One important theme in AP US History is migration and settlement. Questions on the exam will ask you to discuss the impact of immigration on US history. This includes understanding social, economic, and environmental effects.
I'm a licensed teacher and professional tutor with over ten years of experience in education. I've helped dozens of students improve their grades in their AP US History class. This article will cover migration and settlement. We'll also discuss relevant examples from the course. Read on for tips you can use to improve your grades today!
Note: This post is part of a series on historical themes covered in AP US History. You can learn more about the all of the themes in AP US History at this link.
Table of Contents
Definition
This theme examines two sides of the same coin. They are moving to a new place and staying in an old place. Let's take a look at each.
Migration
Migration occurs when a group of people moves from one place to another place during a specific period of time. AP US History covers movement within the United States. It also covers immigration. Immigrants are people who move from a different country to the United States. The movement of people to a new place can have profound impacts on the places they left behind.
AP US History covers examples of forced and coerced migration. Forced migration occurs when a person is compelled to move against their will. Forced migration includes enslavement. It also includes being displaced from one's home by a military force or government action. Coerced migration occurs when a person is pressured to move or moves in circumstances where they have few other options. These individuals may technically chose to move, but they do so in dire circumstances. These circumstances make it easy for other groups or individuals to exploit migrants.
Most migration in US history has been voluntary. This means they chose to move willingly and without undue pressure. Even so, migration is often dangerous, emotionally difficult, and expensive. People typically move for a reason.
One way to characterize a person's reasons for moving is by using push and pull factors. A push factor is a reason for leaving a specific place. Warfare, lack of jobs, or famine can "push" people away from their current location. Pull factors are attractive features that create a reason to move to a specific place. Jobs, political stability, and family "pull" people towards specific places.
Finally, some groups in American history have been nomadic. Nomadic people make a series of strategic moves between locations. These movements often take into account changing seasons and new opportunities for food and shelter.
Settlement
Moving is expensive and time-consuming so most people move with the intent of staying long-term in a new place. This is called settlement. This theme examines who stays in specific places. It also examines why people stay. Finally, settlement can reshape social relationships, the environment, and the economy. This is particularly true if large numbers of people immigrate and settle in a new place.
Example
I help ambitious students improve their skills and master the AP US History exam. Learn more here!
You may also like:
All blog posts are licensed using a CC-BY-SA 4.0 license. You are free to copy or share this information in any form. You may also adapt and build upon this material for commercial and noncommercial. If you chose to share, adapt, or use this information, you must give credit to Spring Learning Services, LLC and indicate if changes were made. All material must be shared using the same terms
This material is based on my interpretation of the AP World History Course and Exam Description and my experience working in education for the past decade. The views expressed on this page are my own. AP® and Advanced Placement® are trademarks registered and owned by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this site.