ap us history long essay rubric

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How to LEQ | AP US History Study Guide

Learn how to respond to the Long-Essay Question.

Resources by Period:

• Period 1: 1491–1607
• Period 2: 1607–1754
• Period 3: 1754–1800
• Period 4: 1800–1848
• Period 5: 1844–1877
• Period 6: 1865–1898
• Period 7: 1890–1945
• Period 8: 1945–1980
• Period 9: 1980–Present

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AP U.S. History LEQ rubric

Rubric for the long essay free-response question of the AP U.S. History exam.

Rubric aligned to the 2023-2024 scoring guidelines for the Long Essay Question of the AP United States History exam.

This rubric is available and ready to use in your Feedback Studio account. However, if you would like to customize its criteria, you can "Duplicate this rubric: in your Feedback Studio account and then edit the rubric as needed. Or you can download this .rbc file and then import to your account to begin editing the content.

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2024 APUSH Exam Guide

14 min read • august 18, 2023

Exam simulation mode

Prep for the AP exam with questions that mimic the test!

Your Guide to the 2024 AP US History Exam

We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We created a study plan to help you crush your AP US History exam. This guide will continue to update with information about the 2024 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you do your best on test day.  Unlock Cram Mode  for access to our cram events—students who have successfully passed their AP exams will answer your questions and guide your last-minute studying LIVE! And don't miss out on unlimited access to our database of thousands of practice questions.

Format of the 2024 AP US History Exam

Going into test day, this is the exam format to expect:

Multiple Choice Section - 40% of your score

55 questions in 55 minutes

Short Answer Section - 20% of your score

3 questions in 40 minutes

Free-Response Section - 40% of your score

2 questions in 1 hour and 40 minutes

Document-Based Question | 1 hour | 25% of your score

Long Essay | 40 minutes | 15% of your score

Scoring Rubric for the 2024 AP US History exam

📖 DBQ, LEQ, & SAQ Rubrics Points Explained

Check out our study plan below to find resources and tools to prepare for your AP US History exam.

When is the 2024 AP US History Exam and How Do I Take It?

You will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to take the exam.

How Should I Prepare for the APUSH Exam?

First, download the AP United States History Cheatsheet PDF - a single sheet that covers everything you need to know at a high level. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses! 

We've put together the study plan found below to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam. Pay special attention to the units that you need the most improvement in.

Study, practice, and review for test day with other students during our live cram sessions via  Cram Mode . Cram live streams will teach, review, and practice important topics from AP courses, college admission tests, and college admission topics. These streams are hosted by experienced students who know what you need to succeed.

Pre-Work: Set Up Your Study Environment

Before you begin studying, take some time to get organized.

🖥 Create a study space.

Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space. 

📚 Organize your study materials.

Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also, create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!

📅 Plan designated times for studying.

The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.

🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.

How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First, set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!

AP US History 2024 Study Plan

🌽 unit 1: period 1, 1491-1607, big takeaways:.

Unit 1 introduces the Americas as a place of interaction. It first discusses the diversity of Native Americans prior to contact with Europeans (symbolized by 1491, the year before Columbus). Then, the unit pivots into interactions between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans as well as between rival European powers. It ends in 1607 with the founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. 

Definitely do this:

📚 Read these study guides:

1.0 Overview of Unit 1

1.1 European Encounters in the Americas

1.2 Native American Societies Before European Contact

1.3 European Exploration in the Americas

1.4 Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest

1.5 Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System

1.6 Cultural Interactions Between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans

1.7 Causation in Period 1

🎥 Watch these videos:

Unit 1 Full Review: A full review of the main concepts, plus practice questions

• Interactions Between Native Americans and Europeans : A deeper dive into interactions during Period 1

📰 Check out these Fiveable study guides:

Native American Societies Before European Contact

• Cultural Interactions Between Europeans, Native Americans, & Africans  
• Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System
• Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, & Spanish Conquest

If you have more time or want to dig deeper:

📰 Check out these articles: 

How the Humble Potato Changed the World (BBC)

The Columbian Exchange Should Be Called the Columbian Extraction (JSTOR)

The Americas to 1620 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

🦃 Unit 2: Period 2, 1607-1754

Unit 2 dives more into the European colonization of the Americas. This involves comparing European countries to each other and then mostly focusing on the English who settled much of what would later become the United States of America. The rise of African slavery and continued interactions and conflict with Native Americans also plays an important role. 

