One important theme in AP US History is social structures. Questions on the exam will ask you to describe different types of social relationships. It will also ask you to evaluate how these relationships have changed over time.
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 social structures and different types of social arrangements. We'll also discuss relevant examples from AP US history. 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
Gender Roles
Hierarchies
All societies divide people into groups. A hierarchy occurs when some of those groups have more power or status than others. Higher status and more power typically leads to better treatment in society. In US history, hierarchies have been influenced by wealth, race, ethnicity, religion, and immigration status. The course examines how these hierarchies have impacted politics, economics, and social relationships.
Persecution and Discrimination
Prejudice occurs when someone is judged based their membership in a particular group. Discrimination occurs when a person's judgement leads them to harm members of a group. Prejudice and discrimination are recurring issues in US history. The course explores the historical roots of prejudice and discrimination. It also explores how the government and activists fought to end discrimination. These efforts shaped critical moments in US history.
Example
One of the first examples of social structure in the course is the encomienda system. This is explored in Unit 1. The encomienda system was established by the Spanish. The Spanish king could give people who conquered territory in the Americas an encomienda. That gave a person the right to control a specific piece of land and the indigenous people who lived on it. Indigenous people were persecuted under this system. The Spanish forced them to work on plantations and in mines.
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