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CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction: 5-Step Program
STEP 1 Set Up Your Study Program
Chapter 1 What You Need to Know About the AP U.S. History Exam
Advanced Placement Program
AP U.S. History Exam
Taking the AP U.S. History Exam
Chapter 2 Preparing for the AP U.S. History Exam
Getting Started
Three Plans for Test Preparation
STEP 2 Determine Your Test Readiness
Chapter 3 Take a Diagnostic Exam
How to Use the Diagnostic Exam
When to Use the Diagnostic Exam
Conclusion (After the Exam)
AP U.S. History Diagnostic Exam
Answers to the Diagnostic Exam
Explanations for the Multiple-Choice Questions
Explanations for the Short-Answer Questions
Explanation for the Document-Based Question
Explanations for the Long-Essay Questions
STEP 3 Develop Strategies for Success
Chapter 4 Mastering Skills and Understanding Themes for the New Exam
New Approach to the AP U.S. History Exam
Historical Analytical Skills, Historical Themes, and Exam Questions
Chapter 5 Strategies for Approaching Each Question Type
Multiple-Choice Questions
Short-Answer Questions
Document-Based Question (DBQ)
Long-Essay Question
Using Primary Source Documents
STEP 4 Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High
Chapter 6 Settling of the Western Hemisphere (1491–1607)
Native Americans
European Exploration of the Americas
Chapter Review
Chapter 7 Colonial America (1607–1650)
The French in Canada
The English in the Americas
Effects of English, French, and British Settlement
Chapter Review
Chapter 8 British Empire in America: Growth and Conflict (1650–1750)
Impact of Mercantilism
African Slavery in the Americas
Continued Unrest in New England
Salem Witch Trials
Wars in Europe and Their Impact on the Colonies
Growth of the Colonial Assemblies
Era of “Salutary Neglect”
Great Awakening
Chapter Review
Chapter 9 Resistance, Rebellion, and Revolution (1750–1775)
Problems on the Frontier
Additional Conflicts Between the British and Their Colonial “Allies”
Policies of George Grenville
A Sense of Crisis: The Stamp Act
More Protest: The Townshend Acts
Continued Tension in Massachusetts
Calm Before the Storm: 1770–1773
Boston Tea Party
Intolerable Acts
First Continental Congress
Chapter Review
Chapter 10 American Revolution and the New Nation (1775–1787)
American Revolution
Second Continental Congress
Declaration of Independence
Outbreak of the Revolution: Divisions in the Colonies
Strategies of the American Revolution
Washington as Commander
War Moves to the South
Treaty of Paris
Establishment of Governmental Structures in the New Nation
Articles of Confederation
Northwest Ordinances
Shays’s Rebellion
Chapter Review
Chapter 11 Establishment of New Political Systems (1787–1800)
Desire for a Stronger Central Government
Government under the New Constitution
Issue of Slavery
Ratification of the Constitution
Presidency of George Washington
Bill of Rights
Competing Visions: Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson
French Revolution
Foreign Policy and Jay’s Treaty
Washington’s Farewell Address
Presidency of John Adams
Alien and Sedition Acts
Chapter Review
Chapter 12 Jeffersonian Revolution (1800–1820)
Election of 1800
Reform of the Courts
Westward Expansion
Political Tensions and the Strange Case of Aaron Burr
European Wars Spill Over to America (Again)
War of 1812
American System
Missouri Compromise
Chapter Review
Chapter 13 Rise of Manufacturing and the Age of Jackson (1820–1845)
Growth of the Factory
Monroe Doctrine
Policy Toward Native Americans
Second Great Awakening
Political Reform: The Jacksonian Era (1829–1841)
Election of 1824
1828 Presidential Election
Jackson as President
Nullification Controversy
Bank Crisis
Whig Party: A Challenge to the Democratic-Republicans
Chapter Review
Chapter 14 Union Expanded and Challenged (1835–1860)
Ideology of Manifest Destiny
“Remember the Alamo!”
Pivotal Election of 1844
War with Mexico
Political Challenges of the 1850s
Effects of the Compromise of 1850
Presidency of Franklin Pierce
Return of Sectional Conflict
“Bleeding Kansas”: Slave or Free?
