AMSCO AP US HISTORY STUDY GUIDE EXAM 2026/2027
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Second American Revolution - ✔✔A term sometimes used for the Civil War. (p. 282)
✔✔greenbacks - ✔✔Name given to paper money issued by the Union government
during the Civil War. They bills were not redeemable for gold, which contributed to
creeping inflation. (p. 280)
✔✔Morrill Tariff Act - ✔✔In 1861, this tariff act raised rates to increase revenue and
protect American manufacturers. (p. 281)
✔✔Morrill Land Grant Act - ✔✔In 1862, this act encouraged states to use the sale of
federal land grants to maintain agricultural and technical colleges. (p. 281)
✔✔Pacific Railway Act - ✔✔In 1862, this act authorized the building of a
transcontinental railroad over a northern route in order to link the economies of
California and the western territories to the eastern states. (p. 281)
✔✔Homestead Act - ✔✔In 1862, this act promoted settlement of the Great Plains by
offering parcels of 160 acres of public land free to any person or family that farmed that
land for at least five years. (p. 281)
✔✔Fort Sumter - ✔✔A federal fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. It was
cut off from vital supplies because the South controlled the harbor. President Lincoln
announced that he was sending provisions to the Union fort. On April 12, 1861, Carolina
guns opened on the Union, and the Civil War began. (p. 269)
✔✔Bull Run - ✔✔In July 1861, 30,000 federal troops marched from Washington D.C. to
attack Confederate forces near Bull Run Creek at Manassas Junction, Virginia. In the
first major battle of the Civil War, Union forces seemed close to victory, but then
Confederate reinforcements counterattacked and sent the inexperienced Union troops
in retreat. (p. 271)
✔✔Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson - ✔✔In July 1861, at the First Battle of Bull Run, this
Confederate general counterattacked the Union and sent their troops in a retreat back
to Washington D.C. (p. 271)
✔✔Winfield Scott - ✔✔He was the Union General-in-Chief at the start of the Civil War.
(p. 271)
✔✔Anaconda Plan - ✔✔The Union's Civil War plan, created by General Winfield Scott.
It called for the U.S. Navy to blockade Southern ports cutting off essential supplies from
reaching the Confederacy. (p. 271)
, ✔✔George McClellan - ✔✔The commander of the Union army in the East. After
extensive training of his army, he invaded Virginia in March 1862. The Union army was
stopped as a result of brilliant tactical moves by the Confederate army. After five months
he was forced to retreat to the Potomac, and was replaced by General John Pope. (p.
271)
✔✔Robert E. Lee - ✔✔Confederate general who defeated the Union at the Second
Battle of Bull Run. At the Battle of Antietam (in Maryland) he was unable to break
through the Union line and had to retreat back to Virginia. At Fredericksburg, Virginia his
army suffered 5,000 casualties compared to 12,000 casualties for the Union army. His
army was finally defeated and he surrendered to Union General Grant at Appomattox
Court House on April 9, 1865. (p. 272 273, 277, 278)
✔✔Antietam - ✔✔This battle took place in September 1862, when Confederate General
Robert E. Lee moved his troops into Union territory in Maryland. The Union army met
them at Antietam Creek, in Sharpsburg, Maryland. It was the bloodiest single-day battle
in American history, with more than 22,000 killed or wounded. Unable to break through
the Union lines the Confederate army retreated to Virginia. The win was important
because it stopped the Confederate invasion of the North and gave Lincoln the victory
he was waiting for. He could now act against slavery.
(p. 273)
✔✔Fredericksburg - ✔✔On December 13, 1862, General Ambrose Burnside launched a
frontal attack on General Lee's strong position at this Virginia city. The Union army
suffered 12,000 casualties (dead or wounded), while the Confederates only 5,000
casualties. (p. 273)
✔✔Monitor vs. Merrimac - ✔✔First engagement ever between two iron-clad naval
vessels. On March 9, 1862, the two ships battled for five hours, ending in a draw. This
marked a turning point in naval warfare, wooden ships would be replaced by ironclad
ones. (p. 273)
✔✔Ulysses S. Grant - ✔✔In early 1862, this Union general led his troops from Illinois to
capture Fort Henry and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River (branch of the
Mississippi). These victoires opened up the state of Mississippi to attack by the Union.
A Confederate army surprised him at Shiloh, Tennessee, but the his army held its
ground and finally forced the Confederates to retreat after 23,000 total casualties.
In July 1863, he captured Vicksburg, Mississippi and the Union now controlled the
Mississippi River.
In early 1864 Lincoln made him commander of all the Union armies. As General Robert
E. Lee tried to flee to mountains with army of less than 30,000 men he cut off his army
and forced them to surrender at Appomattox Court House.
