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How to LEQ | AP US History Study Guide
Learn how to respond to the Long-Essay Question.
Resources by Period:
- Period 1: 1491–1607
- Period 2: 1607–1754
- Period 3: 1754–1800
- Period 4: 1800–1848
- Period 5: 1844–1877
- Period 6: 1865–1898
- Period 7: 1890–1945
- Period 8: 1945–1980
- Period 9: 1980–Present
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The Ultimate AP US History Study Guide
Advanced Placement (AP)
Studying for the AP US History course is an exercise in memorization and critical thinking. Multiple-choice questions ask you to read and analyze documents based on your historical knowledge. Essay questions require similar skills but with the added challenge of synthesizing your ideas into a coherent argument that incorporates both outside knowledge and evidence given to you.
In this comprehensive AP US History study guide, we will provide all the resources and strategies you need to prepare for the AP exam and any other test that comes your way in this course !
What's the Purpose of This AP US History Study Guide?
This guide will help you prepare for the AP US History test and other assessments you encounter throughout the school year in your AP US History class. It includes instructions for creating an effective study plan, a few helpful study tips, an overview of the content covered in the AP course, and a list of resources for practice questions.
This article is a one-stop-shop for all the information you need to master the AP US History curriculum.
Creating a Study Plan for AP US History: 5-Step Guide
You should start studying sooner rather than later for the AP US History exam because there's s o much information to remember. Ideally, you'll build on knowledge throughout the year and regularly review to avoid forgetting earlier parts of the course.
We recommend doing a holistic review after each in-class test that covers everything you've learned up to that point. You can then begin your final review for the AP test in March or April, which will give you an entire month or two to spread out your studying.
Below are the steps we recommend following to prep for the AP US History test. The whole process should take you about 11 hours and 30 minutes .
Step 1: Take a Full-Length Practice Test
Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
The first step is to take a full, official AP US History practice test under realistic conditions. Time yourself in accordance with the actual test and write out both essays (DBQ and Long Essay) completely. Mark any multiple-choice questions you had to guess on—it's crucial to go over this information later even if you happen to guess correctly.
When you're done, score your practice test to see how well you would do on the real AP exam if you were to take it right now.
Depending on how much you're hoping to improve your AP US History test score, you might have to budget for more or less study time. If you're already scoring close to 5 (or a low 5), you might complete these steps once and find that you're satisfied with your results.
If you're scoring 2 or more points lower than you'd like, plan on going through this process several times.
Step 2: Catalog Your Mistakes and Guesses
Time: 1 hour
After you score your practice AP US History test, go through your mistakes and lucky guesses. Try to categorize the mistakes by content area so you can look for patterns and determine which parts of the course you need to study the most.
Once you've identified what you need to learn, move on to reviewing the actual content. Make a list in descending order of the topics that correspond to the highest number of missed multiple-choice questions and missed points on short-answer and free-response questions.
Step 3: Study Relevant Content Areas and Practice Multiple-Choice Questions
Time: 2 hours
Use the list you made in the previous step to guide your review of the AP US History content. Start with the areas for which you need a little refresher, and work your way up to the big issues you had on the diagnostic test .
When you're satisfied that you've fixed the gaps in knowledge that led to your errors, you should do some practice APUSH multiple-choice questions to make sure you really know your stuff (you can find them in review books or on one of the sites listed later in this article).
Step 4: Practice Planning and Writing Essays
You'll need to practice writing essays before taking the AP US History test so you feel comfortable with the time constraints and requirements. This is especially true for the Document-Based Question , which has a unique format.
After examining the problems with your essays from the original diagnostic test, practice your skills on additional free-response questions . For the sake of saving time, you don't necessarily need to write out entire essays, but you should at least make rough outlines that include all the components of a successful essay .
If you struggled a lot with time on your initial AP practice test, then we'd recommend going through another timed free-response section in full, so you can practice moving more quickly.
Step 5: Take a Second Full Practice Test
Once you've gotten more familiar with the APUSH material, take a second full AP practice test to assess your progress . If you find that you've improved to a satisfactory level, you might stop there and just do some light review until the exam.
