THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: MOTTOS

1. 99% you, and 1% me.

2. Read, Read, Read, Read!

3. Analysis, Analysis, Analysis!

4. Do not be afraid to think!

5. We all get 5’s on May 6, 2011!


The exam is 3 hours and 5 minutes in length.

It consists of two parts: a 55-minute 80 multiple choice section and a 130 minute free-response sections = essays.

All essays on scored using a 0-9 rubric.

Both sections cover the period from the first European explorations of the Americas to the present.

But a majority of the questions are on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.


Periods covered in the exam:

– Pre-Columbian to 1789 20%

– 1790-1914 45%

– 1915-Present 35%

Material covered in the exam:

– Political history 35%– Social, cultural 40%– Diplomacy 15%– Economic 10%

THE ADVANCED PLACMENT UNITES STATES HISTORY EXAM

The questions in the multiple choice section are designed to test your:

– Factual knowledge– Breath of preparation– Knowledge-based

analytical skills.

THE ADVANCED PLACMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Multiple choice questions range from:– The standard multiple choice questions– Graphs– Charts– Political cartoons– Symbols– Art work– Maps


The “Three-fifths Compromise” originally contained in the Constitution referred to the

(A) proportion of states permitted to practice slavery.

(B) rate at which one slave counted toward congressional representation.

(C) number of African Americans who could vote.

(D) number of adult women who could vote.

(E) number of American Indians allowed citizenship.


The purpose of the Liberty Loan Campaign illustrated in the drawing above was to

(A) encourage young men to enlist in the army.

(B) finance American involvement in the First World War.

(C) support the establishment of Boy Scout troops throughout the nation.

(D) aid in the implementation of the New Deal

(E) support funding for FDR’s Lend-Lease program.


The illustration above was likely meant to symbolize which of the following?

(A) The principles of republican agrarianism.

(B) Improvements in agricultural technology.

(C) Popular sovereignty. (D) Large-scale Plains

farming. (E) The cult of domesticity.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: MULTIPLE CHOICE

The multiple choice questions:– Questions about politics and diplomacy are very numerous.– Social history questions are appearing in increasing

numbers on the exam.– Historiography is no longer significant on the multiple-

choice section.– Questions on the arts and humanities are not numerous on

the exam.– Very little military history questions appear on the exam.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: THE DBQ

The Document Based Question essay (DBQ) is a require essay.

It counts 22.5% of your overall grade on the exam. The DBQ emphasis is on the ability to analyze and

synthesize historical data and assess verbal, quantitative, or pictorial materials as historical evidence.

It will also be judged on its thesis, argument, and supporting evidence.


The DBQ contains an essay prompt and 8-10 documents to help you write your essay.

The documents contained in the DBQ are unlikely to be the familiar classics, but their authors may be major historical figures.

The documents vary in length and are chosen to illustrate interactions and complexities within the material.


The documents will include – where the questions is suitable –

– Charts– Graphs– Cartoons– Pictures– Song lyrics– Excerpts from speeches.– Newspaper articles– Excerpts from books

Throughout the essay, you are to analyze and synthesize information from these documents in order to support their thesis.

In addition to calling upon a broad spectrum of historical skills, the diversity of documents will allow you to assess the value of different sorts of documents.


The DBQ will typically require you to relate the documents to a historical period or theme, and thus, to focus on major periods or issues.

**For this reason, outside information is very important and must be incorporated into the student’s essay if the highest scores are to be earned.”

**The emphasis of the DBQ is on analysis and synthesis, not on historical narrative.

THE ADVANCED PLACMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: THE DBQ

The 2008-2009 DBQ:– From 1775 to 1830, many African Americans

gained freedom from slavery, yet during this same period the institution of slavery expanded. Explain why BOTH of these changes took place. Analyze the ways BOTH free African Americans and enslaved African Americans responded to the challenges confronting them.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNTIED STATES HISTORY EXAM: THE DBQ

Document ASource: Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation, Virginia, 1775.I do require every Person capable of bearing Arms, to [resort] to His MAJESTY’S STANDARD,or be looked upon as Traitors to His MAJESTY’S Crown and Government. . . . And I dohereby further declare all indentured Servants, Negroes, or others, ([belonging] to Rebels,)free that are able and willing to bear Arms, they joining His MAJESTY’S Troopsas soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper Sense of theirDuty, . . .

