AP U.S. History Flashcards: A Changing Economy
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 11 cards to help you master important concepts.
What happened to union membership as the economy shifted?
As employment in manufacturing declined and service sector jobs grew, union membership declined.
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What happened to union membership as the economy shifted?
As employment in manufacturing declined and service sector jobs grew, union membership declined.
What was the trend for real wages for the working and middle classes?
Real wages stagnated for the working and middle class, which occurred amid a period of growing economic inequality.
Describe the major shift in employment sectors during this period of economic change.
Employment significantly increased in service sectors while simultaneously decreasing in manufacturing sectors.
Identify a social effect of innovations in computing and digital mobile technology.
These technological innovations led to the development of new social behaviors and networks.
Connect the decline in manufacturing jobs to the decline in union membership.
The decline in union membership was directly related to the decrease in manufacturing employment, a traditionally heavily-unionized sector.
A person can now easily buy products from a small business in another country. What technological development enabled this?
Improvements in digital communications and the internet enabled increased participation in worldwide economic opportunities.
A former steelworker now works in customer support. This career change is an example of what larger economic trend?
This exemplifies the economic shift where employment decreased in manufacturing and increased in service sectors.
How did technological innovations like the internet and mobile technology impact daily life?
These innovations transformed daily life by increasing access to information and leading to new social behaviors and networks.
What was a primary driver of increased economic productivity in the digital age?
Economic productivity increased as improvements in digital communications enabled greater American participation in worldwide economic opportunities.
What is the primary cause of increased access to information in the modern era?
Technological innovations, particularly in computing, digital mobile technology, and the internet, dramatically increased access to information.
What is the relationship between stagnating real wages and economic inequality?
The stagnation of real wages for the working and middle class was a major factor that contributed to growing economic inequality.