If you're still not happy with your results, repeat this process , and make sure that you're really absorbing the material as you study.
3 Essential AP US History Study Tips
The following tips for AP US History will help you make the most of your time as you work your way through the process outlined above. The APUSH exam assesses your historical knowledge differently than other tests you might have taken in the past do. Make sure your study methods lend themselves to the format!
#1: Make Thematic Connections
The ultimate goal of AP US History is for you to be able to connect individual events to the main themes of the course and draw conclusions about historical trends based on your analysis.
As you study, don't just look at events in isolation— e xamine how they relate to other events of the time and how they might've resulted from different cultural and political attitudes . What were the outcomes of particular events, and how and why did they feed into other, larger trends?
Ask yourself to dig deeper. Doing so help you on both in-class assessments and the AP test.
#2: Read and Repeat
When you read content notes for AP US History, you might think you have a fact committed to memory but forget it when it appears on a test. The best way to combat this is to pause every couple of minutes and try to remember the facts that you just reviewed without looking back at your notes ; you'll immediately know whether you're absorbing the information or not.
If you're having trouble remembering a particular fact, try to make a distinctive connection with something else that's easier to remember.
For example, say you were trying to remember which items were taxed by the Townshend Acts. (It was glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea.) You could think of the mnemonic GuLPP iT to remember them. It also makes sense because all the taxes were repealed except for the one on tea, which you can gulp!
Maybe this sounds super weird, but we often find that the weirder the method of remembering something is, the more likely it will stick in your mind .
#3: Practice Writing Essay Questions
The free-response section is the biggest challenge on the AP US History exam because you have to plan and write two coherent essays (one DBQ and one Long Essay) in less than two hours. It's imperative that you do lots of practice before the AP test to prevent your essays from being disorganized or lacking in focus. You can consult the College Board site for links to past AP US History free-response questions .
Make sure you always have a strong thesis statement and all the points in your essay relate directly back to it. Plan out your essay before you start writing to keep yourself on track.
You should also t ry to include relevant outside knowledge but only if it pertains directly to your argument and the question itself. Don't just spew out everything you know about the topic!
AP US History Course Content: Themes and Units
AP US History covers history in what is now the United States from 1491 to the present. There are eight main themes in the course separated into nine units, or time periods. For each of these themes, we'll go over the main historical topics associated with it.
Before that, though, here's a quick overview of the AP US History units and what percentage of the AP exam they each make up:
Unit 1: 1491-1607 | 4-6% |
Unit 2: 1607-1754 | 6-8% |
Unit 3: 1754-1800 | 10-17% |
Unit 4: 1800-1848 | 10-17% |
Unit 5: 1844-1877 | 10-17% |
Unit 6: 1865-1898 | 10-17% |
Unit 7: 1890-1945 | 10-17% |
Unit 8: 1945-1980 | 10-17% |
Unit 9: 1980-Present | 4-6% |
Source: 2019-20 AP US History Course and Exam Description
Theme 1: American and National Identity
Focuses on how and why definitions of American and national identity and values have developed among the diverse and changing population of North America as well as on related topics, such as citizenship, constitutionalism, foreign policy, assimilation, and American exceptionalism.
Theme 2: Work, Exchange, and Technology
Focuses on the factors behind the development of systems of economic exchange, particularly the role of technology, economic markets, and government.
Theme 3: Geography and the Environment
Focuses on the role of geography and both the natural and human-made environments in the social and political developments in what would become the United States.
Theme 4: Migration and Settlement
Focuses on why and how the various people who moved to and within the United States both adapted to and transformed their new social and physical environments.
Theme 5: Politics and Power
Focuses on how different social and political groups have influenced society and government in the United States and how political beliefs and institutions have changed over time.
Theme 6: America in the World
Focuses on the interactions between nations that affected North American history in the colonial period and on the influence of the United States on world affairs.
Theme 7: American and Regional Culture
Focuses on the how and why national, regional, and group cultures developed and changed as well as how culture has shaped government policy and the economy.
