Summary of Key Themes and Context: 1607-1754 (College Board AP® US History): Revision Note

Context for the period 1607-1754

Growth of colonization

By the early 1600s, Europeans had shifted from exploration to the establishment of permanent, profit-driven colonies.

Different empires had distinct goals, leading to unique development paths for Spanish, French, Dutch, and British colonies. Nonetheless, all were part of an expanding Atlantic world connected by trade, labor, and migration. 

British North America

In British North America, the region's geography shaped economic practices: plantation farming thrived in the South, while New England emphasised small farms, trade, and shipbuilding.

The Atlantic trade system generated wealth for some colonists but also heightened inequality. Enslaved labor became integral to colonial society, and slavery became permanent and racially based.

As colonies were distant from Britain, colonists gained experience in self-governance through local assemblies and town meetings, gradually developing expectations of rights and independence. 

Indigenous Peoples and colonization

Relations with Indigenous (Native) Americans varied, sometimes cooperative, sometimes violent, especially as colonists advanced into Indigenous (Native) lands. This era highlights how colonial life fostered both stability and tension, conditions that eventually sparked resistance to British rule.

Themes in Period 2

The themes covered in Period 2 include:

• America and National Identity (NAT)

• Work, Exchange and Technology (WXT)

• Geography and Environment (GEO)

• Migration and Settlement (MIG)

• America in the World (WOR)

• American and Regional Culture (ARC)

• Social Structures (SOC)

However, the themes studied in history are present within all the units. This allows you to make connections across time, regions and historical developments.

An additional theme you may want to consider when studying Period 2 is:

• Politics and Power (PCE)

Connections from Period 1 and to Period 3

Connection from Period 1:  European exploration gives way to permanent settlement. Indigenous displacement, Atlantic trade, and labor systems solidify into colonial structures.

Connection to Period 3: Economic growth, self-governance, and imperial regulation create tensions that boil over after the Seven Years’ War. Complexity: Colonies built on liberty depend on slavery and imperial power, a contradiction that worsens over time.