Section I: Multiple Choice
* Time: 55 minutes
* Number of Questions: 55
* Percentage of Total Score: 40%
* Content: Covers the entire US History curriculum from pre-Columbian times to the present. Questions assess your ability to analyze historical texts, interpret historical data, and understand historical context. They emphasize reasoning skills rather than rote memorization. Expect a variety of question types, including:
* Analyzing primary and secondary sources: Identifying authors' points of view, analyzing evidence, understanding context.
* Interpreting graphs, charts, maps, and images: Drawing conclusions and making inferences based on visual data.
* Understanding historical causation, continuity, and change: Identifying causes and effects, recognizing patterns of change over time.
* Making comparisons and contrasts: Identifying similarities and differences between historical events, periods, or individuals.
Section II: Free-Response Questions (FRQs)
* Time: 100 minutes
* Number of Questions: 3 (you answer all three)
* Percentage of Total Score: 60%
* Content: Assesses your ability to analyze historical evidence and construct well-supported arguments. The three questions are as follows:
* Question 1: Period-Specific Document-Based Question (DBQ): This question provides a set of historical documents (primary and/or secondary sources) related to a specific historical period or event. You need to analyze the documents and develop an essay that argues a historical claim supported by evidence from the documents and your outside knowledge.
* Question 2: Long Essay Question (LEQ): This question allows you to choose between two options, offering broader themes or topics. You write an essay that addresses the prompt with evidence and analysis to support a specific historical argument.
* Question 3: Short Essay Question (SAQ): This section consists of three short-answer questions, each focusing on a different aspect of the course. They require concise and focused answers using evidence to support claims.
In short, the AP US History exam tests your ability to think critically about US history, not just your ability to memorize facts. It emphasizes analytical skills, the interpretation of historical evidence, and the construction of well-supported arguments.