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Period 9 of 9
The Contemporary Era
1980–present
A resurgent conservative movement reshaped American politics as the Cold War ended and globalization accelerated. From the digital revolution to 9/11 and the debates that continue to define the country today, this final period brings the American story up to the present.
3Chapters
4–6%Of the exam
Chapters in this period
Each chapter opens on its summary; the study bar at the top of every chapter switches between its vocabulary, timeline, ordering game and quizzes.
Chapter 40
The Resurgence of Conservatism
Vocabulary Timeline Ordering Quiz Extra quiz Flashcards Chapter 41America Confronts the Post-Cold War Era
Vocabulary Timeline Ordering Quiz Extra quiz Flashcards Chapter 42The American People Face a New Century
Vocabulary Timeline Ordering Quiz Extra quiz FlashcardsWhere this sits in the course
- P1 · 4–6% New World Beginnings 1491–1607 3 chapters
- P2 · 6–8% Colonial Society Takes Shape 1607–1754 2 chapters
- P3 · 10–17% Revolution & a New Republic 1754–1800 5 chapters
- P4 · 10–17% The Young Republic Expands 1800–1848 7 chapters
- P5 · 10–17% Civil War & Reconstruction 1844–1877 5 chapters
- P6 · 13–17% The Gilded Age 1865–1898 4 chapters
- P7 · 13–17% Boom, Bust, and Global War 1890–1945 9 chapters
- P8 · 13–17% Postwar America and the Cold War 1945–1980 4 chapters
- P9 · 4–6% The Contemporary Era 1980–present 3 chapters
Segment width = that period's share of the AP exam, using the College Board's published weightings.