Dred Scott Decision
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
John Brown’s Raid
Presidential Election of 1860
Chapter Review
Chapter 15 Union Divided: The Civil War (1861–1865)
Advantages of the North and South in the War
Attack on Fort Sumter and the Beginning of the War
War Aims and Strategies
Developments in the South and in the North
Emancipation Proclamation
1863: The War Tips to the North
War Weariness in the North and the South
End of the Confederacy
Chapter Review
Chapter 16 Era of Reconstruction (1865–1877)
Lincoln’s Plans for Reconstruction
Andrew Johnson’s Plan for Reconstruction
Reconstruction Programs of the Radical Republicans
Period of Radical Reconstruction
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Radical Reconstruction Reinforced
End of Reconstruction
Chapter Review
Chapter 17 Western Expansion and Its Impact on the American Character (1860–1895)
Federal Legislation Encourages Western Settlement
Farming on the Great Plains
Transformation of Agriculture on the Plains
Women and Minorities on the Plains
Mining and Lumbering in the West
Ranching in the West
Plight of Native Americans
Organization of the American Farmer and Populism
Impact of the West on American Society
Chapter Review
Chapter 18 America Transformed into the Industrial Giant of the World (1870–1910)
Growth of Industrial America
Changing Nature of American Industry
Consolidation of Businesses
Growth of Labor Unions
Improved Standard of Living?
Impact of Immigration on American Society
Transformation of the American City
Politics of the Gilded Age
Cultural Life in the Gilded Age
Chapter Review
Chapter 19 Rise of American Imperialism (1890–1913)
Period of Foreign Policy Inaction
Sign of Things to Come: Hawaii
The 1890s: Reasons for American Imperialism
Spanish-American War
Role of America: Protector or Oppressor?
Debate over the Philippines
Connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic: The Panama Canal
Roosevelt Corollary
Chapter Review
Chapter 20 Progressive Era (1895–1914)
Origins of Progressivism
Goals of Progressives
Urban Reforms
Progressives at the State Level
Women and Progressivism
Reforming the Workplace
Square Deal of Theodore Roosevelt
Progressivism under William Howard Taft
1912 Presidential Election
Progressive Legacy of Woodrow Wilson
Did Progressivism Succeed?
Chapter Review
Chapter 21 United States and World War I (1914–1921)
American Response to the Outbreak of War
Increasing American Support for the Allied Powers
America Moves Toward War
America Enters the War
Impact of the American Expeditionary Force
Home Front During World War I
Keeping America Patriotic
Woodrow Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles
United States and the Middle East
Treaty of Versailles and the U.S. Senate
Consequences of American Actions After the War
Chapter Review
Chapter 22 Beginning of Modern America: The 1920s
Decade of Prosperity
Republican Leadership in the 1920s
Presidency of Warren G. Harding
Scandals of the Harding Administration
Presidency of Calvin Coolidge
Election of 1928
Urban vs. Rural: The Great Divide of the 1920s
Culture in the 1920s
The Jazz Age
The Lost Generation
Chapter Review
Chapter 23 Great Depression and the New Deal (1929–1939)
American Economy of the 1920s: Roots of the Great Depression
Stock Market Crash
Social Impact of the Great Depression
Hoover Administration and the Depression
1932 Presidential Election
First Hundred Days
Second New Deal
Presidential Election of 1936
Opponents of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal
Last Years of the New Deal
Effects of the New Deal
New Deal Culture
Chapter Review
Chapter 24 World War II (1933–1945)
American Foreign Policy in the 1930s
United States and the Middle East in the Interwar Era
Presidential Election of 1940 and Its Aftermath
Attack on Pearl Harbor
America Enters the War
Role of the Middle East in World War II
War Against Japan
Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb
Home Front During the War
Discrimination During the War
Chapter Review
Chapter 25 Origins of the Cold War (1945–1960)
First Cracks in the Alliance: 1945
The Iron Curtain
Marshall Plan
Berlin: The First Cold War Crisis
1949: A Pivotal Year in the Cold War
Middle East in the Early Years of the Cold War
Cold War at Home
Heating of the Cold War: Korea
Rise of McCarthyism
Cold War Policies of President Eisenhower
Dangerous Arms Buildup
Chapter Review
Chapter 26 Prosperity and Anxiety: The 1950s
Economic Growth and Prosperity
Political Developments of the Postwar Era
Civil Rights Struggles of the Postwar Period
Conformity of the Suburbs
Chapter Review
Chapter 27 America in an Era of Turmoil (1960–1975)
1960 Presidential Election
Domestic Policies Under Kennedy and Johnson
Struggle of Black Americans: From Nonviolence to Black Power
Rise of Feminism
Cold War in the 1960s
Vietnam War and Its Impact on American Society
Chapter Review
Chapter 28 Decline and Rebirth (1968–1988)
Presidency of Richard Nixon
Watergate Affair
Presidency of Gerald Ford