Document BSource: Paul Cuffe’s Petition, Massachusetts, 1780.. . . by Reason of long bondage and hard Slavery we have been deprived of enjoying theprofits of our labor or the advantage of inheriting estates from our parents as our neighborsthe white people do . . . & yet . . . we are not allowed the privilege of freemen of the Statehaving no vote or influence in the election of those that tax us . . . yet many of our Color(as is well known) have cheerfully entered the field of battle in the defense of the Commoncause and that (as we conceive) against a similar exertion of power (in regard to taxation)too well known to need a recital in this place.

THE ADVANCED PLACMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: THE DBQ

Document JSource: David Walker, Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World, 1829.For my own part, I am glad Mr. Jefferson has advanced his positions for your sake; foryou will either have to contradict or confirm him by your own actions, and not by what ourfriends have said or done for us; for those things are other men’s labors, and do not satisfythe Americans, who are waiting for us to prove to them ourselves that we are MEN, beforethey will be willing to admit the fact; for I pledge you my sacred word of honor, thatMr. Jefferson’s remarks respecting us, have sunk deep into the hearts of millions of thewhites, and never will be removed this side of eternity.—For how can they, when we areconfirming him every day, by our groveling submissions and treachery?Remember Americans, that we must and shall be free and enlightened as you are, will youwait until we shall, under God, obtain our liberty by the crushing arm of power? Will it notbe dreadful for you? I speak, Americans, for your good. We must and shall be free I say, inspite of you. You may do your best to keep us in wretchedness and misery, to enrich youand your children; but God will deliver us from you. And woe, woe, will be to you if wehave to obtain our freedom by fighting.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: THE FREs

After completing the DBQ, you must write two shorter essays = the Free Response Essays (FREs).

There is a choice between two sets of essays, with you selecting one question from the first set and one from and one from the second set.


The FRE questions will ask you to evaluate developments, explain causes, and analyze results of historical events.

Most of the time, the questions deal with a 20-30 year period, and you must assess some element of change during that time.


Generally, the first two essays come from the colonial period through the Civil War and Reconstruction.

The second set concerns events after 1877 through the 1970s.

The time frame of the DBQ impacts on the choices in the free response section.

For example, a DBQ on the last quarter of the 19th century would eliminate that era as a possible free-response question in section two and you could find two questions exclusively from the 20th century.


Once you have selected your questions, you write an analytical response.

It is recommended that you spend between 30-35 minutes on each essay.


Occasionally, you will be asked to compare and contrast events.

For example, recently a question asked students for a comparison of American foreign policy after WW I and WW II


The essays require strong content information, and you are expected to cite specific data to support your thesis.

FREs are judged on the strength of the thesis, the quality of the historical argument, and the evidence offered in support of the argument, rather than on the factual information per se.


Types of Free Response Essays:– Intellectual and cultural issues.– Minority issues.– Political issues.– Military and diplomatic issues.– Historiographic issues.– Economic issues.– Immigration issues.


2008-2009 FREs:– Part B:– 2. Analyze the ways which British imperial policies

between 1763 and 1776 intensified colonials’ resistance to British rule and their commitment to republican values.

-3. Analyze the social, political, and economic forces of the 1840s and early 1850s that led to the emergence of the Republican Party.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: THE freS

Part C:– 4. Choose TWO of the following organizations and explain

their strategies for advancing the interest of workers. To what extent were these organizations successful in achieving their objectives? Confine your answer to the period from 1875 to 1925.

Knights of Labor American Federation of Labor Socialist Party of America Industrial Workers of the World


– 5. Analyze the home-front experience of TWO of the following groups during the Second World War:

African Americans Japanese Americans Jewish Americans Mexican Americans

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: THE ESSAYS

You need to be mindful that the suggested time for the two FREs is 30-35 minutes per questions.

