Sure! Here are detailed notes for Period 5 (1844–1877) in AP U.S.

History (APUSH), covering

major themes, events, and developments:

PERIOD 5: 1844–1877
Key Concepts:

1.​ Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion​

2.​ Sectional Conflict over Slavery​

3.​ The Civil War​

4.​ Reconstruction and Its Challenges​

I. Expansion and Manifest Destiny (1844–1853)

Key Themes:

●​ Belief in American expansion (Manifest Destiny)​

●​ Westward migration​

●​ Tensions over slavery in new territories​

Major Events:

1.​ Election of 1844​

○​ James K. Polk (Democrat) wins​

○​ Strong supporter of Manifest Destiny​

2.​ Annexation of Texas (1845)​

○​ Texas admitted as a state, causes tension with Mexico​

 3.​ Oregon Territory (1846)​

○​ “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!” slogan​

○​ Compromise with Britain at the 49th parallel​

4.​ Mexican-American War (1846–1848)​

○​ Causes: Annexation of Texas, border dispute (Rio Grande vs. Nueces River)​

○​ Ends with Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)​

■​ U.S. gains Mexican Cession: Southern California, Nevada, Utah, parts of

AZ, NM, CO, WY​

5.​ Wilmot Proviso (1846)​

○​ Proposal to ban slavery in Mexican Cession​

○​ Fails, but increases sectional tensions​

II. Sectionalism and the Road to Civil War (1850–1861)

Key Themes:

●​ Increasing sectionalism over slavery​

●​ Breakdown of political compromise​

Major Events:

1.​ Compromise of 1850​

○​ CA admitted as a free state​

○​ Stronger Fugitive Slave Law​

○​ Popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico​

○​ Slave trade banned in D.C.​

2.​ Fugitive Slave Act (1850)​

○​ Required return of escaped slaves​

○​ Sparked outrage in the North, increased abolitionist sentiment​

3.​ Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)​

○​ Harriet Beecher Stowe​

○​ Influential anti-slavery novel​

4.​ Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)​

○​ Stephen Douglas​

○​ Repealed Missouri Compromise​

○​ Popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska​

○​ Leads to “Bleeding Kansas” (violent clashes)​

5.​ Formation of the Republican Party (1854)​

○​ Anti-slavery Whigs, Democrats, Free Soilers​

○​ Opposed spread of slavery into territories​

6.​ Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)​

○​ African Americans not citizens​

○​ Congress cannot ban slavery in territories​

○​ Invalidates Missouri Compromise​

7.​ Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)​

○​ Debate over popular sovereignty vs. moral opposition to slavery​

○​ Lincoln gains national attention​

8.​ John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry (1859)​

 ○​ Failed attempt to incite a slave rebellion​

○​ Further polarized North and South​

9.​ Election of 1860​

○​ Lincoln wins without Southern electoral votes​

○​ South Carolina secedes, followed by other Southern states​

III. The Civil War (1861–1865)

Key Themes:

●​ Preservation of the Union​

●​ Emancipation and transformation of the war’s purpose​

Major Events:

1.​ Fort Sumter (1861)​

○​ First shots of the war​

○​ Unites North in favor of war​

2.​ Union vs. Confederacy​

○​ Union advantages: Industry, population, railroads​

○​ Confederacy: Strong military leadership, defensive war​

3.​ Key Battles:​

○​ Antietam (1862): Bloodiest day, leads to Emancipation Proclamation​

○​ Gettysburg (1863): Turning point, major Union victory​

○​ Vicksburg (1863): Union gains control of the Mississippi River​

 4.​ Emancipation Proclamation (1863)​

○​ Frees slaves in rebelling states​

○​ Shifts war aims to include abolition​

5.​ Gettysburg Address (1863)​

○​ Reaffirms commitment to democracy and equality​

6.​ Sherman’s March to the Sea (1864)​

○​ Total war strategy to break Southern will​

7.​ Surrender at Appomattox (1865)​

○​ General Lee surrenders to Grant​

○​ Ends Civil War​

8.​ Assassination of Lincoln (1865)​

○​ Killed by John Wilkes Booth​

IV. Reconstruction (1865–1877)

Key Themes:

●​ Rebuilding the South​

●​ Civil rights for freed slaves​

●​ Struggles between President and Congress​

Phases of Reconstruction:

1.​ Presidential Reconstruction (1865–1867)​

○​ Led by Andrew Johnson​

 ○​ Lenient terms for readmission​

○​ Allows Black Codes to be passed​

2.​ Congressional (Radical) Reconstruction (1867–1877)​

○​ South divided into military districts​

○​ Stricter readmission requirements​

○​ Protection of African American rights​

3.​ Key Amendments:​

○​ 13th Amendment (1865): Abolishes slavery​

○​ 14th Amendment (1868): Citizenship and equal protection​

○​ 15th Amendment (1870): Voting rights regardless of race​

4.​ Freedmen’s Bureau (1865–1872)​

○​ Aid for freed slaves: education, legal help, housing​

5.​ Resistance and Setbacks:​

○​ Rise of the Ku Klux Klan​

○​ Black Codes and later Jim Crow laws​

○​ Southern Redemption: Democrats regain control​

6.​ Impeachment of Andrew Johnson (1868)​

○​ Violated Tenure of Office Act​

○​ Acquitted by one vote​

7.​ Election of 1876 and Compromise of 1877​

○​ Rutherford B. Hayes becomes president​

○​ Federal troops removed from South​

 ○​ End of Reconstruction​

Important Themes/Trends to Remember:

●​ Expansion vs. Sectionalism: Territorial gains increased debates over slavery.​

●​ Failure of Compromise: Attempts (Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850,

Kansas-Nebraska Act) ultimately failed.​

●​ Transformation of War Goals: Initially about Union, later about ending slavery.​

●​ Reconstruction’s Limits: Though constitutional changes occurred, social and economic

equality for African Americans was limited.​

Would you like a printable version of this or a chart/timeline to go with it?

TIMELINE:

Here’s a timeline for Period 5 (1844–1877) in APUSH, organized chronologically with key
events and short explanations:

1844

●​ Election of James K. Polk: Wins on a platform of Manifest Destiny—promises to

expand U.S. territory.​

1845

●​ Annexation of Texas: Texas enters the Union, angering Mexico and contributing to
war.​
1846–1848

●​ Mexican-American War: Sparked by border dispute; ends in major U.S. territorial

gains.​

●​ Wilmot Proviso (1846): Proposed (but failed) ban on slavery in new territories.​

●​ Oregon Treaty (1846): U.S. and Britain agree to divide Oregon Territory at the 49th
parallel.​

1848

●​ Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: Ends Mexican-American War; U.S. gains the

Mexican Cession.​

●​ Gold discovered in California: Triggers California Gold Rush.​

1850

●​ Compromise of 1850: California enters as a free state; tougher Fugitive Slave Act
passed.​

1852

●​ Uncle Tom’s Cabin published: Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel influences

anti-slavery views in the North.​

1854

●​ Kansas-Nebraska Act: Repeals Missouri Compromise; allows popular sovereignty

in Kansas and Nebraska.​
 ●​ Bleeding Kansas begins: Violent conflict over slavery in the territories.​

●​ Republican Party formed: Created in opposition to the spread of slavery.​

1857

●​ Dred Scott v. Sandford: Supreme Court rules slaves are not citizens; Congress
can’t ban slavery in territories.​

1858

●​ Lincoln-Douglas Debates: Debates over slavery’s expansion; Lincoln rises to

national prominence.​

1859

●​ John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry: Attempted slave rebellion; deepens

North-South divide.​

1860

●​ Election of Abraham Lincoln: Wins presidency without Southern electoral votes.​

●​ South Carolina secedes: Followed by other Southern states.​

1861

●​ Confederate States of America formed​

 ●​ Civil War begins at Fort Sumter (April)​

1862

●​ Battle of Antietam: Bloodiest single day; leads to Emancipation Proclamation.​

1863

●​ Emancipation Proclamation: Declares slaves free in rebelling states.​

●​ Battle of Gettysburg: Major Union victory and turning point.​

●​ Gettysburg Address: Lincoln redefines the war’s purpose.​

1864

●​ Sherman’s March to the Sea: Total war strategy devastates the South.​

1865

●​ Lee surrenders at Appomattox Court House (April)​

●​ Lincoln assassinated (April)​

●​ 13th Amendment ratified: Abolishes slavery.​

1866

●​ Civil Rights Act of 1866: Grants citizenship and equal protection.​

 ●​ Ku Klux Klan founded​

1867

●​ Reconstruction Acts: Military rule in the South; states must ratify 14th
Amendment.​

1868

●​ 14th Amendment ratified: Citizenship and equal protection under the law.​

●​ Andrew Johnson impeached: Acquitted by one vote.​

1870

●​ 15th Amendment ratified: Voting rights cannot be denied by race.​

1872

●​ Freedmen’s Bureau ends: Program to help freed slaves expires.​

1876

●​ Election of 1876: Disputed between Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel Tilden.​

1877
 ●​ Compromise of 1877: Hayes becomes president; federal troops withdrawn from
South.​

●​ Reconstruction ends​

Would you like a visual timeline graphic to go with this?