Period 9 (1980-Present)

Overview

Welcome to Period 9! This period is the last period and is roughly 5% of the APUSH curriculum.

Why were these years chosen for this period?

1980 ushered in a Conservative Movement with the election of Ronald Reagan. The US increasingly traded with other countries as the world became more globalized. The 1990s was a prosperous time for many Americans and the 21st century saw the US involvement in the Middle East increase as a result of 9/11.

Potential Short Answer Questions/Essay Topics Include:

• Just like period 1, you will not see a Long Essay or DBQ exclusively on this time period. You could see this time period combined with period 8, as was the case of the DBQ in 2015 on the rise of Conservatism.

• Reasons for the rise of Conservatism

• Impact of the end of the Cold War (Short Answer Question)

Thematic Questions

American & National Identity: How did demographic and economic changes in American society affect popular debates over American national identity?

Work, Exchange, & Technology: How did the shift to a global economy affect American economic life? How did scientific and technological developments in these years change how Americans lived and worked?

Migration & Settlement: How did increased migration raise questions about American identity and affect the nation demographically, culturally, and politically?

Politics and Power: How successful were conservatives in achieving their goals? To what extent did liberalism remain influential politically and culturally?

America in the World: How did the end of the Cold War affect American foreign policy? How did the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 impact America’s role in the world?

Geography & the Environment: How did debates over climate change and energy policy affect broader social and political movements?

Culture & Society: How did technological and scientific innovations in areas such as electronics, biology, medicine, and communications affect society, popular culture, and public discourse? How did a more demographically diverse population shape popular culture?