- FRI, MAY 11, 2018
AP United States History Exam Day 2018
Exam Overview
The AP U.S. History Exam measures students' knowledge of U.S. history and their ability to think historically. Questions are based on key and supporting concepts, course themes, and the disciplinary practices and reasoning skills outlined in the course and exam description.
Encourage your students to visit the AP United States History student page for exam information and exam practice.
Exam Format
Section I: Part A
Multiple Choice—55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score
- Questions appear in sets of 2 to 5.
- Students analyze historical texts, interpretations, and evidence.
- Primary and secondary sources, images, graphs, and maps are included.
Section I: Part B
Short Answer—3 Questions | 40 Minutes | 20% of Exam Score
- Analyze historians' interpretations, historical sources, and propositions about history.
- Questions provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know best.
- Some questions include texts, images, graphs, or maps.
- Update for 2017-18: The number of required short-answer questions has been reduced to three, and the time allotted has been decreased to 40 minutes. Students will be choose between two options for the final required short-answer question, each one focusing on a different time period.
- Question 1 (required): periods 3-8
- Question 2 (required): periods 3-8
- Students choose between Question 3, periods 1-5, and Question 4, periods 6-9
Section II: Part A
Document Based—1 Question | 60 Minutes (includes 15-minute reading period) | 25% of Exam Score
- Assess written, quantitative, or visual materials as historical evidence.
- Develop an argument supported by an analysis of historical evidence.
- Update for 2017-18: Five minutes have been added to the time allotted for the document-based question, which will now focus on topics from periods 3 to 8.
Section II: Part B
Long Essay—1 Question | 40 Minutes | 15% of Exam Score
- Explain and analyze significant issues in U.S. history.
- Develop an argument supported by an analysis of historical evidence.
- Updates for 2017-18: Five minutes have been added to the time allotted for the long essay. The question choices will continue to focus on the same theme and skill but will now allow students to select among three options, each focusing on a different range of time periods:
- Option 1: periods 1-3
- Option 2: periods 4-6
- Option 3: periods 7-9
