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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., guide to the ap u.s. history exam.

The AP ® U.S. History exam, also known as APUSH, is a college-level exam administered every year in May upon the completion of an Advanced Placement U.S. History course taken at your high school. If you score high enough, you could earn college credit!

Check out our AP U.S. History Guide for the essential info you need about the exam:

• AP U.S. History Exam Overview
• AP U.S. History Sections & Question Types
• AP U.S. History Scoring
• How to Prepare

What's on the AP U.S. History Exam?

The College Board requires your AP teacher to cover certain topics in the AP U.S. History course. As you complete your APUSH review, make sure you are familiar with the following topics:

• Period 1 (1491–1607) : Native American Societies Before European Contact; European Exploration in the Americas; Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest; Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System; Cultural Interactions Between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans
• Period 2 (1607–1754) : European Colonization; The Regions of British Colonies; Transatlantic Trade; Interactions Between American Indians and Europeans; Slavery in the British Colonies; Colonial Society and Culture
• Period 3 (1754–1800) : The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War); Taxation Without Representation; Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution; The American Revolution; The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals; The Articles of Confederation; The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification; The Constitution; Shaping a New Republic; Developing an American Identity; Movement in the Early Republic
• Period 4 (1800–1848) : The Rise of Political Parties and the Era of Jefferson; Politics and Regional Interests; America on the World Stage; Market Revolution: Industrialization; Market Revolution: Society and Culture; Expanding Democracy; Jackson and Federal Power; The Development of an American Culture; The Second Great Awakening; An Age of Reform; African Americans in the Early Republic; The Society of the South in the Early Republic
• Period 5 (1844–1877) : Manifest Destiny; The Mexican–American War; The Compromise of 1850; Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences; Failure of Compromise; Election of 1860 and Secession; Military Conflict in the Civil War; Government Policies During the Civil War; Reconstruction; Failure of Reconstruction
• Period 6 (1865–1898) : Westward Expansion: Economic Development; Westward Expansion: Social and Cultural Development; The “New South”; Technological Innovation; The Rise of Industrial Capitalism; Labor in the Gilded Age; Immigration and Migration in the Gilded Age; Responses to Immigration in the Gilded Age; Development of the Middle Class; Reform in the Gilded Age; Controversies over the Role of Government in the Gilded Age; Politics in the Gilded Age
• Period 7 (1890–1945) : Imperialism: Debates; The Spanish–American War; The Progressives; World War I: Military and Diplomacy; World War I: Home Front; 1920s: Innovations in Communication and Technology; 1920s: Cultural and Political Controversies; The Great Depression; The New Deal; Interwar Foreign Policy; World War II: Mobilization; World War II: Military; Postwar Diplomacy
• Period 8 (1945–1980) : The Cold War from 1945 to 1980; The Red Scare; Economy after 1945; Culture after 1945; Early Steps in the Civil Rights Movement (1940s and 1950s); America as a World Power; The Vietnam War; The Great Society; The African American Civil Rights Movement (1960s); The Civil Rights Movement Expands; Youth Culture of the 1960s; The Environment and Natural Resources from 1968 to 1980; Society in Transition
• Period 9 (1980–Present): Reagan and Conservatism; The End of the Cold War; A Changing Economy; Migration and Immigration in the 1990s and 2000s; Challenges of the 21 st Century

Read More: Review for the exam with our AP U.S. History Crash Courses

Sections & Question Types

The APUSH exam takes 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete and is comprised of two sections: a multiple-choice/short answer section and a a free response section. There are two parts to each section.

APUSH Multiple Choice Questions

Questions are grouped into sets of three or four questions and based on a primary source, secondary source, or historical issue. Each set of questions is based on a different piece of source material. This section will test your ability to analyze and engage with the source materials while recalling what you already know about U.S. history.