Presidency of Jimmy Carter
Election of 1980
Presidency of Ronald Reagan
Chapter Review
Chapter 29 Prosperity and a New World Order (1988–2000)
1988 Election
Presidency of George H. Bush
1992 Election
Presidency of Bill Clinton
2000 Presidential Election
Chapter Review
Chapter 30 Threat of Terrorism, Increase of Presidential Power, and Economic Crisis (2001–
2014)
9/11 and Its Aftermath
Events Leading Up to the American Invasion of Iraq
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Effects of the War at Home
Victory of Conservatism in the Bush Era
United States in Transition: 2007–2008
Obama Presidency
Election of 2012
Chapter Review
Chapter 31 Contemporary America: Evaluating the “Big Themes”
STEP 5 Build Your Test-Taking Confidence
AP U.S. History Practice Exam 1
AP U.S. History Practice Exam 2
Glossary
Bibliography
Websites
PREFACE
So, you have decided to take AP U.S. History. Prepare to be continually challenged in this course: this
is the only way you will attain the grade that you want on the AP exam in May. Prepare to read, to
read a lot, and to read critically; almost all students successful in AP U.S. History say this is a
necessity. Prepare to analyze countless primary source documents; being able to do this is critical for
success in the exam as well. Most important, prepare to immerse yourself in the great story that is
U.S. history. As your teacher will undoubtedly point out, it would be impossible to make up some of
the people and events you will study in this class. What really happened is much more interesting!
This study guide will assist you along the journey of AP U.S. History. The chapter review guides
give you succinct overviews of the major events of U.S. history. At the end of each chapter is a list of
the major concepts, a time line, and review multiple-choice questions for that chapter. In addition, a
very extensive glossary is included at the back of this manual. All of the boldface words throughout
the book can be found in the glossary (it would also be a good study technique to review the entire
glossary before taking the actual AP exam).
The first five chapters of the manual describe the AP test itself and suggest some test-taking
strategies. There are also two entire sample tests, with answers. These allow you to become totally
familiar with the format and nature of the questions that will appear on the exam. On the actual testing
day you want absolutely no surprises!
In the second chapter, you will also find time lines for three approaches to preparing for the exam.
It is obviously suggested that your preparation for the examination be a year-long process; for those
students unable to do that, two alternative calendars also appear. Many students also find that study
groups are very beneficial in studying for the AP test. Students who have been successful on the AP
test oftentimes form these groups very early in the school year.
It should also be noted that the AP United States History test that you are taking is different from
the one that your older brother or sister took in the past. There are even some new things in the test
that your teacher has not prepared students for before. We will outline the new AP U.S. History exam
in detail in the first several chapters. Do not use old study guides or review sheets that were used to
prepare for prior tests—these do not work anymore!
We hope this manual helps you in achieving the “perfect 5.” That score is sitting out there, waiting
for you to reach for it.
INTRODUCTION:
5-STEP PROGRAM
The Basics
This guide provides you with the specific format of the AP U.S. History exam, three sample AP U.S.
History tests, and a comprehensive review of major events and themes in U.S. history. After each
review chapter, you will find a time line and several review questions.
Reading this guide is a great start to getting the grade you want on the AP U.S. History test, but it
is important to read on your own as well. Several groups of students who have all gotten a 5 on the test
maintain that the key to success is to read as much as you possibly can on U.S. history.
Reading this guide will not guarantee you a 5 when you take the U.S. History exam in May.
However, by carefully reviewing the format of the exam and the test-taking strategies provided for
each section, you will definitely be on your way! The review section that outlines the major
developments of U.S. history should augment what you have learned from your regular U.S. history
textbook. This book won’t “give” you a 5, but it can certainly point you firmly in that direction.
Organization of the Book
This guide conducts you through the five steps necessary to prepare yourself for success on the exam.
These steps will provide you with many skills and strategies vital to the exam and the practice that
will lead you toward the perfect 5.
In this introductory chapter we will explain the basic five-step plan, which is the focus of this
entire book. The material in Chapter 1 will give you information you need to know about the AP U.S.