Theme 8: Social Structures
Focuses on how and why systems of social organization develop and change as well as the impact that these systems have on the broader society.
AP US History Content: Notes and Outlines
In this section, we'll give you notes on the AP US History course content so you can study the facts and connect them to the themes above.
The content is divided into nine units and historical periods. Under each time period, we'll list important topics with links to notes you can use. Every period also includes a link to at least one timeline of significant events. It's helpful to have these handy, so you get a better grasp of the chronology (which will be very helpful for free-response questions).
The timelines are from AP Study Notes , while the rest of the notes are from a different site called APnotes.net , which gives a more succinct overview of the content, with key dates and major events in bold. Overall, this resource is great for a quick review.
We recommend looking at the chapter outlines on AP Study Notes to see a longer, more detailed description of historical trends and events in the United States.
Period 1: 1491-1607
- Timeline of Significant Events (1650 and earlier)
- "New World" beginnings
- Early English settlement
Period 2: 1607-1754
- Timeline of Significant Events (1650-1750)
- Settlement of the Northern colonies
- American life in the 17th century
- Colonial society leading up to the Revolution
- The fight for control of North America
Period 3: 1754-1800
- Timeline of Significant Events (1750-1775)
- The road to the American Revolution
- Timeline of Significant Events (1775-1800)
- Seceding from the British Empire
- The Confederation and the Constitution
- Starting up a new government
Period 4: 1800-1848
- Timeline of Significant Events (1800-1825)
- The Jeffersonian Republic
- Nationalism and the second war for independence
- Formation of a national economy
- Timeline of Significant Events (1825-1850)
- The rise of a mass democracy
- The ferment of reform and culture
- Controversy over slavery
Period 5: 1844-1877
- Timeline of Significant Events (1850-1875)
- Manifest destiny and its legacy
- The sectional struggle
- Leading up to the Civil War
- Civil War Part 1
- Civil War Part 2
- Reconstruction
Period 6: 1865-1898
- Timeline of Significant Events (1875-1900)
- Politics in the Gilded Age
- Industrial progress
- Development of cities
- Agricultural revolution and the West
- American imperialism
Period 7: 1890-1945
- Timeline of Significant Events (1900-1920)
- America on the world stage
- Progressivism and Theodore Roosevelt's presidency
- Wilsonian progressivism at home and abroad
- World War I
- Timeline of Significant Events (1920-1940)
- The Roaring Twenties
- Economic Boom and Bust
- The Great Depression and the New Deal
- FDR Presidency and the Road to WW2
- World War II
Period 8: 1945-1980
- Timeline of Significant Events (1940-1960)
- Start of the Cold War
- Eisenhower Era
- Timeline of Significant Events (1960-1970)
- Political and social unrest in the sixties
- Timeline of Significant Events (1970-1980)
- Stagnation in the seventies
Period 9: 1980-Present
- Timeline of Significant Events (1980-1990)
- Resurgence of Conservatism
- Clinton presidency and post-Cold War era
- Timeline of Significant Events (2000-Present)
- The start of the new century
Quick Reference Sheets
Here are some quick reference sheets you can use for further AP US History prep.
APUSH Teacher Creations
- Interactive timeline of major historical events in the US through 2015
CourseNotes
- Political parties in US History
- Important political documents in US History
- Important Supreme Court cases
Additional AP US History Resources to Test Your Knowledge
Here are some print and online resources you can use to review for the AP US History exam and smaller portions of the curriculum throughout the school year.
AP US History Review Books
Though not free, AP prep books can be excellent resources for your prep. Here are a few books we recommend getting your hands on :
- The Princeton Review's Cracking the AP US History Exam, 2022 Premium Edition
- Kaplan's AP US History Prep Plus 2020 & 2021
- REA's AP US History Crash Course for the 2020 Exam, 5th Edition
Read our full article on the best review books for APUSH for more details and advice!