APUSH Short Answer Questions

The three questions in this section will be tied to a primary source, historical argument, data or maps, or general propositions of U.S. history. Students are required to answer the first and second questions and then answer either the third or the fourth question. You are not required to develop and support a thesis statement, but you must describe examples of historical evidence relevant to the source or question.

APUSH Document-Based Question (DBQ)

The DBQ question requires you to answer a question based on seven primary source documents and your knowledge of the subject and time period. All the documents will pertain to a single subject. Students should develop an argument about the question and use the documents to support this argument.

APUSH Long Essay Question

For the long essay question, you’ll be given a choice of three essay options on the same theme, and you must choose one. You must develop and defend a relevant thesis, but there won’t be any documents on which you must base your response. Instead, you’ll need to draw upon your own knowledge of topics you learned in your AP U.S. History class.

For a comprehensive content review, check out our book,  AP U.S. History Prep

What’s a good AP U.S. History Score?

AP scores are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP U.S. History exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. Here’s how students scored on the May 2020 test:

Source: College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP U.S. History content and strategy, pick the  AP prep option  that works best for your goals and learning style. 

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the ultimate guide to the ap us history exam.

Advanced Placement (AP)

The AP US History exam involves critical reading, writing, and in-depth analysis. It's not just about memorizing names and dates, but rather interpreting historical evidence quickly and accurately, recalling outside information on a topic, and synthesizing your ideas into a coherent argument.

In this guide, we'll give you a rundown of the format and structure of the AP US History test along with a brief content outline, sample questions, and some tips for a great score .

How Is the AP US History Exam Structured?

The next AP US History test will be administered on Friday, May 5, 2023, at 8 AM . This AP exam is three hours and 15 minutes long and consists of two main sections, each of which is divided into a Part A and a Part B.

Before we get into the details of each part, here's an overview of the US History test as a whole:

Section 1, Part A: Multiple Choice

The first section on the test is the multiple-choice section, which is worth 40% of your score and lasts for 55 minutes. You'll get 55 questions, each with four possible answer choices (labeled A-D); this means that you'll have about a minute per question on this part of the exam.

Most US History multiple-choice questions come in sets of three to four questions that require you to respond to certain stimuli, or sources, such as historical texts, graphs, and maps.

Section 1, Part B: Short Answer

Part B of Section 1 on the US History test requires you to answer three short-answer questions in 40 minutes , giving you about 13 minutes per question. It's worth 20% of your overall score.

The first two questions are required, but you get to choose between question 3 and question 4 for your third short answer . Here's what you can expect with each question:

Section 2, Part A: Document-Based Question

The Document-Based Question, or DBQ , is worth 25% of your final score and requires you to write an essay based on a prompt that's accompanied by seven historical documents . You'll get a 15-minute reading period followed by 45 minutes to write your response.

The DBQ will focus on a historical development in the years 1754-1980.

Section 2, Part B: Long Essay

The final part of the AP US History test is the Long Essay, for which you must choose one of three possible prompts and write an essay on the topic. You'll have 40 minutes to write your response, which will count for 15% of your overall AP score.

To earn full credit here, you must develop a clear and logical argument and support it with relevant historical evidence (which won't be directly provided to you as it will be on the DBQ).

Each of the three essay prompts revolves around a different time period in US history:

• Essay Prompt 1: 1491-1800
• Essay Prompt 2: 1800-1898
• Essay Prompt 3: 1890-2001

Content Background for the AP US History Exam

There are eight themes addressed in the AP US History course , and all of them show up in one form or another on the exam across the nine units, or time periods . Each represents a subset of learning objectives that students are expected to master. You can read more about these learning objectives in the AP US History Course and Exam Description .

Before I give you a broad overview of the eight themes, let's take a look at how the major units are weighted on the AP US History exam :

Below, we give you the definition of each course theme as described in the AP US History Course 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 as well as 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 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.

Sample AP US History Questions

Now that you have a sense of the test content, I'll present you with sample questions to give you a better idea of what the AP US History exam actually looks like. All sample questions come from the official US History Course and Exam Description .

