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4 Steps to Writing a Good APUSH Long Essay

4 Steps to Writing a Good APUSH Long Essay

  • Patterns of connectivity (argue whether history changed or remained the same)
  • Compare and contrast
  • Periodization

No matter which type of essay you face, here are 4 steps to help you write a good APUSH long essay.

Focus on Writing a Solid Thesis

Your thesis is the most important part. It’s going to set up the entire essay. It’s also the first thing that the grader is going to see, so start with a strong thesis!

Your introductory paragraph should be about 2-5 sentences in length. Start with a hook before including your thesis . Your thesis should be original. Don’t just copy the question prompt!

Make sure that your thesis contains the following three things:

  • Your stance (or answer) to the prompt
  • A counterargument to address
  • The 3 strongest supporting points for your thesis

Describe and Explain Your Supporting Points

To support your thesis, you need three specific examples. If you’re having a hard time coming up with examples, think about PERSIA : political, economic, religious, social, intellectual, and artistic.

Describe each example as much as possible. Then, don’t forget to reflect back to the thesis. This is the most important part, so spend plenty of time circling back to the thesis for each point.

Make Connections

When writing the body paragraphs, try to connect to events from different time periods, geographical areas, and themes whenever possible. Making connections is especially important when it comes to the rebuttal for your argument.

Synthesis across history is important to show that you have a deep understanding of U.S. history and that you’ve developed the historical thinking skills you need.

Don’t Forget the Conclusion

Some people skip over the conclusion . With only 35 minutes to write a polished essay, they would rather spend time developing the introductory and body paragraphs.

However, if you’ve practiced your timing for the APUSH long essay, you should have a few extra minutes for a conclusion. The conclusion should restate your thesis and strongest points in different words.

You’ve spent the entire school year preparing for your APUSH long essay. You’ve studied the concepts and themes. You have the information that you need to write a 6-worthy essay. Follow these tips as you practice writing APUSH long essays, so you can practice crafting these essays within the 35-minute time period. The more you practice, the better prepared you’ll be to write your essay on exam day.

Jamie Goodwin

Jamie graduated from Brigham Young University- Idaho with a degree in English Education. She spent several years teaching and tutoring students at the elementary, high school, and college level. She currently works as a contract writer and curriculum developer for online education courses. In her free time, she enjoys running and spending time with her boys!

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High School Test Prep

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.

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The Ultimate Guide to the AP US History Exam

Advanced Placement (AP)

feature_apushistoryexam.jpg

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:

1A Multiple Choice 55 55 mins 40%
1B Short Answer 3 (for third, choose 1 of 2 prompts) 40 mins 20%
2A Document-Based Question (DBQ) 1 60 mins (including a 15-min reading period) 25%
2B Long Essay 1 (choose 1 of 3 prompts) 40 mins 15%

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:

Prompt 1 1754-1980 1-2 secondary sources
Prompt 2 1754-1980 1 primary source
Prompt 3 1491-1877 No stimulus
Prompt 4 1865-2001 No stimulus

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 :

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%

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.

body_nyc_manhattan

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.

body_ap_us_history_multiple_choice_question

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 .

Looking for help studying for your AP exam? Our one-on-one online AP tutoring services can help you prepare for your AP exams. Get matched with a top tutor who got a high score on the exam you're studying for!

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:

body_ap_us_history_short_answer_question

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.

body_old_us_historical_documents

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):

body_ap_us_history_dbq

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 .

Thesis/Claim (0-1 points) The response must provide a historically defensible thesis or claim about the causes of the expanding role of the United States in the world in the period from 1865 to 1910; the thesis or claim must either provide some indication of the reasoning for making that claim OR by establishing analytic categories of the argument
Contextualization (0-1 points) Must accurately describe a context relevant to the expanding role of the United States in the world in the period from 1865 to 1910
Evidence (0-3 points)

Support an argument in response to the prompt by accurately using the content of at least six documents; the six documents do not have to be used in support of a single argument, but they can be used across sub-arguments or to address counterarguments

Must use at least one specific piece of historical evidence relevant to an argument about the expanding role of the United States in the world in the period from 1865 to 1910

Analysis and Reasoning(0-2 points)

Must explain how or why—rather than simply identifying—the document's point of view, purpose, historical situation, or audience is relevant to an argument that addresses the prompt for each of the three documents sourced

Must demonstrate a complex understanding, such as by explaining nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables, or by explaining relevant and insightful connections within and across periods, among others

Sample Long Essay Question

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

body_ap_us_history_long_essay_sample_question

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 .

