The AP U.S. History exam can be challenging, but with the right strategic mindset, you can get yourself on track for earning the score you need to qualify for college credit or advanced placement. Let’s review some strategies that, along with the content review and practice questions in the rest of this book, will help you succeed on the AP exam.
Part A of Section I consists of multiple-choice question sets that typically contain three or four questions and can focus on any historical period. A primary or secondary source is provided for each question set, which could be a passage, image, graph, or map. The questions assess your ability to understand and analyze historical texts and interpretations, as well as your ability to make larger historical connections. Keep in mind that even if a question set is based on a specific historical period, the individual questions may require you to make connections to other periods and events.
The questions range from easy and medium to difficult with no distinct pattern to their appearance within the exam. In other words, the easiest question may be the last one, so make sure to go through all of the exam questions! A solid strategy for the multiple-choice section is to do multiple passes:
In Part B of Section I, you will have three short-answer questions to answer, each of which will have multiple parts. The short-answer section allows you to demonstrate what you know best since you get to choose which historical examples to discuss in relation to the prompts. While two of the short-answer prompts are required, for the third and final question, you get to choose between two prompts.
According to the College Board, a high-scoring response to a short-answer question will accomplish all tasks outlined in the question. You must answer each part of the question with complete sentences and provide specific historical examples in order to receive full credit. Make sure you go beyond simply quoting or paraphrasing historical evidence and really explain its meaning or significance. In composing your answer, you do not need to develop and support a thesis statement, but you do need to synthesize your ideas into cohesive paragraphs.
In Chapter 21, you’ll learn a straightforward Kaplan Method you can apply to every free-response question. In general, take time to analyze all of the parts of each short-answer question. Then, before you begin writing your response, create a plan of which historical examples you will be using for each part. You will have plenty of opportunities to practice writing responses to short-answer questions on the practice exams, so be sure to complete those sections to the best of your ability for the most exam-like experience.
The first part of Section II is the document-based question (DBQ). This essay asks you to think like a historian and develop an argument based on evidence. You will be provided a specific prompt and seven related documents; these will vary in length and format, including text, graphs, and images. Essentially, you must take these sources and draw conclusions based on your analytical skills. The task at hand is less about remembering facts and more about organizing information in an analytical manner. You are expected to make sophisticated connections; therefore, it is essential to demonstrate your knowledge of larger historical themes (rather than just isolated events, dates, and people) in order to earn the highest scores.
If the DBQ prompt and accompanying documents cover something well outside the mainstream, don’t panic! The exam writers do this on purpose. The other essay on the exam—the long essay question—will evaluate your knowledge of history, but the DBQ evaluates your ability to work with historical material, even material with which you’re less familiar. Writing the DBQ is a skill that can be learned much like any other skill, and this book will help you hone that skill.
The second part of Section II is the long essay question (LEQ). You will answer one of three prompts, each of which focuses on different time periods. Make sure to choose the prompt that best showcases the extent of your knowledge.
The LEQ assesses your ability to apply knowledge of history in a complex, analytical manner. You will be asked to develop an argument about a historical process or development—thus, you will need to supply relevant historical examples as evidence to support a claim you make about the long essay question prompt. High-scoring long essay responses do not merely list information that is related to the prompt; the critical component of the long essay is your ability to develop a supported argument. See Chapter 21 for scoring rubrics and special strategies for both the DBQ and LEQ.
The multiple-choice section, Part A of Section I, consists of 55 questions to be completed in 55 minutes. Since you will need to analyze primary and secondary sources for each question set, you’ll want to move quickly but thoroughly through the multiple-choice section; don’t linger on any one question for more than 30 seconds or so.
In Part B of Section I, you have 40 minutes to answer three short-answer questions. Aim to spend about 13 minutes on each question, including both planning and writing. Apply any extra time you have at the end of the section to reread your responses, looking for quick errors to fix (such as a missing word or punctuation mark).
The 100 minutes for Section II of the exam is divided into two parts. The first 15 minutes is the suggested reading and organizing time for the document-based question, and the last 85 minutes is the suggested essay writing time, to be split between the two essays. It is recommended that you spend 45 minutes writing the document-based question and 40 minutes writing the long essay question. The proctor may make timing announcements, but you will not be forced to move from reading and planning to writing, or from the DBQ to the LEQ, if you’re not yet ready.
Now you’ve learned about the structure of the exam sections and the types of questions you’ll encounter, but to maximize your scoring potential, you’ll need to practice these question types. The quizzes in the Rapid Review section (Chapters 3–11), the free-response chapter (Chapter 21), the full-length exams, and the additional quizzes in your online resources provide the perfect opportunity to practice your skills with hundreds of exam-like questions!