AP US History AP Exam Questions and
Answers Graded A+
Encomienda System - Correct answer-granted permission to conquistadors to
enslave as many people needed to work a plantation; Free labor, which yielded big
profits
Headright System - Correct answer-legal grant of land to each settler because of
the work they're doing for a master
Indentured Servants - Correct answer-people who gained access to the New World
by signing a contract to an employer for a fixed period of labor, typically 3-7 years,
in return for their transportation, food, clothing, shelter and other necessities in the
New World
Joint Stock Company - Correct answer-colony established as a business project by
a group of investors who obtain permission from the king to settle (e.g. Virginia
and Massachusetts)
Proprietary Colony - Correct answer-given as a gift from the king (e.g. Maryland)
Royal Colony - Correct answer-under the English monarch's rule
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,Salutary Neglect - Correct answer-parliament's practice of not enforcing their laws
upon the colonists
Middle Passage - Correct answer-brutal voyage that brought enslaved Africans
across the Atlantic ocean to north America and the west indies
Mercantilism - Correct answer-economic belief that profitable trading generates
wealth
Puritans - Correct answer-sought to purify Catholic Church's practices; did not
fully break away from church because still had hope for reformation
City Upon A Hill - Correct answer-Puritan model colony for others to look up to
Pilgrims - Correct answer-separatists who completely broke away from Catholic
Church because they lost hope in it
Evangelicalism - Correct answer-stresses the importance of personal conversion
and faith as the means of salvation
Black Codes - Correct answer-southern laws designed to restrict the rights of the
newly freed black slaves
Bacon's Rebellion, 1676 - Correct answer-uprising in VA colony led by Nathaniel
Bacon caused by tension between original settlers and "back country"
frontiersman; frontier in west is dangerous and in threat of Indians but richer
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,settlers don't help so Bacon sacked and burned Jamestown when Berkley doesn't
help him fight Doeg Indians
Glorious Revolution - Correct answer-overthrow of James II and replacing throne
with William and Mary; significant b/c it's the first time where Parliament makes
monarchy powerless and marked the beginning of a constitutional monarchy
First Great Awakening - Correct answer-first religious renewal led by evangelical
Protestant ministers to make a sharp increase of interest in religion, a profound
sense of conviction and redemption on the part of those affected
King Phillip's War - Correct answer-armed conflict between Native Americans of
southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies;
Caused by disputes over land b/w Indians and settlers which caused detioration of
alliances; Made colonists improve militarily and also killed Wampanoeg tribe
King William's War - Correct answer-war against French and Native Americans on
Canadian borders; Caused by James II trying to obtain too much power over
colonists; Ended up causing the Glorious Revolution and heightened regional
anxieties
Pequot War - Correct answer-conflict between the Pequot tribe against an alliance
of the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies and the Narragansett and
Mohegan tribes; Caused by colonists moving closer and closer to the Pequot tribe
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, area and conflicts arise over unfair trading and destruction of crops; Ended up
killing Pequot tribe
Salem Witch Trials - Correct answer-witchcraft hysteria that broke out in Salem
and caused many innocent people to lose their lives or be tortured
the "Starving time" - Correct answer-period in Jamestown where colonists refused
to and did not know how to grow food in New World, also lack of access to water
and no rain diminished agricultural production; caused settlers to resort to
cannibalism
Stono Uprising - Correct answer-first and one of most successful slave rebellions
where slaves stole guns and ammunition, killed masters, and liberated slaves; aim
was to flee to Florida where Spanish colonists would grant them freedom; Caused
many colonies to pass more restrictive laws to govern behavior of slaves and
heightened fears of slave rebellions
Anne Hutchinson - Correct answer-American colonist who was banished from
Boston for her religious views and standing up for women's rights
George Whitefield - Correct answer-Anglican Protestant minister who helped
spread the Great Awakening in the Kingdom of Great Britain and, especially, in the
British North American colonies