Sample Multiple-Choice Question

For multiple choice, you're given one or two pieces of historical evidence followed by a set of questions that ask you to do some analysis . The US History exam is less about knowing specific dates and names and more about being able to draw conclusions and connect themes based on materials provided by the test.

To answer this question, you don't even really need to know much about US history, as long as you pay attention to exactly what's written in the passage, or the secondary source you've been given. The passage here is mainly focused on the increase in commerce in New York as a result of the opening of the Erie Canal.

Answer choice A mentions commerce—that's a good sign—but specifically commerce with Native Americans, who are not mentioned at all in the passage, so this is unlikely to be the right answer.

Answer choice B discusses increased access to markets in the United States, which seems to echo what the passage says about commerce in New York. We'll hold onto this as a potential answer.

Answer choice C is all about the internal slave trade, which isn't mentioned at all in the secondary source, so we can assume this is wrong.

Answer choice D talks about agricultural production, which, again, isn't the focus of the passage—that's commerce. As a result, we can cross this off our list.

This means that the only logical answer to choose is answer choice B .

Sample Short-Answer Question

The short-answer questions are technically considered part of the multiple-choice section because they're less involved than the essay questions. Alt hough they do have multiple parts, you don't have to come up with a thesis—one-sentence answers are OK. These questions are about succinctly connecting themes and reference materials to specific events or trends.

Here's an example:

This short-answer question is an example of question 1, which comes with two secondary sources. As you can see, you'll have to answer three separate parts (A, B, and C), each of which is worth 1 point ; this means you can earn up to 3 points for each short-answer question.

Here's how you could earn full credit for this sample question, per the official scoring guidelines .

(A) Sample Answers

• Peiss argues that pursuits of entertainment in dance halls by working class women created new, legitimate social spaces for women, however Enstand argues that working women's participation in labor politics gave them a new voice and place in the public sphere.
• Peiss links the growth of women in public social life to a commercial culture that provided opportunities for women to enter the public sphere while Enstand argues that women became political actors who demanded a public voice.

(B) Sample Answers

• Like the dance halls, department stores and amusement parks became aspects of the commercial culture that represented new opportunities for women to enjoy public places as legitimate participants.
• The concept of the New Woman became a cultural phenomenon, as the older idea of separate spheres diminished. The idea of the New Woman supported a more public role for women in the early 1900s.
• The growth of cities and urban America gave young women more opportunities to leave rural America and participate in the developments described by Peiss.
• New technologies such as electric lighting made possible new public spaces for personal freedom for women.

(C) Sample Answers

• Women's participation in the suffrage movement, settlement house work, temperance organizing, and the Progressive movement all contributed to modern attitudes about women and increased their roles in the public sphere.
• The ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution gave women the vote and a voice in politics.
• Women were the main participants in the New York shirtwaist strike of 1909. During this strike women made public demands like those described by Enstad.
• Women organized or participated in labor unions such as the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) which is an example of their growing voice in the public sphere.
• Working-class women had key public roles in the successful Lawrence (Massachusetts) textile strike of 1912, this demonstrates that women became active political voices through labor movements.

Sample Document-Based Question

With the DBQ , you'll have seven different historical documents to examine . To earn full credit, you must use at least six documents as evidence in your answer. These documents range from transcripts of folk songs, to excerpts from letters and newspapers, to demographic maps.

Here's an example of a DBQ (with one document shown):

There are several components of a solid response to this question. The DBQ is worth a total of 7 raw points . Here's how you could earn full credit, according to the scoring guidelines .

Sample Long Essay Question

For the Long Essay, you must choose between three prompts . Here's an example of a potential prompt:

Your essay should include many of the same elements as your answer to the DBQ, but there are no documents to analyze and reference , so you'll have less time to write. The essay is worth 6 raw points .

Here's how you could earn full credit for the sample question above, per the scoring guidelines .

How Is the AP US History Exam Scored?