Thesis/Claim (0-1 points) The response must provide a historically defensible thesis or claim about how the ratification of the United States Constitution fostered change in the function of the federal government in the period from 1776 to 1800; the thesis or claim must either provide some indication of the reasoning for making that claim OR by establishing analytic categories of the argument
Contextualization (0-1 points) Must accurately describe a context relevant to the ways in which the ratification of the United States Constitution fostered change in the function of the federal government in the period from 1776 to 1800
Evidence (0-2 points) Must use at least two specific historical evidence examples to support an argument regarding how the ratification of the United States Constitution fostered change in the function of the federal government in the period from 1776 to 1800
Analysis and Reasoning (0-2 points) Must demonstrate a complex understanding, such as by explaining nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables, or by explaining relevant and insightful connections within and across periods, among others Assessing both Federalist arguments in favor of the Constitution and Anti Federalist arguments against it

body_fdr.jpg

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:

115-150 5 10.8%
90-114 4 15.6%
65-89 3 21.9%
44-64 2 23.0%
0-43 1 28.8%

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.

body_wiseowl.jpg

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 .

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AP US 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.

Timing

Number of Questions

Exam Weighting


Part A: 55 minutes


Part B: 40 minutes

55 multiple-choice questions


3 short answer questions

40%



20%

Part A: 60 minutes (including 15-minute reading period)


Part B: 40 minutes

1 document-based question


1 long essay

25%



15%

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:

5

Extremely qualified

10.8%

4

Well qualified

15.6%

3

Qualified

21.9%

2

Possibly qualified

23.0%

1

No recommendation

28.8%

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. 

  • AP Exams  

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The 2022 APUSH Free-Response Questions

If you’d like to know what the prompts and documents were for the 2022 APUSH free-response questions, you can download them here , on The College Board’s website.

Watch Tom Richey’s overview of these free-response questions here .

Click here to view Tom Richey’s sample responses to the 2022 APUSH SAQ items.

Click here to view Tom Richey view my sample response(s) to the 2022 APUSH DBQ. This file will be updated to include several sample responses that would earn different point values.

Based off of excerpts from Ray Allen Billingham’s Westward Expansion,  A History of the American Frontier , 1949 and Carlos A. Schwantes’ The Concept of the Wagoners’ Frontier, 1987, this was Question 1 on the short answer question section of the 2022 APUSH Exam.

1. Using the excerpts, respond to parts a, b, and c. a. Briefly describe one major difference between Billington’s and Schwantes’ historical interpretations of the American West. b. Briefly explain how one historical event or development from 1848 to 1898 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Billington’s interpretation. c. Briefly explain how one historical event or development from 1848 to 1898 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Schwantes’ interpretation.

Question 2 of the short-answer section was based off of an excerpt from John Mercer Langston’s petition to the Ohio state legislature, 1854. It asked:

2. Using the excerpt, respond to parts a, b, and c.

a. Briefly describe the point of view of the excerpt.

b. Briefly explain how one specific historical event or development between 1783 and 1854 led to developments such as that depicted in the excerpt.

c. Briefly explain how one specific historical event or development between 1854 and 1877 resulted from developments such as that depicted in the excerpt.

Questions 3 and 4 of the short answer section were as follows:

3. Respond to parts a, b, and c.

a. Briefly describe one way that one Native American society adapted to its environment prior to European contact.

b. Briefly explain one similarity in how Native American societies in two regions adapted to European contact from 1492 to 1763.

c. Briefly explain one difference in how Native American societies in two regions adapted to European contact from 1492 to 1763.

4.Respond to parts a, b, and c.

a. Briefly describe one way reform movements responded to economic conditions from 1880 to 1920.

b. Briefly explain one similarity in how two reform movements attempted to change United States society from 1880 to 1920.

c. Briefly explain one difference in how two reform movements attempted to change United States society from 1880 to 1920.