History exam. In Chapter 2 three different approaches will be presented to prepare for the actual
exam; study them all and then pick the one that works best for you. Chapter 3 contains a practice AP
U.S. History exam; this is an opportunity to experience what the test is like and to have a better idea of
your strengths and weaknesses as you prepare for the actual exam. Chapter 4 describes historical skills
and themes emphasized in the exam. Chapter 5 contains a number of tips and suggestions about the
different types of questions that appear on the actual exam. We will discuss ways to approach the
multiple-choice questions, the short-answer questions, the document-based question (DBQ), and the
long-essay question. Almost all students note that knowing how to approach each type of question is
crucial.
For some of you, the most important part of this manual will be found in Chapters 6 through 31,
which contain a review of U.S. history from the European exploration of the Americas to the
reelection of Barack Obama in 2012. Undoubtedly, you have studied much of the material included in
these chapters. However, these review chapters can help highlight certain important material that you
may have missed or forgotten from your AP History class. At the end of each chapter, you will also
find a time line of important events discussed in the chapter and multiple-choice review questions.
After these review chapters you will find two complete practice exams, including multiple-choice
questions, short-answer questions, and essays. Correct answers and explanations for these answers are
also included. Take one of the exams and evaluate your success; review any material that you had
trouble with. Then take the second exam and use the results to guide your additional study. At the back
of the manual is a glossary that defines all of the boldface words found in the review chapters. Use
this to find the meaning of a specific term you might be unfamiliar with; some students find reviewing
the entire glossary a useful method of reviewing for the actual exam.
Five-Step Program
Step 1: Set Up Your Study Program
In Step 1, you will read a brief overview of the AP U.S. History exam, including an outline of the
topics that might be covered on the test itself. You will also follow a process to help determine which
of the following preparation programs is right for you:
• Full school year: September through May
• One semester: January through May
• Six weeks: Basic Training for the Exam
Step 2: Determine Your Test Readiness
Step 2 provides you with a diagnostic exam to assess your current level of understanding. This exam
will let you know about your current level of preparedness and on which areas and periods you should
focus your study.
• Take the diagnostic exam slowly and analyze each question. Do not worry about how many
questions you get right. Hopefully the exam will boost your confidence.
• Review the answers and explanations following the exam, so that you see what you do and do not
yet fully know and understand.
Step 3: Develop Strategies for Success
Step 3 provides strategies and techniques that will help you do your best on the exam. These strategies
cover the multiple-choice, short-answer, and the two different essay parts of the test. These tips come
from discussions with both AP U.S. History students and teachers. In this section you will:
•
•
•
•
•
Learn the skills and themes emphasized in the exam.
Learn how to read and analyze multiple-choice questions.
Learn how to answer multiple-choice questions, including whether or not to guess.
Learn how to respond to short-answer questions.
Learn how to plan and write both types of essay questions.
Step 4: Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High
Step 4 makes up the majority of this book. In this step you will review the important names, dates, and
themes of American history. Obviously, not all of the material included in this book will be on the AP
exam. However, this book is a good overview of the content studied in a “typical” AP U.S. History
course. Some of you are presently taking AP courses that cover more material than is included in this
book; some of you are in courses that cover less. Nevertheless, thoroughly reviewing the material in
the content section of this book will significantly increase your chance of scoring well.
Step 5: Build Your Test-Taking Confidence
In Step 5, you will complete your preparation by taking two complete practice exams and examining
your results on them. It should be noted that the practice exams included in this book do not include
questions taken from actual exams; however, these practice exams do include questions that are very
similar to the “real thing.”
Graphics Used in This Book
To emphasize particular skills and strategies, we use several icons throughout this book. An icon in
the margin will alert you that you should pay particular attention to the accompanying text. We use
three icons:
The first icon points out a very important concept or fact that you should not pass over.
The second icon calls your attention to a problem-solving strategy that you may want to try.
The third icon indicates a tip that you might find useful.
Boldface words indicate terms that are included in the glossary at the end of the book. Boldface is
also used to indicate the answer to a sample problem discussed in the test. Throughout the book, you
will find marginal notes, boxes, and starred areas. Pay close attention to these areas because they can
provide tips, hints, strategies, and further explanations to help you reach your full potential.
STEP 1
Set Up Your Study Program
1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER
What You Need to Know About the AP U.S. History Exam
Preparing for the AP U.S. History Exam
CHAPTER
1
What You Need to Know About the AP U.S. History Exam
IN THIS CHAPTER
Summary: Learn about the test, what’s on it, how it’s scored, and what benefits you can get from taking it.