Here, we'll go over how each section on the AP US History exam is scored, scaled, and combined to give you your final AP score on the 1-5 scale .

On the multiple-choice section, you earn 1 raw point for each question you answer correctly; this means that the max score you can earn here is 55 points. No points are taken off for incorrect answers.

Each of the three short-answer questions is worth 3 points, so there are 9 points possible in this section.

The DBQ is scored out of 7 points and is based on the following criteria, per the scoring guide :

• Thesis/claim: 1 point
• Contextualization: 1 point
• Evidence from the documents: 2 points
• Evidence beyond the documents: 1 point
• Sourcing: 1 point
• Complexity: 1 point

Lastly, the Long Essay is out of 6 raw points and is scored using the following criteria:

• Evidence: 2 points
• Analysis and reasoning: 2 points

On essay questions, points are taken off for errors only if they detract from the quality of the argument being made (in other words, don't go making up historical facts to support your argument). Grammatical and other technical errors aren't a big deal as long as they don't inhibit the grader's ability to understand what your essay is saying.

The total number of raw points you can earn on the AP US History test is 77:

• 55 points for the Multiple Choice questions
• 9 points for the Short Answer questions
• 7 points for the DBQ
• 6 points for the Long Essay

Raw scores can be converted to scaled scores out of 150 . Here's how to do that for each section:

• Multiple Choice: Multiply your raw multiple-choice section score out of 55 by 1.09
• Short Answer: Multiply your raw short-answer score out of 9 by 3.33
• DBQ: Multiply your raw DBQ score out of 7 by 5.36
• Long Essay: Multiply your raw Long Essay score out of 6 by 3.75

Finally, add all the scores together to get your final scaled AP score for US History! Here is a chart to show you approximately how these scaled scores translate to final AP scores:

Source: The College Board

I made my best estimates based on other AP score conversion charts because there was no official scaled-to-AP-score conversion chart online for US History. Your AP teacher or review book might have a more accurate score conversion system you can use for official practice tests.

4 Essential Tips for Acing the AP US History Exam

AP US History is a grueling test that requires intense critical thinking and analytical skills. Here are some helpful tips to remember if you hope to do well on test day.

#1: Don't Confuse Accurate Facts for Correct Answers

Many multiple-choice questions will list answers that are accurate representations of historical events or trends but that don't directly respond to the question being asked . Be wary of these answers on the test so you don't accidentally choose them over more relevant responses.

In the multiple-choice question I gave above as an example, one incorrect choice was "The growth in the internal slave trade." At the time referenced in the question, this was a real trend that occurred, but because it doesn't relate directly to the passage given, it's still the wrong answer .

Don't let these types of answer choices confuse you; adhere to the particulars of the question and the evidence presented to you!

#2: Pay Attention to Details—Read Excerpts Carefully

Most of this AP exam is based on historical reference materials, meaning that you won't be able to answer questions correctly without reading carefully. Even if you know everything there is to know about US History, that knowledge will mostly just serve to contextualize the evidence presented on the test. The specific details found in the writings and images will ultimately reveal the best answer choice.

#3: Plan Before You Write

It's critical to write well-organized, focused essays on the AP US History test. A clear thesis is the first thing on the agenda. You then need to make sure that the rest of your essay ties back into your thesis and provides relevant evidence throughout. If you jump into writing an essay without taking the time to organize your thoughts, you're more likely to ramble or get off-topic from the main focus of the question.

For the DBQ, you should spend 15 of the 60 minutes planning how to organize your thoughts and how to use the different documents as evidence. While you will have less time for the Long Essay, you should still spend five minutes or so writing a brief outline before starting your final draft.

#4: Use Outside Evidence Wisely

It's a smart idea to incorporate additional background knowledge into your DBQ and Long Essay responses on the AP US History test. It shows that you've mastered the material and can connect themes to what you learned in class and not just what was presented to you in the question.

