Period 7

Introduction

By the early twentieth century, the United States began to take on a distinctly modern character. This period encompassed a series of transformative developments, including the Progressive Era, the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, and World Wars I and II. Collectively, these events reshaped the nation in fundamental ways, making a return to the social and economic patterns of the nineteenth century impossible. The United States became more modern economically through the rise of consumerism and increased government involvement in the economy; socially through expanded opportunities for women, the growth of mass entertainment, and accelerating urbanization; and politically through party realignments and the expanded use of propaganda. Period 7 accounts for approximately 10–17 percent of the AP U.S. History exam, and because events unfold rapidly during this unit, careful and sustained attention is essential.