(p. 273, 274, 277, 278)
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Second American Revolution - ✔✔A term sometimes used for the Civil War. (p. 282)
✔✔greenbacks - ✔✔Name given to paper money issued by the Union government
during the Civil War. They bills were not redeemable for gold, which contributed to
creeping inflation. (p. 280)
✔✔Morrill Tariff Act - ✔✔In 1861, this tariff act raised rates to increase revenue and
protect American manufacturers. (p. 281)
✔✔Morrill Land Grant Act - ✔✔In 1862, this act encouraged states to use the sale of
federal land grants to maintain agricultural and technical colleges. (p. 281)
✔✔Pacific Railway Act - ✔✔In 1862, this act authorized the building of a
transcontinental railroad over a northern route in order to link the economies of
California and the western territories to the eastern states. (p. 281)
✔✔Homestead Act - ✔✔In 1862, this act promoted settlement of the Great Plains by
offering parcels of 160 acres of public land free to any person or family that farmed that
land for at least five years. (p. 281)
✔✔Fort Sumter - ✔✔A federal fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. It was
cut off from vital supplies because the South controlled the harbor. President Lincoln
announced that he was sending provisions to the Union fort. On April 12, 1861, Carolina
guns opened on the Union, and the Civil War began. (p. 269)
✔✔Bull Run - ✔✔In July 1861, 30,000 federal troops marched from Washington D.C. to
attack Confederate forces near Bull Run Creek at Manassas Junction, Virginia. In the
first major battle of the Civil War, Union forces seemed close to victory, but then
Confederate reinforcements counterattacked and sent the inexperienced Union troops
in retreat. (p. 271)
✔✔Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson - ✔✔In July 1861, at the First Battle of Bull Run, this
Confederate general counterattacked the Union and sent their troops in a retreat back
to Washington D.C. (p. 271)
✔✔Winfield Scott - ✔✔He was the Union General-in-Chief at the start of the Civil War.
(p. 271)
✔✔Anaconda Plan - ✔✔The Union's Civil War plan, created by General Winfield Scott.
It called for the U.S. Navy to blockade Southern ports cutting off essential supplies from
reaching the Confederacy. (p. 271)
, ✔✔George McClellan - ✔✔The commander of the Union army in the East. After
extensive training of his army, he invaded Virginia in March 1862. The Union army was
stopped as a result of brilliant tactical moves by the Confederate army. After five months
he was forced to retreat to the Potomac, and was replaced by General John Pope. (p.
271)
✔✔Robert E. Lee - ✔✔Confederate general who defeated the Union at the Second
Battle of Bull Run. At the Battle of Antietam (in Maryland) he was unable to break
through the Union line and had to retreat back to Virginia. At Fredericksburg, Virginia his
army suffered 5,000 casualties compared to 12,000 casualties for the Union army. His
army was finally defeated and he surrendered to Union General Grant at Appomattox
Court House on April 9, 1865. (p. 272 273, 277, 278)
✔✔Antietam - ✔✔This battle took place in September 1862, when Confederate General
Robert E. Lee moved his troops into Union territory in Maryland. The Union army met
them at Antietam Creek, in Sharpsburg, Maryland. It was the bloodiest single-day battle
in American history, with more than 22,000 killed or wounded. Unable to break through
the Union lines the Confederate army retreated to Virginia. The win was important
because it stopped the Confederate invasion of the North and gave Lincoln the victory
he was waiting for. He could now act against slavery.
(p. 273)
✔✔Fredericksburg - ✔✔On December 13, 1862, General Ambrose Burnside launched a
frontal attack on General Lee's strong position at this Virginia city. The Union army
suffered 12,000 casualties (dead or wounded), while the Confederates only 5,000
casualties. (p. 273)
✔✔Monitor vs. Merrimac - ✔✔First engagement ever between two iron-clad naval
vessels. On March 9, 1862, the two ships battled for five hours, ending in a draw. This
marked a turning point in naval warfare, wooden ships would be replaced by ironclad
ones. (p. 273)
✔✔Ulysses S. Grant - ✔✔In early 1862, this Union general led his troops from Illinois to
capture Fort Henry and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River (branch of the
Mississippi). These victoires opened up the state of Mississippi to attack by the Union.
A Confederate army surprised him at Shiloh, Tennessee, but the his army held its
ground and finally forced the Confederates to retreat after 23,000 total casualties.
In July 1863, he captured Vicksburg, Mississippi and the Union now controlled the
Mississippi River.
In early 1864 Lincoln made him commander of all the Union armies. As General Robert
E. Lee tried to flee to mountains with army of less than 30,000 men he cut off his army
and forced them to surrender at Appomattox Court House.
(p. 273, 274, 277, 278)