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Answers Graded A+
Encomienda System - Correct answer-granted permission to conquistadors to
enslave as many people needed to work a plantation; Free labor, which yielded big
profits
Headright System - Correct answer-legal grant of land to each settler because of
the work they're doing for a master
Indentured Servants - Correct answer-people who gained access to the New World
by signing a contract to an employer for a fixed period of labor, typically 3-7 years,
in return for their transportation, food, clothing, shelter and other necessities in the
New World
Joint Stock Company - Correct answer-colony established as a business project by
a group of investors who obtain permission from the king to settle (e.g. Virginia
and Massachusetts)
Proprietary Colony - Correct answer-given as a gift from the king (e.g. Maryland)
Royal Colony - Correct answer-under the English monarch's rule
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Salutary Neglect - Correct answer-parliament's practice of not enforcing their laws
upon the colonists
Middle Passage - Correct answer-brutal voyage that brought enslaved Africans
across the Atlantic ocean to north America and the west indies
Mercantilism - Correct answer-economic belief that profitable trading generates
wealth
Puritans - Correct answer-sought to purify Catholic Church's practices; did not
fully break away from church because still had hope for reformation
City Upon A Hill - Correct answer-Puritan model colony for others to look up to
Pilgrims - Correct answer-separatists who completely broke away from Catholic
Church because they lost hope in it
Evangelicalism - Correct answer-stresses the importance of personal conversion
and faith as the means of salvation
Black Codes - Correct answer-southern laws designed to restrict the rights of the
newly freed black slaves
Bacon's Rebellion, 1676 - Correct answer-uprising in VA colony led by Nathaniel
Bacon caused by tension between original settlers and "back country"
frontiersman; frontier in west is dangerous and in threat of Indians but richer
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,settlers don't help so Bacon sacked and burned Jamestown when Berkley doesn't
help him fight Doeg Indians
Glorious Revolution - Correct answer-overthrow of James II and replacing throne
with William and Mary; significant b/c it's the first time where Parliament makes
monarchy powerless and marked the beginning of a constitutional monarchy
First Great Awakening - Correct answer-first religious renewal led by evangelical
Protestant ministers to make a sharp increase of interest in religion, a profound
sense of conviction and redemption on the part of those affected
King Phillip's War - Correct answer-armed conflict between Native Americans of
southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies;
Caused by disputes over land b/w Indians and settlers which caused detioration of
alliances; Made colonists improve militarily and also killed Wampanoeg tribe
King William's War - Correct answer-war against French and Native Americans on
Canadian borders; Caused by James II trying to obtain too much power over
colonists; Ended up causing the Glorious Revolution and heightened regional
anxieties
Pequot War - Correct answer-conflict between the Pequot tribe against an alliance
of the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies and the Narragansett and
Mohegan tribes; Caused by colonists moving closer and closer to the Pequot tribe
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, area and conflicts arise over unfair trading and destruction of crops; Ended up
killing Pequot tribe
Salem Witch Trials - Correct answer-witchcraft hysteria that broke out in Salem
and caused many innocent people to lose their lives or be tortured
the "Starving time" - Correct answer-period in Jamestown where colonists refused
to and did not know how to grow food in New World, also lack of access to water
and no rain diminished agricultural production; caused settlers to resort to
cannibalism
Stono Uprising - Correct answer-first and one of most successful slave rebellions
where slaves stole guns and ammunition, killed masters, and liberated slaves; aim
was to flee to Florida where Spanish colonists would grant them freedom; Caused
many colonies to pass more restrictive laws to govern behavior of slaves and
heightened fears of slave rebellions
Anne Hutchinson - Correct answer-American colonist who was banished from
Boston for her religious views and standing up for women's rights
George Whitefield - Correct answer-Anglican Protestant minister who helped
spread the Great Awakening in the Kingdom of Great Britain and, especially, in the
British North American colonies
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