That said, don't include outside knowledge unless it really bolsters your argument . If you're just sticking it in there to prove how much you know, your essay will lack focus and you might lose points.

This is why it's so important to plan ahead. In the planning stage, you can think of examples that tie into your thesis and strategically place them throughout your essay in ways that contribute to your point.

Conclusion: Getting a Great Score on the AP US History Exam

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. In your studying, you will need to learn to connect the themes of the course to events spanning 500 years of US history.

Here are some study tips to heed as you prep for the AP US History test:

• Don't mistake accurate facts for correct answers
• Always read excerpts carefully
• Plan before writing your essays
• Use outside evidence strategically

Make sure that you practice all the different types of exam questions with official materials before you sit down to take the real test . If you get used to thinking about history in an analytical, evidence-based context, you should have no problem earning a high US History score!

What's Next?

Looking for more practice materials? Check out our article on the best online quizzes you can take to prepare for the AP US History test !

Review books can be extremely helpful tools in preparing for AP exams. If you can't decide which one to get, take a look at this list of the best review books for the AP US History test .

Did you lose some of your notes? Feel free to use these links to AP US History notes for every section of the course .

Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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The AP U.S. History exam is one of the most popular AP exams among self-studiers and enrolled students alike. In 2019, just under 500,000 students took the AP U.S. History exam, making it the second most popular AP exam, trailing only English Language. If you’re planning to take the AP U.S. History exam, whether you have taken the class or self-studied, read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for to best prepare for it.

When is the AP U.S. History Exam?

In 2020, the AP U.S. History exam will be administered on Friday, May 8 at 8:00 am. For a comprehensive list of all the AP exam dates and times, check out our blog 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know .

What Does the AP U.S. History Exam Cover?

The AP U.S. History exam measures your ability to analyze historical data, assess historical evidence, analyze significant issues in U.S. history, and understand historical sources, images, graphs, and maps. 

Throughout the AP U.S. History course, students explore eight themes, using them to make connections between historical occurrences in different times and places. Those themes are:

• American and national identity
• Work, exchange, and technology
• Geography and the environment
• Migration and settlement
• Politics and power
• America in the world
• American and regional culture
• Social structures

In 2015, the AP U.S. History exam was redesigned to reflect a less partisan account of history and to present information in a more factual manner, with less interpretation offered to students. Students are now expected to understand the sequence of major historical events as presented, and interpret the significance of these events themselves.

The new exam is also now more focused on analytical and reading comprehension skills, rather than purely fact-based knowledge. It’s important to remember when preparing for the exam to use material produced in 2015 and after, as older material will be outdated and no longer helpful in preparing for the exam.    

AP U.S. History Exam Course Content

The AP U.S. History course consists of nine units, covering U.S. history from 1491 through the present. Below is a look at how the units break down and what percentage of the exam they represent. 

How Long is the AP U.S. History Exam ? What is the Format?

The AP U.S. History exam is one of the longer AP exams, clocking in at three hours and 15 minutes. It is comprised of these sections:

Section 1(a): Section 1(a) takes 55 minutes, contains 55 multiple-choice questions, and accounts for 40% of your total score. 

• Questions in Section 1(a) provide one or more sources of historical text and test your ability to analyze them and the development and process described in the text. 

Source: The College Board

Section 1(b): Section 1(b) contains three short-answer questions, takes 40 minutes, and accounts for 20% of your total score. 

• The first question you’re given includes one or two secondary sources and focuses on historical developments or process from 1754 to 1980. Students are tasked with analyzing the material provided—putting it in context and making connections.
• The second question includes a primary source and also focuses on the years between 1754 and 1980. Students are similarly tasked to analyze the material provided—putting it in context and making connections.
• For the final question of this section, students are given a choice between two questions to answer, one regarding the years between 1491 and 1877, the other covering the years between 1865 and 2001. No sources are provided for either question. 