Section II of the AP U.S. History free-response section comprises of a document-based question (DBQ) and one long essay question (LEQ), which you can choose to answer from three different prompts.

Question 1, the document-based question on the 2022 APUSH Exam asked test takers to:

1. Evaluate the extent to which the United States developed an identity between 1800 and 1855.

For the long essay questions, students were asked to respond to one of the following prompts:

2. Evaluate the relative importance of causes of population movement to colonial British America in the period from 1607 to 1754.

3. Evaluate the relative importance of causes of the rise of industrial capitalism in the United States in the period from 1865 to 1900.

4. Evaluate the relative importance of causes of internal migration within the United States in the period from 1900 to 1970.

apush long essay prompts

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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

Study the cultural, economic, political, and social developments that have shaped the United States from c. 1491 to the present. You’ll analyze texts, visual sources, and other historical evidence and write essays expressing historical arguments.

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

APUSHReview.com

Your total resource for Advanced Placement United States History Review. This website is the sole creation of Adam Norris and is not endorsed by the College Board, AP, or any school district.

AP Essay Topics

In this section, you will find videos that were created to cover information for AP essay topics.

APUSH Review: Rebellions and Conflict in the Colonial Era

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here: APUSH Review, Rebellions in the Colonial Era

If you would like to download a Fill-in-the-Blank Guide for the video, click here: Rebellions and Conflict in Colonial America

APUSH Review: Religion in the Colonies

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here: Colonial Religions

If you would like to download a Fill-in-the-Blank Guide for the video, click here: Religion in the Colonies

APUSH Review: The Growth of Slavery and its Consequences

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here:  APUSH Review- Reasons For The Growth Of Slavery

If you would like to download a Fill-in-the-Blank Guide for the video, click here:  APUSH Review- The Growth Of African Slavery In Colonial America And Its Consequences

APUSH Review: The French and Indian War

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here: APUSH Review, The French And Indian (7 Years) War

APUSH Review: The Revolutionary War

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here: APUSH Review, The Revolutionary War

If you would like to download a Fill-in-the-Blank Guide for the video, click here: The Revolutionary War Video Guide

APUSH Review: The Revolution of 1800

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here: APUSH Review, The Revolution of 1800 Final

If you would like to download a Fill-in-the-Blank Guide for the video, click here: APUSH Review, The “Revolution” of 1800

Comparing the 1st and 2nd Party System

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here:  APUSH Review: Comparing And Contrasting The 1st And 2nd Party Systems

If you would like to download a Fill-in-the-Blank Guide for the video, click here:  APUSH Review- Comparing And Contrasting The 1st and 2nd Party Systems

APUSH Review: Causes of Sectional Conflict: 1820 – 1860

If you would like to download the PowerPoint used in the video, click here:  APUSH Review: Causes of Sectional Conflict: 1820 – 1860

If you would like to download a Fill-in-the-Blank Guide for the video, click here:  APUSH Review- Causes of Sectional Conflict- 1820 – 1860

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September 17, 2014 at 7:17 PM

Hello Sir, I was wondering do you have the power point used in the Religion in the Colonies as the one posted for viewing, if so, I would like to use

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September 17, 2014 at 11:11 PM

Feel free to use it. It’s right under the video on this page.

September 18, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Thanks Adam but it seems to be a different variation of the video posted

September 18, 2014 at 1:45 PM

Sorry about that. I believe it’s fixed now.

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November 16, 2014 at 12:54 AM

Hey Mr. Norris, I would like to say a very big THANK YOU to your videos. I started searching online for study guides for the new APUSH exam and I came across your channel on youtube which led me to this website. I think this will be a great resource for study for my APUSH exam coming May. One thing I noticed for the Revolution of 1800 video that I thought you might have missed was the 12th Amendment and how that changed the way people voted b/c of the tie and the whole House of Reps business that happened when Aaron Burr was a part of it. I guess you could add it to the Politics section…I only say this bc I had to do this essay in class. Other than that, I think your videos are perfect. Keep doing what you are doing. I am really thankful of this site. 😀 🙂

November 17, 2014 at 1:07 AM

Thanks for adding that, I did forget to mention that in the video. I appreciate your continued support throughout the year. Good luck!