2.0 Overview of Unit 2

2.1 Contextualizing Period 2

2.2 European Colonization

2.3 The Regions of British Colonies

2.4 Transatlantic Trade

2.5 Interactions Between American Indians and Europeans

2.6 Slavery in the British Colonies

2.7 Colonial Society and Culture

2.8 Comparison in Period 2

Unit 2 Full Review : A full review of the main concepts

• Colony Comparison : A deeper dive into the different British North American colonies during unit 2
• The Impact of African Slavery on the Colonies : A deeper dive into coercive labor systems in unit 2

Period 2 Interactions Between Europeans and Native Americans 

• Transatlantic Trade  
• Colonial Society & Culture

📰 Check out these articles:

Jamestown and the Founding of English America (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

The Puritans and Dissent: The Cases of Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

The Origins of Slavery (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

🇺🇸 Unit 3: Period 3, 1754-1800

Unit 3 sees the creation of the United States as a country out of thirteen British North American colonies. The unit then covers the early Republic, focusing on the creation of the Constitution, the first federal government, and the administrations of Washington & Adams.

3.0 Overview of Unit 3

3.1 Contextualizing Period 3

3.2 The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War)

3.3 Taxation Without Representation

3.4 Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution

3.5 The American Revolution

3.6 The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals

3.7 The Articles of Confederation

3.8 The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification

3.9 The Constitution

3.10 Shaping a New Republic

3.11 Developing an American Identity

3.12 Movement in the Early Republic

3.13 Continuity and Change in Period 3

Unit 3 Full Review: A full review of the main concepts

• Key Documents and Foundations of the American Revolution : Review the American revolution and practice your HIPP analysis for the DBQ
• Historical Thinking Skills in Period 3 : Review using the skills the exam tests
• The American Revolution

Unit 3 Overview: Contextualization 

• Continuity and Change in Period 3  
• The American Revolution  
• The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals

The American Revolution, 1763–1783 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

The New Nation, 1783–1815 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

The Legal Status of Women, 1776–1830 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

Unruly Americans in the Revolution (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

Developing an American Identity (Fiveable Study Guide)

🚂 Unit 4: Period 4, 1800-1848

Unit 4 is when the United States begins to grow into its own identity as a country. It includes massive expansions of democracy through Jefferson & Jackson, the economic and social upheaval of the Market Revolution and Second Great Awakening, and also sees continued migration westward.

4.0 Overview of Unit 4

4.1 Contextualizing Period 4

4.2 The Rise of Political Parties and the Era of Jefferson

4.3 Politics and Regional Interests

4.4 America on the World Stage

4.5 Market Revolution: Industrialization

4.6 Market Revolution: Society and Culture

4.7 Expanding Democracy

4.8 Jackson and Federal Power

4.9 The Development of an American Culture

4.10 The Second Great Awakening

4.11 An Age of Reform

4.12 African Americans in the Early Republic

4.13 The Society of the South in the Early Republic

4.14 Causation in Period 4

Putting Period 4 in Context

• The Rise of Political Parties
• The Market Revolution
• The First & Second Great Awakenings & Antebellum Reform Movements
• Manifest Destiny and Its Impacts

Unit 4 Overview: Contextualization  

• Expansion of Democracy  
• America on the World Stage in Period 4
• The Age of Reform

The South in the Early Republic (Fiveable Study Guide)

Context: Development of the Republic (Fiveable Study Guide)

National Expansion and Reform, 1815–1860 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

The First Age of Reform (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

Abolition and Antebellum Reform (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

The Seneca Falls Convention (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

Causation in Period 4 (Fiveable Study Guide)

💣 Unit 5: Period 5, 1844-1877

Unit 5 is all about the Civil War: the road to the Civil War, the war itself, and its aftermath called Reconstruction. Westward expansion and migration/immigration continue to be a big deal during this time period, and conflicts over slavery and rights for African Americans dominate the political discussions. 

5.0 Overview of Unit 5

5.1 Contextualizing Period 5

5.2 Manifest Destiny

5.3 The Mexican–American War

5.4 The Compromise of 1850

5.5 Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences

5.6 Failure of Compromise

5.7 Election of 1860 and Secession

5.8 Military Conflict in the Civil War

5.9 Government Policies During the Civil War

5.10 Reconstruction

5.11 Failure of Reconstruction

5.12 Comparison in Period 5, 1844-1877

Period 5 Review : A complete review of all the major concepts

• Putting Period 5 in Context
• The Election of 1860

Government Policies During the Civil War 

• Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences  
• The Compromise of 1850  
• The Failure of Compromise  
• Reconstruction

Context: Sectional Conflict (Fiveable Study Guide)

• The 1860 Election & Secession (Fiveable Study Guide)
• Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The Contentious Election of 1876 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• Government Policies During the Civil War (Fiveable Study Guide)

💰 Unit 6: Period 6, 1865-1898

Unit 6 overlaps with Period 5, but it begins after the Civil War and is not as focused on Reconstruction. Its main focus is the Second Industrial Revolution, sometimes called the Gilded Age in the United States, and on the Western United States.