Section 2: The last section contains two free-response questions and takes one hour and 40 minutes. The final section comprises one document-based question (DBQ), which you have an hour to answer, and one long essay that you are given 40 minutes to write. This section makes up 40% of your score, with 25% coming from the document-based question and 15% from the long essay. 

• Document-Based Question: Relating to historical developments and processes between the years of 1754 and 1980, students are given seven documents providing varying perspectives on a historical moment. You’ll need to develop an argument and support it based on the provided documents and your personal knowledge of the event.

• Long Essay: Students have a choice between three questions, each covering a particular time period: 1491–1800, 1800–1898, or 1890–2001. All three questions test the same skills and reasoning process: comparison, causation, or continuity and change. 

AP U.S. History Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

In 2019, 53.6% of students who took the AP U.S. History received a score of 3 or higher. Only 11.8% of students received the top score of 5, while 24.3% scored a 1 on the exam. For more score distributions, see the 2019 AP Student Score Report .

Keep in mind that credit and advanced standing based on AP scores varies widely from college to college. Be sure to check whether the schools on your list accept AP exam credit, and if so, what scores they require.

A full course description that can help guide your studying and understanding of test can be found in the College Board’s AP U.S. History course description .

Best Ways to Study for the AP U.S. History Exam

Step 1: assess your skills.

It’s important to start your studying off with a good understanding of your existing knowledge. Although the College Board AP U.S. History website provides a number of sample test questions, it does not provide a complete sample test. Additional sample questions are found in the College Board’s AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description . You can also find a practice test in many of the official study guides, and some even include a diagnostic test to act as your initial assessment.

Step 2: Study the Material

The AP U.S. History course covers an enormous amount of material, so you should allow plenty of time to prepare. Because you’re asked to frame historical developments in different times and places, you’ll need to learn significant events, people, developments, and processes from U.S. history and employ the thinking skills and methods historians use to study the past. These include analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical comparisons, chronological reasoning, and argumentation.    

Go to the Source: The College Board provides a number of resources for planning your studies. These include a series of videos summarizing the course , a list of example textbooks , and an endorsed study guide . The official course description is also an invaluable tool to shape your understanding of the course content.    

Ask the Experts: For a more specific idea of where to focus your studying, consider using a formal study guide. The Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP U.S. History Exam, 2020 Edition: Proven Techniques to Help You Score a 5 is a comprehensive guide that includes summaries of every major historical event you’ll need to know, along with scoring explanations. Another solid choice is Barron’s AP United States History, 3rd Edition which is written in much the same format as the AP exam and can be purchased with optional flashcards .

Find Free Resources: There are also a number of free study resources available online. Khan Academy has a comprehensive APUSH study guide that includes videos and sample questions. Many AP teachers have also posted complete study guides, review sheets, and test questions. Be careful when accessing these though, as some will be from previous versions of the exam. Remember, anything published before 2015 is now obsolete for the AP U.S. History course and exam.   

Study on-the-go with an app: A convenient way to study is to use one of the recently developed apps for AP exams. These can be free or cost a small fee, and they provide an easy way to quiz yourself on-the-go. Make sure you read reviews before choosing one—their quality varies widely. Here’s an example of a free APUSH app created by a high school teacher .

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you have your theory down, test it out by practicing multiple-choice questions. You can find these in most study guides or through online searches. You could also try taking the multiple-choice section of another practice exam.

Keep in mind that many of the questions on this exam test your ability to comprehend and analyze a passage of text, a table of information, or a map, rather than recall any specific historical knowledge. As such, practicing multiple-choice questions is just as important as having a solid grasp on the content of the course.

The College Board Course Description includes many practice multiple-choice questions along with explanations of their answers. As you go through these, try to keep track of which areas are still tripping you up, and go back over this theory again. Focus on understanding what each question is asking and keep a running list of any vocabulary that is still unfamiliar.

Step 4: Practice Free-Response Questions

The AP U.S. History exam is different from other AP exams in that it consists of five free-response questions of varying length and content. To be successful in these sections, you should know what to expect from each question.