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January 8, 2015 at 2:22 AM

You are amazing! This is such a helpful website and you seem very kind and generous for putting out all this help for free! What inspired you to do this?

January 8, 2015 at 11:33 PM

Long story short, I started the videos for my students. More and more people started watching and asked for my resources (PPTS, Fill-in-the-blank guides, etc.) I figured since I have them anyway for my students, I’m happy to share with others if it works. I’m blown away by how many people use them and am very grateful.

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January 22, 2017 at 3:58 AM

This is great work you are doing, and I really appreciate it (so does my grades–I want from a “B-” at an “A”!). Keep up your great work. 😉

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October 12, 2017 at 10:32 AM

There is not a link to download the powerpoint for “Growth of Slavery and its consequences”. Is it available for use? Thanks so much for your lessons.

October 12, 2017 at 11:12 AM

Thanks for letting me know it wasn’t up. I didn’t realize it wasn’t. I just uploaded it, so feel free to use it. Thanks for the support.

October 12, 2017 at 5:51 PM

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September 16, 2018 at 4:30 PM

So, I am just starting Ap US this year and I would love it if you could give a shoutout from me, Maddy to Mr. Burns 5th period class in Warwick, NY in your next youtube video! It would mean a lot and I could also get extra test points if our class gets a shout out haha!

September 16, 2018 at 8:07 PM

I’ll be recording more videos this week. I will do it then. Good luck this year.

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AP®︎/College US History

Course: ap®︎/college us history   >   unit 10, ap us history periods and themes.

  • AP US History multiple choice example 1
  • AP US History multiple choice example 2
  • AP US History short answer example 1
  • AP US History short answer example 2
  • AP US History DBQ example 1
  • AP US History DBQ example 2
  • AP US History DBQ example 3
  • AP US History DBQ example 4
  • 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)
  • AP US History Exam Prep Session (5/1/2017)

apush long essay prompts

AP US history periods and themes

Example ap us history problems, key terms, documents, and court cases to know, primary documents:.

John Winthrop, “City on a Hill” / “A Model of Christian Charity”
Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Thomas Jefferson, “Declaration of Independence”
James Madison, “Constitution of the United States”
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, “Declaration of Sentiments”
Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (main ideas)
Abraham Lincoln, “House Divided” speech, Second Inaugural Address
Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman?”
Andrew Carnegie, “The Gospel of Wealth” (main ideas)
Josiah Strong, “Our Country” (main ideas)
Upton Sinclair “The Jungle” (main ideas)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, December 8 1941 address
George Kennan, “Long Telegram”
Martin Luther King Jr. “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, “I Have a Dream” speech
Betty Friedan “The Feminine Mystique” (main ideas)
Ronald Reagan “Evil Empire” speech

Supreme Court cases:

Marbury v. Madison
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Plessy v. Ferguson
Brown v. Board of Education
Roe v. Wade
Bush v. Gore

Foreign policy doctrines:

Monroe Doctrine
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
Truman Doctrine
Nixon Doctrine
Bush Doctrine
virgin soil epidemic
salutary neglect / benign neglect
mercantilism
Anti-Federalist
isolationism
judicial review
Democratic-Republican
Jacksonian Democracy
nullification
popular sovereignty
Emancipation
Jim Crow segregation
sharecropping
mass production
labor union
imperialism
self-determination
prohibition
laissez-faire economics
liberalism (economics/politics)
Soviet Union
containment
Domino Theory
non-violent protest (Civil Rights)
Vietnamization
conservatism

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Great Answer

IMAGES

  1. Long Essay Prompts APUSH Practice.

    apush long essay prompts

  2. How To Write Long Essay Apush

    apush long essay prompts

  3. Apush Long Essay Questions And Answers

    apush long essay prompts

  4. Unit Five Long Essays 2018.docx

    apush long essay prompts

  5. APUSH LEQ (Long Essay Question) Writing Outline by Aloha Designs

    apush long essay prompts

  6. Untitled document 1 .pdf

    apush long essay prompts

COMMENTS

  1. AP United States History Exam Questions

    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.

  2. Long Essay Question (LEQ)

    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.

