the rise of a middle class while creating deep class anxieties.
Front
The "Gilded Age" Paradox
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Mark Twain's term for the era (1870s–1900) characterized by a superficially glittering society covering deep social problems (poverty, inequality, corruption). It highlights the tension between unprecedented industrial wealth and the struggle of labor/farmers.
Front
Sharecropping vs. Tenant Farming
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Post-Civil War labor systems. Sharecroppers (often Black) owned no tools/equipment and split the crop (often unfair), leading to debt peonage. Tenant farmers (often white) owned their own tools/mules and had slightly more autonomy. Both perpetuated regional poverty.
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