6.0 Overview of Unit 6

6.1 Contextualizing Period 6

6.2 Westward Expansion: Economic Development

6.3 Westward Expansion: Social and Cultural Development

6.4 The “New South”

6.5 Technological Innovation

6.6 The Rise of Industrial Capitalism

6.7 Labor in the Gilded Age

6.8 Immigration and Migration in the Gilded Age

6.9 Responses to Immigration in the Gilded Age

6.10 Development of the Middle Class

6.11 Reform in the Gilded Age

6.12 Controversies over the Role of Government in the Gilded Age

6.13 Politics in the Gilded Age

6.14 Continuity and Change in Period 6

Review of Period 6 : A complete review of all the major concepts

• The Rise of Industrialization & City Life during the Gilded Age

The Rise of Industrial Capitalism 

• Immigration & Migration  
• Labor in the Gilded Age
• Westward Expansion: Social & Cultural Developments

Responses to Immigration (Fiveable Study Guide)

• The Rise of Industrial America, 1877-1900 (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The Gilded Age (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• Immigration & Migration (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• Born Modern: An Overview of the West (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• Politics in the Gilded Age (Fiveable Study Guide)

🌎 Unit 7: Period 7, 1890-1945

Unit 7 is a massive unit, so you need to keep an eye on both domestic and foreign policy. Foreign policy becomes a big deal thanks to US involvement in several wars, including the two World Wars. Domestically, the Progressive Era tries to tackle the problems of the Gilded Age, plus there is the massive up and down of the “Roaring” 1920s and then the Great Depression and New Deal of the 1930s. 

7.0 Overview of Unit 7

7.1 Contextualizing Period 7

7.2 Imperialism: Debates

7.3 The Spanish-American War

7.4 The Progressives

7.5 World War I: Military and Diplomacy

7.6 World War I: The Home Front

7.7 1920s: Innovations in Communication and Technology

7.8 1920s: Cultural and Political Controversies

7.9 The Great Depression

7.10 The New Deal

7.11 Interwar Foreign Policy

7.12 World War II: Mobilization

7.13 World War II: Military

7.14 Postwar Diplomacy

7.15 Comparison in Period 7

USA’s Shift Toward Empire Building

• Early 20th Century Progressive Era & World War One
• 1920s & 1930s: An Overview
• The Great Depression & New Deal

Unit 7 Overview & Context 

• 1920s Cultural & Political Controversies 
• The Great Depression 
• World War Two: Military

Context: America in the World (Fiveable Study Guide)

• 1920s Innovations (Fiveable Study Guide)
• Postwar Diplomacy (Fiveable Study Guide)
• The Politics of Reform: An Overview of the Progressives (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• World War I (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The Roaring Twenties (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The Great Depression (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The New Deal (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• World War II (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The World War II Homefront (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• Interwar Foreign Policy (Fiveable Study Guide)

🥶 UNIT 8: Period 8, 1945-1980

Unit 8 focuses on the effects of the World Wars, including the Cold War and the Red Scare. This unit also dives into the social movements that happened at this time, namely the Civil Rights Movement, and addresses how this was a period of social transition within the United States, changing the course of future generations. 

8.0 Overview of Unit 8

8.1 Contextualizing Period 8

8.2 The Cold War from 1945 to 1980

8.3 The Red Scare

8.4 The Economy After 1945

8.5 Culture After 1945

8.6 Early Steps in the Civil Rights Movement (1940s and 1950s)

8.7 America as a World Power

8.8 The Vietnam War

8.9 The Great Society

8.10 The African American Civil Rights Movement (1960s)

8.11 The Civil Rights Movement Expands

8.12 Youth Culture in the 1960s

8.13 The Environment and Natural Resources from 1968 to 1980

8.14 Society in Transition

8.15 Continuity and Change in Period 8

Period 8 & 9 Complete Review

• The Cold War  
• Review of Major Events in the 1960s
• Review of Major Events in the 1970s
• Introduction to the Civil Rights Movement
• More details about the Civil Rights Movement
• The Vietnam War