Key Ideas
Most colleges will award credit for a score of 4 or 5. Even if you don’t do well enough on the exam
to receive college credit, college admissions officials like to see students who have challenged
themselves and experienced the college-level coursework of AP courses.
The exam in 2015 will have a new format. The new exam de-emphasizes the simple memorization of
historical facts. Instead, you have to demonstrate an ability to use historical analytical skills and
think thematically across time periods in American history.
In addition to multiple-choice and short-answer questions, the test contains a DBQ (document-based
question) and one long-essay question.
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement (AP) program was begun by the College Board in 1955 to administer
standard achievement exams that would allow highly motivated high school students the opportunity
to earn college credit for AP courses taken in high school. Today there are 34 different AP courses and
exams, with well over 3.5 million exams administered each May.
There are numerous AP courses in the social studies besides U.S. History, including European
History, World History, U.S. Government and Politics, Comparative Government, Psychology, and
Micro and Macro Economics. The majority of students who take AP courses and exams are juniors
and seniors; however, some schools offer AP courses to freshmen and sophomores (AP U.S. History is
usually not one of those courses). It is not absolutely necessary to be enrolled in an AP class to take
the exam in a specific subject; there are rare cases of students who study on their own for a particular
AP examination and do well.
Who Writes the AP Exams? Who Scores Them?
AP exams, including the U.S. History exam, are written by experienced college and secondary school
teachers. All questions on the AP exams are field tested before they actually appear on an AP exam.
The group that writes the history exam is called the AP U.S. History Development Committee. This
group constantly reevaluates the test, analyzing the exam as a whole and on an item-by-item basis.
As noted in the preface, the AP U.S. History exam has undergone a substantial transformation that
will take effect beginning with the 2015 test. The College Board has conducted a number of institutes
and workshops to ensure that teachers across the United States are well qualified to assist students in
preparing for this new exam.
The multiple-choice section of each AP exam is graded by computer, but the free-response
questions are scored by humans. A number of college and secondary school teachers of U.S. History
get together at a central location in early June to score the free-response questions of the AP U.S.
History exam administered the previous month. The scoring of each reader during this procedure is
carefully analyzed to ensure that exams are being evaluated in a fair and consistent manner.
AP Scores
Once you have taken the exam and it has been scored, your raw scores will be transformed into an AP
grade on a 1-to-5 scale. A grade report will be send to you by the College Board in July. When you
take the test, you should indicate the college or colleges that you want your AP scores sent to. The
report that the colleges receive contains the score for every AP exam you took this year and the grades
that you received on AP exams in prior years. In addition, your scores will be sent to your high school.
(Note that it is possible, for a fee, to withhold the scores of any AP exam you have taken from going
out to colleges. See the College Board website for more information.)
As noted above, you will be scored on a 1-to-5 scale:
•
•
•
•
•
5 indicates that you are extremely well qualified. This is the highest possible grade.
4 indicates that you are well qualified.
3 indicates that you are qualified.
2 indicates that you are possibly qualified.
1 indicates that you are not qualified to receive college credit.
Benefits of the AP Exam
If you receive a score of a 4 or a 5, you can most likely get actual college credit for the subject that
you took the course in; a few colleges will do the same for students receiving a 3. Colleges and
universities have different rules on AP scores and credit, so check with the college or colleges that you
are considering to determine what credit they will give you for a good score on the AP History exam.
Some colleges might exempt you from a freshman-level course based on your score even if they don’t
grant credit for the score you received.
The benefits of being awarded college credits before you start college are significant: You can
save time in college (by skipping courses) and money (by avoiding paying college tuition for courses
you skip). Almost every college encourages students to challenge themselves; if it is possible for you
to take an AP course, do it! Even if you do not do well on the actual test—or you decide not to take the
AP test—the experience of being in an AP class all year can impress college admissions committees
and help you prepare for the more academically challenging work of college.
AP U.S. History Exam
Achieving a good score on the AP U.S. History exam will require you do more than just memorize
important dates, people, and events from America’s history. To get a 4 or a 5 you have to demonstrate
an ability to utilize specific historical analytical skills when studying history. In addition, you will be
asked to demonstrate your ability to think thematically and evaluate specific historical themes across
time periods in American history. You’ll find more information about these analytical skills and
historical themes in Chapter 4. The good news is that every question on the AP U.S. History exam is
rooted in these analytical skills and historical themes; there is no need to remember material not
related to the stated historical analytical skills or historical themes.
