Unit 1: 1491 - 1607

Unit 1 Key Concepts

  • 1.1 As the native populations migrated and settled across the vast expanse of North America over time, they developed distinct and increasingly complex societies by adapting to and transforming their diverse environments. 
  • 1.2 Contact among Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans resulted in the Columbian Exchange and significant social, cultural, and political changes on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. 

Unit 1 Review Resources

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Ms. Dickie's Review Video

This video covers units 1 and 2. Ms. Dickie discusses these units in a thematic way which will help best with the written response questions.   

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Heimler's History

Heimler covers the most important ideas from this unit in one video about 15 minutes long. 

If you would like to rewatch videos from this unit based on the key concepts, then view this playlist here: Unit 1 Paylist

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APUSH Review with Adam Norris

A review of this entire time period in a 10 minute video. These videos have notes on the screen which may be helpful when writing down key ideas. 

If you like these, here are some more from this time period focusing on specific topics: More Period 1 Videos 

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Khan Academy

This includes quick summaries of important topics in written and video form and short quizzes to test your understanding. Khan Academy is free to use and if you plan on using this often it might be helpful to create an account to keep track of your progress. View Unit 1 content here. 

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Gilder Lehrman

This video covers the landing of Columbus and the collision between the Old and New Worlds. These videos include a summary of key ideas as well as a description of some documents you might see on the exam. 

Period 1 Timeline: Includes documents and key events. 

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Crash Course

John Green has a series of videos for each unit that are not specifically APUSH related but cover important topics you will see on the exam. He talks very fast but if you like these videos there are several for each time period. View the topics from this unit below: 

Native Americans 

Key Terms/Ideas

1491is one year prior to the arrival of Columbus and Europeans, and 1607 is the year England established a permanent settlement at Jamestown

Corn; Cultivated in present-­‐day Mexico and spread to the SW portion of the US. Native American societies were built around maize.

Located in the central/western portion of the US; a lack of natural resources led Natives to live a nomadic lifestyle in these regions.

Exchange of goods, ideas, diseases, and people between the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Each region was significantly impacted as a result of trade and contact.

Spanish system of granting land to colonists in the new world. Exploited natives and resources. Eventually, Natives were replaced with African slave labor.

Settled heavily in South America, reached West Africa and contributed to the development of the African Slave Trade.

Autonomy means independent or to have some form of self-­‐government. Africans ran away and formed maroon communities, and combined elements of Christianity and African religions

Horses –improved hunting and warfare for Natives (especially in the Great Plains and Basin), weapons and alcohol helped increase the destructiveness of warfare

Maize, potatoes, and other crops –helped increase European population and the shift from feudalism to capitalism

White racial superiority, bible, view of groups as “savages”

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