Period 8 Review

• The Red Scare 
• Culture and Economy After 1945 
• The Civil Rights Movement  
• Environment and Natural Resources  
• The Transition of Society  
• The Great Society  

Contextualizing Period 8 (Fiveable Study Guide)

• The Civil Rights Movement (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The Korean War (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• The Vietnam War (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• Anti-Communism & the Red Scare (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)
• Continuity & Change of Period 8 (Fiveable Study Guide)

📲 UNIT 9: Period 9, 1980-Present

Unit 9 is the final unit of AP US History, and it covers Reagan and the rise of conservative politics, the end of the Cold War in 1991, as well as the changes in the economy, society, and emigration and migration throughout this period. This unit also contextualizes the challenges faced in the modern-day due to the growth of technology and other aspects of the 21st century.

9.0 Overview of Unit 9

9.1 Contextualizing Period 9

9.2 Reagan and Conservatism

9.3 The End of the Cold War

9.4 A Changing Economy

9.5 Migration and Immigration in the 1990s and 2000s

9.6 Challenges of the 21st Century

9.7 Causation in Period 9

Period 9 Review  

The Changing Economy

Migration and Immigration  

Challenges of the 21st Century

Unit 9 Contextualization (Fiveable Study Guide)

1945 to the Present Day (Gilder Lehrman APUSH Review)

Causation in Unit 9 (Fiveable Study Guide)

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the ultimate guide to the ap us history exam.

Advanced Placement (AP)

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:

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:

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 :

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.

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.

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 .

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:

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.

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):

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 .

Sample Long Essay Question

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

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 .

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:

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.

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 .

Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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AP® US History

Ap® us history faq: everything you need to know for 2024.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: February 8, 2024

Read below for detailed answers to the most commonly-asked questions about the 2024 AP® US History exam!

What We Review

Is AP® US History easy? What can make it hard?

The AP® US History course is inherently more difficult than a regular US History course. The AP® courses are designed to teach at a college introductory level, and the AP® exams test your knowledge of college-level content. Within the realm of AP® exams, the AP® US History exam is more difficult than the majority of the AP® exams. Here’s why:

In 2023, 47.5% of students scored a 3 or above on the AP® US History exam, with a mean score of 2.54.

It is important to note the sample size when viewing statistics. The AP® US History exam has been the second most popular exam in the last three years, second only to AP® English Language. 

Approximately 470,000 students take the AP® US History exam every year. In 2023, 467,975 students took the APUSH exam .

Because of the accessible nature of the content, it is likely that some students who take AP® US History lack the academic experience necessary to do well or do not adequately prepare for the exam . This at least partially explains why the pass rate for the APUSH exam is typically lower than the average pass rate of all AP® exams.

So, while the passing percentage may appear low, it is possible that the percentage is skewed slightly due to a higher volume of unprepared test takers. 

In order to maximize your study time for the AP® US History exam, it is useful to know how the exam sections are weighted so that you can focus your attention on the areas that carry more weight than others. 

The AP® US History exam is fairly evenly weighted among all nine categories, but three of the nine categories carry a much lower weight than the others. These categories are:

• Unit 1: Period 1: 1491–1607 (4-6%)
• Unit 2: Period 2: 1607–1754 (6-8%)
• Unit 9: Period 9: 1980–Present (4-6%)

These units are only weighted at 4-8% of the exam, while the following 6 units are weighted at 10-17% of the exam:

• Unit 3: Period 3: 1754–1800
• Unit 4: Period 4: 1800–1848
• Unit 5: Period 5: 1844–1877
• Unit 6: Period 6: 1865–1898
• Unit 7: Period 7: 1890–1945
• Unit 8: Period 8: 1945–1980

When attempting a score of 3 or better of the AP® US History exam, it could be useful to know how many questions you need to answer correctly in each section to achieve that score. Our AP® US History score calculator (previewed below) shows that you must correctly answer 28 multiple-choice questions and at least half of the short answer and essay questions to achieve a passing score. 

Is AP® US History worth it?

The AP® US History exam is worth taking for various important reasons. First, AP® courses help build essential college skills, such as time management and study skills. AP® courses also help to build an academic confidence level for students going on to college. 

Second, taking AP® courses lets colleges know that you are taking your academics seriously and that you are familiar with and prepared for the rigors of college-level courses. According to College Board research , “ students who receive a score of 3 or higher on AP® Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than their non-AP® peers.”