Short Answer: The first three free-response questions are considered “short answer” and you will be allowed 40 minutes to complete them all. These questions tend to have multiple parts, with each requiring a very specific and limited response. You will probably be asked to interpret a graph or figure, compare and contrast the effects of different cultural approaches from specific time periods, or list distinct precipitating factors of significant historical events. You should be able to answer each part of these questions in a short, succinct paragraph. Khan Academy has great videos on sample APUSH short answers .

Document-Based Question: The second free-response section is a document-based question, and you will have one hour to complete it. This one question alone is worth 25% of your total exam score. To master it, you will need to carefully read the question, practice active reading skills while reviewing the documents, and make a strong outline before you begin to write. The exam will provide you with a rough outline of key considerations in the scoring of your work. This includes the definition of a strong thesis and specific elements to include in your essay, such as six of the seven sources, context for at least four of them, and one piece of outside evidence . Be sure to completely review these requirements and check them off as you are outlining and writing your response. Many points are lost by students who simply forget to include one of the scoring criteria. The YouTube channel Heimler’s History has an awesome video on how to write the APUSH DQB .

Long Essay: The last free-response section is a long-essay response, and you will have 40 minutes to complete it. It is worth 15% of your total exam score. This section gives you the choice of three separate prompts—remember that you only need to answer one of them. As in the document-based question above, you will be provided with a rough outline of key considerations for the scoring of your work. These include a strong thesis, application of your historical thinking skills, ability to support your argument with specific examples, and the synthesis of your response into a greater historical context.

For more details about how the document-based section and long-essay section are scored, review the College Board’s scoring rubric . To see authentic examples of past student responses and scoring explanations for each, visit the College Board’s Student Samples, Scoring Guidelines, and Commentary . Khan Academic has videos with APUSH long essay examples .

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

As you did at the very beginning of your studying, take a practice test to evaluate your progress. You should see a steady progression of knowledge, and it’s likely that you will see patterns identifying which areas have improved the most and which areas still need improvement.

If you have time, repeat each of the steps above to incrementally increase your score.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

CollegeVine can’t predict how well you’ll perform on the AP U.S. History exam, but we can help you assess your odds of getting accepted into your dream school. Our free, data-driven chancing engine takes into account numerous factors such as GPA, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you how you stack up against other applicants and how to improve your chances. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account to start using our chancing engine today!

For more information about AP exams, be sure to check out these other CollegeVine posts: 

• 2020 AP Exam Schedule
• How Long is Each AP Exam?

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AP History LEQ: Analysis and Reading

1 min read • december 8, 2023

Exam simulation mode

Prep for the AP exam with questions that mimic the test!

⭐️ Crafting a structured argument is crucial. Dive deep into the nuances of using reasoning skills to enhance your writing and make your arguments stand out!

📜  Analysis and Reasoning: Historical Reasoning

What does an argument consist of.

• A good argument requires structure, necessitating one of the course reasoning skills to create that structure. You can choose whichever skill works best for a particular prompt:  causation ,  comparison , or  continuity and change over time .

How do I know if my reasoning is good?

• Strong reasoning goes throughout an essay, so this will be the overarching structure of your writing from the thesis through your body paragraphs.
• The reasoning doesn’t necessarily have to be completely balanced or even in order to count, which gives you room to write about what you know best. For example, in an essay structured around continuity and change, you might spend most of your time addressing changes and relatively little time addressing continuity. And that’s ok.
• The best essays do address both “sides” of the historical reasoning, and yours should too. If you created a complex thesis in your introduction, you can extend those ideas into your body paragraphs. Even if you don’t have equal sentences or paragraphs for each topic, as long as you address the reasoning process in your essay, you’re on the right track.

Reasoning Skills:

• Example: Choose this when a prompt asks about the reasons behind a specific event.
• Example: Ideal for prompts asking for an analysis of two different, yet related events or periods.
• Example: Use this when the prompt is about the evolution or persistence of certain aspects over a period.