As far as specific content, there is material that you need to know from nine predetermined
historical time periods of U.S. history. For each of these time periods, key concepts have been
identified. You will be introduced to a concept outline for each of the historical periods in your AP
course. You can also find this outline at the College Board’s AP U.S. History website. These concepts
are connected to the historical themes and analyzed using historical analytical skills. Again, there is
good news: you will not have to know any historical content that is not included in the concept outline.
To do well on this exam you have to exhibit the ability to do much of the work that “real”
historians do. You must know major concepts from every historical time period. You must
demonstrate an ability to think thematically when analyzing history, and you must utilize historical
thinking skills when doing all of this. The simple memorization of historical facts is given less
emphasis in the new exam. This does not mean that you can ignore historical detail. Knowledge of
historical information will be crucial in explaining themes in American history. Essentially this exam
is changing the focus of what is expected of AP U.S. History students. It is asking you to take a
smaller number of historical concepts and to analyze these concepts very carefully. The ability to do
this does not necessarily come easily; one of the major functions of this book is to help you “think like
a historian.”
Periods of U.S. History
As noted earlier, U.S. history has been divided into specific time periods for the purposes of the AP
course. The creators of the AP U.S. History exam have established the following nine historical
periods and have also determined approximately how much of the year should be spent on each
historical era:
• Period 1: 1491 to 1607. Approximately 5 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
• Period 2: 1607 to 1754. Approximately 10 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
• Period 3: 1754 to 1800. Approximately 12 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
• Period 4: 1800 to 1848. Approximately 10 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
• Period 5: 1844 to 1877. Approximately 13 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
•
•
•
•
period.
Period 6: 1865 to 1898. Approximately 13 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
Period 7: 1890 to 1945. Approximately 17 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
Period 8: 1945 to 1980. Approximately 15 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
Period 9: 1980 to present. Approximately 5 percent of instructional time should be spent on this
period.
On the actual AP test that you will take:
•
•
•
•
5 percent of the exam will relate to issues concerning Period 1.
45 percent of the exam will relate to issues concerning Periods 2, 3, 4, and 5.
45 percent of the exam will relate to issues concerning Periods 6, 7, and 8.
5 percent of the exam will relate to issues concerning Period 9.
Many students are worried when their AP class doesn’t get to the present day. As you can see, only
5 percent of the test is on material after 1980; therefore, making it all the way to Barack Obama will
not have a major impact on your score.
Structure of the AP U.S. History Exam
The actual test has two sections, each of which contains two parts:
Section I
• Part A: 35 to 40 multiple-choice questions—35 minutes
• Part B: Four short-answer questions—50 minutes. These questions will address one or more of the
themes that have been developed throughout the course and will ask you to utilize historical
thinking when you write about these themes.
Section II
• Part A: One document-based question (DBQ)—60 minutes. In this section you will be asked to
analyze and utilize a number of primary source documents as you construct a historical argument.
• Part B: One long-essay question—35 minutes. You will be given a choice between two long-answer
questions in this section. It will be critical to utilize historical thinking skills when writing your
response.
There will be much more discussion of the different components of the exam later in this book.
Taking the AP U.S. History Exam
Registration and Fees
If you are enrolled in AP U.S. History, your teacher or guidance counselor is going to provide all of
these details. However, you do not have to enroll in the AP course to take the AP exam. When in
doubt, the best source of information is the College Board’s website: www.collegeboard.com.
Students who demonstrate financial need may receive a refund to help offset the cost of testing.
There are also several other fees required if you want your scores rushed to you or if you wish to
receive multiple score reports.
Night Before the Exam
Last minute cramming of massive amounts of material will not help you. It takes time for your brain
to organize material. There is some value to a last-minute review of material. This may involve
looking at the fast-review portions of the chapters or looking through the glossary. The night before
the test should include a light review and various relaxing activities. A full night’s sleep is one of the
best preparations for the test.
What to Bring to the Exam
Here are some suggestions:
• Several pencils and an eraser that does not leave smudges.
• Several black pens (for the essays).
• A watch so that you can monitor your time. The exam room may or may not have a clock on the
wall. Make sure you turn off the beep that goes off on the hour.
• Your school code.
• Your driver’s license, Social Security number, or some other ID, in case there is a problem with
your registration.
• Tissues.
• Something to drink—water is best.
• A quiet snack.
• Your quiet confidence that you are prepared.
What Not to Bring to the Exam
It’s a good idea to leave the following items at home or in the car: