The USA is a core part of GCSE History. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts
McCarthyismSenator Joseph McCarthy's campaign from 1950 of accusing officials of communism, spreading fear until televised hearings discredited him and the Senate censured him in 1954.
Brown v Board of Education 1954Supreme Court ruling that segregated public schools were unconstitutional, overturning the 'separate but equal' principle.
Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955-56Year-long Black boycott of segregated buses after Rosa Parks's arrest, which brought Martin Luther King Jr to prominence and ended bus segregation in Montgomery.
March on Washington 1963Around 250,000 people marched for civil rights and heard Martin Luther King Jr's 'I Have a Dream' speech, pressing Congress to act.
Civil Rights Act 1964Landmark law that banned segregation in public places and outlawed discrimination in employment on grounds of race, colour, religion, sex or national origin.
Voting Rights Act 1965Law that banned literacy tests and allowed federal oversight of voter registration, dramatically increasing Black voter registration in the South.
1905 RevolutionUprising triggered by Bloody Sunday massacre; forced Tsar Nicholas II to issue October Manifesto promising Duma.
February Revolution 1917Strikes and mutinies in Petrograd forced Nicholas II to abdicate; Provisional Government took power.
October Revolution 1917Bolshevik seizure of power in Petrograd led by Lenin and Trotsky; stormed Winter Palace, overthrew Provisional Government.
War Communism1918-21 policy nationalising industry and forcibly requisitioning grain to win Civil War; caused mass famine.
NEP 1921New Economic Policy under Lenin allowing small private trade and ending grain requisitioning; restored agricultural output.
Five-Year PlansStalin's industrialisation programme from 1928; rapid heavy industry growth at huge human cost in gulags.
SegregationForced separation of people by race or class
Jim Crow lawsUS laws enforcing racial segregation in the South
Common mistakes to avoid
Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
Did the end of slavery in 1865 give Black Americans equal rights?✗ Yes, equality was achieved immediately. ✓ No — segregation (Jim Crow) and discrimination continued for a century.
Was the Civil Rights Movement led only by Martin Luther King?✗ Yes, King did it alone. ✓ No — many people and groups (NAACP, SNCC, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X) played key roles.
Did the Civil Rights Act 1964 end racism instantly?✗ Yes, it ended all racism overnight. ✓ No — it outlawed discrimination, but prejudice and inequality persisted.
Who settled the American West?✗ Only lone cowboys. ✓ Many groups — homesteaders, miners, ranchers and railroad workers — while Native peoples were displaced.
Was the American West 'empty land' free for the taking?✗ Yes, no one lived there. ✓ No — it was home to many Native American nations long before settlers arrived.
Practise The USA — free games
Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:
See all 17 games in the Subjects Arcade →
More GCSE History topics
← All revision guides
Want to revise every topic this smart?
The Velvet Method teaches you to use AI to revise any subject — £25, lifetime access.
Explore the Course →