Courtesy of Nora

🛎️  Selecting the Right Reasoning Skill

• Every historical prompt comes with its own unique flavor. Thus, depending on the nuances of the question, you might lean towards causation (unraveling the 'why' behind events), comparison (contrasting and juxtaposing entities/events), or continuity and change over time (decoding the transformations and constants over a timeline).
• But how do you ascertain that your choice hits the bullseye? The strength of your reasoning should cascade throughout your essay, crafting a cohesive thread from the introduction to the conclusion.
• Remember, perfection doesn’t always equate to balance. You might pivot more towards changes and brush over continuities, or vice versa. This choice is not a sign of weakness; instead, it shows you're strategizing based on your strengths.
• Nevertheless, aim to touch upon both dimensions of your chosen reasoning skill. Even if you veer more towards one side, ensuring a nod to the other aspect accentuates the depth and comprehensiveness of your argument.

💎  Elevate Your Argument

• 🎯 Crafting a Complex Thesis : Root your essay in a thesis that's not just a statement but a promise of a journey. This thesis should be a preview of the intricate tapestry of ideas you're about to weave.
• 🤓 Integrating Ideas : As you venture into the body of your essay, ensure a seamless flow. Ideas should not just follow one another; they should converse, contest, and converge.
• 📚 Evidence Selection : While it’s pivotal to have a wealth of information, discernment in choosing the most impactful evidence amplifies your argument's potency. Each piece of evidence should not just support but elevate your argument.
• 🪄 Concluding with a Punch : Your conclusion is not just a summary. It's the final note that resonates, the crescendo of your symphony. Ensure it leaves an impression, encapsulating the essence of your argument and its significance.

💡 Pro Tip: Practice makes perfect. Regularly engage with diverse historical prompts. Experiment with different reasoning skills. Over time, you’ll develop an intuitive knack for selecting the best strategy for any given topic.

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APUSH Long Essay Question Example 1

Evaluate the extent to which european contact and colonization impacted the indigenous populations and cultures in the americas between 1491 and 1800..

• What were the motivations behind European exploration and colonization in the Americas?
• How did European contact affect the indigenous populations in terms of health, society, and politics?
• What were some key moments or events that exemplify the interaction between Europeans and indigenous populations?
• Were there any areas or tribes that resisted or adapted differently to European influence?
• How did indigenous cultures change or adapt as a result of European contact?
• Thesis/Claim (1 point): The essay presents a clear and defensible thesis in the introduction. The thesis is evident in the statement, “The impact of European contact and colonization on indigenous populations and cultures in the Americas between 1491 and 1800 was profound and multifaceted.” This thesis directly addresses the prompt and sets the stage for the arguments that follow.
• Contextualization (1 point): To earn this point, students must describe a broader historical context relevant to the prompt. The essay provides context by mentioning European motivations for exploration, such as wealth, trade routes, and religious expansion. This provides readers with a clear backdrop against which the main arguments of the essay are set.
• Evidence (2 points): The APUSH standards require students to support their thesis with specific evidence. In the sample essay, there’s a plethora of evidence cited, such as the introduction of diseases, the encomienda system, the Pueblo Revolt, and the cultural blending of traditions. Each piece of evidence is directly related to the thesis and supports the argument that European contact and colonization had a significant impact on indigenous populations and cultures.
• Analysis and Reasoning (2 points): This is where students must demonstrate a deeper understanding of the topic. The essay does this in several ways. First, it analyzes the significance of each piece of evidence, explaining, for example, how the introduction of diseases decimated native populations and disrupted social structures. Second, it shows a complex understanding by discussing both the negative and positive impacts, resistance, and cultural adaptation. This comparison not only reinforces the thesis but also provides a nuanced view of the period.

When you are done reviewing this LEQ example, you can use the buttons below to proceed to our Long Essay example 2 or return to the APUSH Practice Exam main menu.