Official College Board Materials
The following AP US History practice questions come directly from the College Board, so they're the most accurate representations of what you can expect on the actual test. Try to save these resources for later in your studying to get an accurate reading of your strengths and weaknesses when you're about to take the exam.
Note that older materials (pre-2019) are not aligned with the current exam format , so you will have to tweak your prep a bit to make them work.
- 2020 AP US History Course and Exam Description
- 2017 APUSH Practice Exam
- APUSH Free-Response Questions, 2015-2020 and 2021
Get more guidance on how to use official practice resources in our collection of APUSH practice tests .
Unofficial Practice Materials
Although College Board materials are the gold standard when it comes to APUSH prep, there are some good-quality unofficial resources you can make use of, too. Here are the best ones.
Quizlet Flashcards and Quizzes
These student-created sets of flashcards cover every single aspect of AP US History. You can study different sets depending on where you are in the course or which areas need the most improvement. After studying the terms, you can play games to review them and test your factual recall!
Historyteacher.net Mini Practice Quizzes
This site offers mini practice quizzes for every topic covered in the APUSH course . There are multiple-choice questions as well as "short-answer" questions (you get a drop-down menu of 12 answer choices). These won't help much with the more analytical elements of the test, but if you want to test your knowledge of facts, they'll serve you well.
Albert.io AP US History Practice Quizzes
Albert provides a series of quizzes on every topic in the current APUSH curriculum. As you go through them, the site gives you stats showing how you performed on questions of varying difficulty levels . This should help you figure out whether you've truly mastered the material.
Practice Quizzes for The American Pageant , 12th Edition
This helpful site contains chapter-by-chapter practice quizzes based on an old edition of The American Pageant APUSH textbook. Questions are multiple choice and true/false. This resource is more helpful for factual recall than for analysis questions.
CourseNotes AP US History Practice Quizzes
CourseNotes offers a total of six pages of multiple-choice quizzes on all the topics you need to know for the AP US History exam. Nice!
Varsity Tutors AP US History Practice Quizzes
A well-known test-prep company, Varsity Tutors has short multiple-choice practice quizzes on every APUSH topic as well.
Matching and Multiple-Choice Short Practice Quizzes
This website has sets of matching and multiple-choice questions for every period in US History.
They've got questions; YOU'VE got answers!
Wrap-Up: Making the Most of This AP US History Study Guide
AP US History covers eight major themes across nine time periods. It's hard to study this much material, which is why it's good to have a game plan!
To recap, the steps we recommend taking for your APUSH prep are:
#1: Take a full practice test #2: Catalog your mistakes #3: Study relevant content areas and practice multiple-choice questions #4: Practice planning and writing essays #5: Take a second full practice test
You can repeat these steps as necessary depending on how much you need to improve. As you review, also keep a few key tips in mind:
- Make thematic connections
- Read and repeat
- Practice writing essays frequently
Use the AP US History notes and resources provided above to get yourself up to speed. Also, make sure to start studying for the final exam at least one or two months before test day, so you're not going to be forced to cram for it!
What's Next?
Want more practice with Document-Based Questions? We've got an in-depth article on the best resources for DBQs that you can use in your studying.
Need even more APUSH study materials? Check out our complete list of free AP US History practice tests .
You can also check out our complete study guide to the New York US History Regents Exam . If you take it right after the AP US History exam, you might not need to study much at all!
These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.
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AP United States History
Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.
Not a Student?
Go to AP Central for resources for teachers, administrators, and coordinators.
About the Course
How did the United States become THE United States? What happened to the American economy when factories went from being powered by water to powered by coal? Or how have definitions of who is, and who is not, a U.S. citizen changed over time? In AP United States History, you’ll explore and try to answer questions like these, while discussing the ways in which Americans have debated their values, practices, and traditions since even before the country’s founding.
Skills You'll Learn
Evaluating primary and secondary sources
Analyzing the claims, evidence, and reasoning you find in sources
Putting historical developments in context and making connections between them
Coming up with a claim or thesis and explaining and supporting it in writing
Equivalency and Prerequisites
College course equivalent.
A two-semester introductory college course in U.S. history
Recommended Prerequisites
Fri, May 9, 2025
AP U.S. History Exam
This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP United States History Exam.
About the Units
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
Course Content
Unit 1: period 1: 1491–1607.
You’ll learn about Native American societies as well as how and why Europeans first explored, and then began to colonize, the Americas.
Topics may include:
- Native American societies before European contact
- European exploration in the New World
- The Columbian Exchange
- Labor, slavery, and caste in the Spanish colonial system
- Cultural interactions between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans
On The Exam
4%–6% of score
Unit 2: Period 2: 1607–1754
You'll study the colonies established in the New World by the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British.
- How different European colonies developed and expanded
- Transatlantic trade
- Interactions between American Indians and Europeans
- Slavery in the British colonies
- Colonial society and culture
6%–8% of score
Unit 3: Period 3: 1754–1800
You'll explore the events that led to the American Revolution and the formation of the United States and examine the early years of the republic.
- The Seven Years’ War
- The American Revolution
- The Articles of Confederation
- The creation and ratification of the Constitution
- Developing an American identity
- Immigration to and migration within America
10%–17% of score
Unit 4: Period 4: 1800–1848
You’ll examine how the young nation developed politically, culturally, and economically in this period.
- The rise of political parties
- American foreign policy
- Innovations in technology, agriculture, and business
- Debates about federal power
- The Second Great Awakening
- Reform movements
- The experience of African Americans
Unit 5: Period 5: 1844–1877
You’ll learn how the nation expanded and you’ll explore the events that led to the secession of Southern states and the Civil War.
- Manifest Destiny
- The Mexican–American War
- Attempts to resolve conflicts over the spread of slavery
- The election of 1860 and Southern secession
- The Civil War
- Reconstruction
Unit 6: Period 6: 1865–1898
You’ll examine the nation’s economic and demographic shifts in this period and their links to cultural and political changes.
- The settlement of the West
- The "New South"
- The rise of industrial capitalism
- Immigration and migration
- Debates about the role of government
Unit 7: Period 7: 1890–1945
You’ll examine America’s changing society and culture and the causes and effects of the global wars and economic meltdown of this period.
- Debates over imperialism
- The Progressive movement
- World War I
- Innovations in communications and technology in the 1920s
- The Great Depression and the New Deal
- World War II
- Postwar diplomacy
Unit 8: Period 8: 1945–1980
You’ll learn about the rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States, the growth of various civil rights movements, and the economic, cultural, and political transformations of this period.
- The Cold War and the Red Scare
- America as a world power
- The Vietnam War
- The Great Society
- The African American civil rights movement
- Youth culture of the 1960s
Unit 9: Period 9: 1980–Present
You’ll learn about the advance of political conservatism, developments in science and technology, and demographic shifts that had major cultural and political consequences in this period.
- Reagan and conservatism
- The end of the Cold War
- Shifts in the economy
- Migration and immigration
- Challenges of the 21st century
Credit and Placement
Search AP Credit Policies
Find colleges that grant credit and/or placement for AP Exam scores in this and other AP courses.
Course Resources
Ap classroom resources.
Once you join your AP class section online, you’ll be able to access AP Daily videos, any assignments from your teacher, and your assignment results in AP Classroom. Sign in to access them.
- Go to AP Classroom
United States History Reading Study Skills
Review these tips to help you better understand and analyze the material you’ll read in this course.
United States History Writing Study Skills
Read these suggestions for writing a good essay, such as one you’d write as a response to a document-based question or other free-response question on the exam.
AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description
This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and the AP Program in general.
See Where AP Can Take You
AP United States History can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors
Additional Information
- AP Calculus
- AP Chemistry
- AP U.S. History
- AP World History
- Free AP Practice Questions
- AP Exam Prep
Learn about the AP U.S. History Exam
What’s tested on the ap u.s. history exam.
The AP U.S. History exam is a big one—its content measures your knowledge of U.S. history from pre-Columbian societies to the present. However, the AP exam asks you to take what you’ve learned in class one step further and apply that knowledge in complex and analytic situations to show evidence of college-level learning.
How is the AP U.S. History Exam scored?
The AP U.S. History exam, divided into two sections, is three hours and fifteen minutes long. Section I is 1 hour and 45 minutes long and consists of 55 multiple-choice questions and four short-answer questions. Section II is 1 hour and 30 minutes long and consists of one document-based question (DBQ) and one long essay question (LEQ).
AP U.S. History Study Plans
Studying for the AP U.S. History exam can seem daunting because of the sheer volume of material covered in a yearlong course. Whether you have taken the course over a semester or over two years, the exam measures your knowledge and skill s in exactly the same way. You can use this guide to assist you in studying throughout the year or closer to your exam.
AP U.S. History Quiz
In order to track your progress in preparing for the AP U.S. History Exam, it’s important to take quizzes and practice tests from time to time. You can start with this five-question quiz that spans several of the time periods you’ll see on the AP U.S. History Exam.
Document-Based Questions on the AP U.S. History Exam
The DBQ requires you to synthesize a “substantial number” of documents and in addition to bringing outside information to bear on the question. This is a difficult task, and you have only 15 minutes to plan before you begin writing.
AP U.S. History Period 1 Notes (1491-1607)
Check out our AP U.S. History Period 1 (1491-1607) key definitions and takeaways. You’ll find a printable version of the notes that you can save, take notes on, and use to supplement your learning in class.
AP U.S. History Long Essay Example
The long essay question on the AP U.S. History exam is designed to test your ability to apply knowledge of history in a complex, analytic manner. In other words, you are expected to treat history and historical questions as a historian would.
AP U.S. History Prep Resources
Kaplan has a variety of prep resources available for the AP U.S. History Exam. Check out your test prep options for APUSH and many other AP exams.
More Articles
Ap us history exam: period 5 notes (1844-1877), ap us history exam: period 9 notes (1980-present), ap us history exam: period 2 notes (1607-1754), ap us history exam: period 3 notes (1754-1800), ap u.s. history stress management, ap us history exam: period 1 notes (1491-1607), ap u.s. history document based question example.
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COMMENTS
The second part of Section II of the AP exam contains three long essay questions—you must respond to one. The AP U.S. History long essay question assesses your ability to apply knowledge of history in a complex, analytical manner. In other words, you are expected to treat history and historical questions as a historian would.
Score Distributions. Introduction and Preface. Short Answer Question 1. Short Answer Question 2. Short Answer Question 3. Document-Based Question 1. Long Essay Question 2. Long Essay Question 3. Download free-response questions from past AP United States History exams, along with scoring guidelines, sample responses, and scoring distributions.
We've updated the AP U.S. History document-based question (DBQ) and long essay question (LEQ) rubrics for the 2023-24 school year. This change only affects the DBQ and LEQ scoring, with no change to the course or the exam: the exam format, course framework, and skills assessed on the exam all remain unchanged.
Step 1: Analyze the Prompt. Each long essay question will ask you to "evaluate the extent" of some factor in American history. Since you are evaluating, you will need to develop an argument that addresses the prompt. Make sure to read all three prompts carefully. Think of the evidence you could use and the argument you could develop in ...
Video transcript. - [Voiceover] Okay, this video is about the long essay section on the AP U.S. History exam. Now you might also have heard this called the free response question or FRQ. I think it is officially called the long essay question, so that's what we're gonna go with for now. Now this is the last essay that you'll be writing on the ...
AP ® United States History ... Question 2: Long Essay Question, Population Movement to British America 6 points. General Scoring Notes • Except where otherwise noted, each point of these rubrics is earned independently; for example, a student could earn a point for evidence
These sample exam questions were originally included in the AP U.S. History Curriculum Framework, published in fall 2012. The AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description, which is out now, includes that curriculum framework, along with a new, unique set of exam questions. Because we want teachers to have access to all available questions that ...
AP® U.S. History 2021 Scoring Guidelines. Row D Analysis and Reasoning (0-2 points) 0 points. Does not meet the criteria for one point. 1 point. Uses historical reasoning (e.g., comparison, causation, continuity and change) to frame or structure an argument that addresses the prompt. 2 points.
Video transcript. - [Voiceover] We're talking about the long essay section on the AP US History exam. In the first video on this essay, we talked about general strategy for how to approach the essay. You've got 35 minutes to write it. So, I recommend you spend 5-10 minutes planning, and 25-30 minutes writing.
But from the 1920s to the 1940s, there's not a gigantic revolution, an American Democracy, capitalism, or social structure. Things continue the way that they were and that's why the New Deal is essentially conservative. Okay, well I hope this example helped you with a Long Essay portion of the AP U.S. History exam and good luck. Up next: video ...
Period 9: 1980-Present. AP US History Study Guide. Learn how the Institute impacts history education through our work guiding teachers, energizing students, and supporting research. 49 W. 45th Street. 2nd Floor. New York, NY 10036. Email: [email protected]. Phone: (646) 366-9666. Educational Resources.
The AP US History exam is one of the longer AP tests, and it has four different types of questions: Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Document-Based Question (DBQ), and Long Essay. The main thread running through this test is an emphasis on analyzing historical evidence and applying outside knowledge in context.
Breakdown of Essay: The AP U.S. History exam gives students a choice between two long-essay questions. You chose ONE! A thesis statement is required. You will have 35 minutes to answer the one question you select. Makes up 15 % of final exam score. Graded on a 0-6 point scale.
Step 1: Take a Full-Length Practice Test. Time: 3 hours 15 minutes. The first step is to take a full, official AP US History practice test under realistic conditions. Time yourself in accordance with the actual test and write out both essays (DBQ and Long Essay) completely.
AP US History - Long Essay. It has been argued that the American Revolution came about primarily through an evolving series of meetings, conventions, and congresses. Support, modify, or refute this contention using specific evidence. (Introduction) Many factors led to the independence of America.
The AP U.S. History Exam will test your understanding of the historical concepts covered in the course units, as well as your ability to analyze primary and secondary sources and identify patterns and connections that can support a historical interpretation. Exam Duration. 3hrs 15mins.
Read these suggestions for writing a good essay, such as one you'd write as a response to a document-based question or other free-response question on the exam. ... See Where AP Can Take You. AP United States History can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors. Explore Your Future. Career Areas 72. Majors 21.
AP US History DBQ example 4. Google Classroom. Microsoft Teams. AboutAbout this video. Transcript. Kim explains how to use the themes you identified in the primary documents as an outline, and demonstrates how to include those documents in the final essay. Questions. Tips & Thanks.
The long essay question on the AP U.S. History exam is designed to test your ability to apply knowledge of history in a complex, analytic manner. In other words, you are expected to treat history and historical questions as a historian would. ... AP US History Exam: Period 7 Notes (1890-1945) May 19, 2021 / by admin. AP US History Exam: Period ...
AP ® United States History 2021 Free-Response Questions Question 2, 3, or 4 (Long Essay) Suggested writing time: 40 minutes . Directions: Answer Question 2 or Question 3 or Question 4. In your response you should do the following. • Respond to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis or claim that establishes a line of reasoning. •
a) Historical Reasoning. Responses earn one point by using historical reasoning to frame or structure an argument that addresses continuity and/or change over time in U.S. industry from 1865 to 1900. (1 point) The response might still earn the point if the reasoning used in the response is uneven or imbalanced.
AP® UNITED STATES HISTORY 2015 SCORING COMMENTARY Question 3 — Long Essay Overview Long Essay Question 3 allowed students to evaluate the extent to which the Mexican-American War marked a turning point in the debate over slavery in the U.S., analyzing what changed and what stayed the same from the period before the war to the period after.
AP US History long essay example 1. AP US History long essay example 2. AP US History long essay example 3. Preparing for the AP US History Exam (5/4/2016) ... A DBQ is a type of essay question asked on the AP US History Exam. You are given prompt. You must answer it using information from seven provided documents. You can read more here: ...