It is critical that time be budgeted properly to allow sufficient attention to write these two essays.

The DBQ is the first essay written, and you are not required to stop working on it and start the FREs.

It is your responsibility to make sure the 2 hours and 10 minutes allotted for Section Two is not consumed by the DBQ.

Remember the FREs count for 27.5% of the final grade on the AP exam.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM: STRATGIES

MULTIPLE CHOICE STRATEGIES

Since you are not penalized for an incorrect answer, the rule on guessing is – DO IT!

Narrow down the choices and make an educated guess.

You are graded on the number of questions you answer correctly.

Remember there are 80 mc questions – DO NOT GUESS ON 50!!

MULTIPLE CHOICE STRATEGIES: A FEW HINTS ON EDUCATED GUESSING

1. Read the stem of the question at least twice to determine quickly its time frame and content area.

2. Read all five choices before selecting the correct answer. Do not jump at the first answer that seems correct. You are looking for the BEST answer and there may be a better answer as you read through all the choices.

3. Always start by eliminating wrong choices and then select from the remaining possibilities.

4. Eliminate choices outside the chronological period.

5. Eliminate choices that are wrong under any and all circumstances.

6. Eliminate choices that are not on the topic of the question.

7. Eliminate choices that have absolutes in them such as never, always, and forever.

MULTIPLE CHOICE STRATEGIES: A FEW HINTS ON EDUCATED GUESSING

Once you have narrowed down your choices, you should be able to select from the remaining two or three options.

Generally, your first choice of these is most likely to be correct.

Research says to stay with your first choice.

HOW TO WRITE THE DBQ

1. Read the question carefully, noting the time frame and the guiding elements of the statement. It maybe helpful to write yourself a short summary or question about the issue at hand.

2. Write down all the facts you can think of about the time period – not just the topic of the question. DO NOT LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS YET.

3. Reread the statement, look at the facts you have listed, and write a thesis statement that can be supported from these ideas.

4. Read and summarize the documents.

5. Look at your thesis and make a chart of the facts and documents that support your thesis and, on the other side those that challenge the thesis.


6. Although it is not required try to use all the documents.

7. Rule of thumb: Use half plus one of the documents.

8. Do not ignore the documents that challenge your thesis. Be prepared to write a contrary paragraph toward the end of the essay to account for these documents. This paragraph should not refute your thesis, but it should deal with the complexity of the issue.

9. As you use outside information, you should underline it.

10. Integrate the documents into the text of the essay. AVOID THE LAUNDRY LIST.

11. Use the documents and your outside information to support your thesis.

12. Generally, documents belong in the middle or at the end of a sentence. Do not start a sentence with “Document A says …


13. Do not copy/quote large sections of the documents into your essay.

14. The documents should be blended with outside information. Do not just summarize the documents and call it a DBQ.

A general outline of a DBQ is:

– a. Intro paragraph– b. Background paragraph:

Here you set the stage and load up on outside info.

– c. 2 to 5 paragraphs of support.

– d. Possible contrary paragraph.

– e. Conclusion.

HOW TO WRITE THE FREs

1. Analyze the question. Make sure you understand every aspect of the question and plan your essay so it directly answers the question.

2. Collect and sort information/Make an outline.

3. Develop your thesis. This is the most important aspect of your essay. Everything in the body of the essay depends on this!

4. Write the introduction: This needs to grab the reader’s attention. Introduce the topic, provide an insightful comment regarding analysis of the question, and write a clear developed thesis.

5. Write the body of the essay. Strong topic sentences should be supported with relevant evidence.

6. Write the conclusion. Restate your thesis and summarize the main points of your essay.

DO ALL THESE STRATEGIES AND ….

5 = Extremely well qualified.

4 = Well qualified. 3 = Qualified. 2 = Possibly qualified. 1 = No

recommendation.

THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY EXAM.

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