  3. PDF Essay Prompts Reworded by Period 2017

    2002 (B) - #1: Explain how economic development in the British North American colonies was impacted by the Atlantic trade routes between 1650 and 1750. 2001 - #2: Evaluate the economic, geographic, and social factors which impacted the growth of slavery in the southern colonies between 1607 and 1775.

  4. How to Approach the AP U.S. History Long Essay Question

    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 ...

  5. AP United States History Exam

    Exam questions assess the course concepts and skills outlined in the course framework. For more information, download the AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description (CED).. Scoring rubrics - general scoring criteria for the document-based and long essay questions, regardless of specific question prompt - are available in the course and exam description (CED).

  6. AP U.S. History Long Essay Example

    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.

  7. AP US History long essay example 1 (video)

    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 ...

  8. PDF AP United States History

    AP ® United States History Sample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary Inside: Long Essay Question 2 ... • The response must relate the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments, or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the

  9. PDF AP U.S. History Sample Questions

    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 ...

  10. 4 Steps to Writing a Good APUSH Long Essay on Your Exam

    The prompts fall into 4 categories: Patterns of connectivity (argue whether history changed or remained the same) Compare and contrast. Causation. Periodization. No matter which type of essay you face, here are 4 steps to help you write a good APUSH long essay.

  11. The Ultimate APUSH DBQ Guide: Rubric, Examples, and More!

    Of the two free response questions, one is a long essay (worth 15%) and one is a DBQ. This means that the sole DBQ is, by itself, worth 25% of your total grade, making it the single most heavily-weighted question on the APUSH exam.. The APUSH DBQ will consist of a single open-ended prompt.To answer it, you'll have to create a persuasive argument that uses the documents you've been given on ...

  12. APUSH Long Essay Question Example 1

    Our APUSH LEQ example essay will show you exactly what a high-scoring US History essay looks like. We have also included some questions that helped guide our response as well as a detailed breakdown of its score. Evaluate the extent to which European contact and colonization impacted the indigenous populations and cultures in the Americas ...

  13. AP US History long essay example 3 (video)

    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 ...

  14. Every AP US History Practice Exam Available: Free and Official

    Contains 17 multiple-choice questions, one short-answer question, one DBQ, and one Long Essay prompt. 2017-18 Course and Exam Description: Mostly updated for current exam format. Contains the same questions as those in the 2017 practice test linked above. There is also this document with sample questions from the 2012 AP US History curriculum ...

  15. AP United States History Exam

    Long Essay 1 Question | 40 Minutes | 15% of Exam Score. ... Go to AP Central to review free-response questions and scoring information from past AP United States History exams. Download. 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 ...

  16. The Ultimate Guide to the AP US History Exam

    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: Scaled Score.

  17. Guide to the AP U.S. History Exam

    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 ...

  18. PDF AP United States History 2021 Free-Response Questions

    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. •

  19. The 2022 APUSH Free-Response Questions

    Section II of the AP U.S. History free-response section comprises of a document-based question (DBQ) and one long essay question (LEQ), which you can choose to answer from three different prompts. Question 1, the document-based question on the 2022 APUSH Exam asked test takers to: 1. Evaluate the extent to which the United States developed an ...

  20. AP United States History

    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. Topics may include: The Seven Years' War. The American Revolution. The Articles of Confederation. The creation and ratification of the Constitution. Developing an American identity.

  21. APUSH Period 6

    Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Compare and contrast the patterns of immigration in the period 1840 to 1860 to the patterns of immigration in the period 1880 to 1900. In the development of your argument, explain the reasons for the similarities and differences. (Historical Thinking Skill: Comparison) Thesis, Compare and contrast the patterns of immigration in ...

  22. AP Essay Topics

    AP Essay Topics. In this section, you will find videos that were created to cover information for AP essay topics. ... Long story short, I started the videos for my students. More and more people started watching and asked for my resources (PPTS, Fill-in-the-blank guides, etc.) I figured since I have them anyway for my students, I'm happy to ...

  23. AP US History periods and themes

    AP US History long essay example 2. AP US History long essay example 3. Preparing for the AP US History Exam (5/4/2016) AP US History Exam Prep Session (5/1/2017) ... Hi, I was looking to take the AP US History exam next year and only say three main periods of AP-styled practice questions. Before next year's exam, do you guys plan on adding ...