Perhaps the most important benefit of taking the AP® US History exam is the potential for college credit, which can translate into thousands of dollars in savings on your college tuition. By completing college credits in high school, you can avoid the need for additional semesters beyond four years and, in some cases, even graduate early.

Earning college credit can translate into significant savings on college tuition. The list below of several top colleges outlines the savings realized when using AP® US History for college credit.

The chart clearly outlines that there are significant savings to be gained by taking and passing the AP® exams. Add to this the educational benefits and it is clear that taking the AP® US History exam is worth your time and effort.

When is the 2024 AP® US History exam?

The 2024 AP® US History exam will take place on:

Fri, May 10, 2024, at 8am local time

Curious about when other AP® exams are happening in 202 4? View or download the complete AP® exam schedule here .

Is the 2024 AP® US History exam a digital test?

Schools can take the 2024 AP® US History exam as a traditional paper-and-pencil test or as an in-school digital exam on computers. More information on the digital option is available here .

You should check with your teacher and AP® Coordinator to know if you’ll take a paper-and-pencil or digital version.

Return to the Table of Contents

When do AP® US History scores typically come out?

According to the latest update from the College Board exam season timeline , students will receive their AP® scores in July 2024. Historically, the College Board typically releases AP® scores early in the month of July.

You’ll be able to access your AP® scores online with your College Board account username and password.

How is AP® US History scored? What’s the weighting of different questions?

The multiple-choice section of the AP® US History exam requires answering 55 questions in 55 minutes. The questions are typically grouped in subject sets of three to four. The questions require you to analyze historical texts and evidence using primary and secondary sources. All sources, maps, and graphs needed to answer the question are included. 

The AP® US History short answer section consists of three questions with a time limit of 40 minutes. This section actually consists of four total questions – the first two are required, and you can choose to answer either question 3 or question 4, for a total of three answered questions. 

The first two (required) questions cover the years 1754 to 1980. The optional questions cover 1491 to 1877, and 1865-2001 respectively. 

The single document-based question on the AP® US History exam allows a 15-minute reading period and then allows for an additional 45 minutes to answer the question. 

You must read 7 documents from a variety of historical perspectives. Based on your assessment of these documents, you must present and defend an argument that is supported by the provided documents. This question can cover any topic from the time period 1754-1980.

The last question on the AP® US History exam is the long essay question. You are allowed 40 minutes to answer this question. For this question, you can choose from three time periods. Option 1 is 1491-1800, Option 2 is 1800-1898, and Option 3 is 1890-2001. You should choose the option for which you feel most comfortable developing and defending an argument. 

It’s useful to know that the rubrics for the LEQ and DBQ have been slightly changed for the 2024 exam. The basic instructions remain the same, but the instructions for earning the evidence and complexity points have been simplified. The most noticeable changes are in the DBQ, where the number of documents that need to be used and the number of times POV has to be analyzed to earn full credit has been reduced. You can find the full rubrics in the College Board’s Course and Exam Description .

Pro tip : when answering the free-writing questions on the AP® US History exam, remember not to rely too heavily on quotations. Overusing quotations can signal to the exam reader that you are not confident in your understanding of historical content/context and lack the ability to adequately express that understanding. 

The units are weighted according to the chart below. If you want to know how this weighting translates to an actual score, try our free AP® US History score calculator . As you can see from the chart below, units 3-8 are weighted more heavily than the rest, so be sure to prepare well for those sections. 

The exam weighting breakdown for AP® US History is as follows:

What happens if you fail AP® US History?

If you fail or your score on the AP® US History exam is not high enough to receive college credit at the institution of your choice, it is important not to panic! 

You can retake the AP® US History exam as many times as you choose to achieve a higher score. The exam is given once a year in May. You will be required to pay the exam fee every time you take the exam.

The impact of failing the AP® US History exam on your high school GPA will actually be negligible. Most high schools base your course grade on your coursework and course exams. They don’t typically factor your AP® exam score into your course grade, so it shouldn’t affect your GPA

For college admissions, the impact of failing the AP® US History exam depends on the reason for taking the exam. If you are taking the exam for college credit, typically a score lower than a 3 (or a 4 for some schools) will disqualify you from receiving college credit for the course. 

Since the student is in control of where their AP® scores are sent, you can choose not to send a low score to the college of your choice. In addition, if you do send your AP® US History exam score to a college and then retake the exam and achieve a higher score, you can choose to cancel your lower score.

When do students typically take AP® US History? When is best?

Students typically take the AP® US History course later in their high school career.  

The AP® US History exam does not have any prerequisite requirements, however, many schools require at minimum successful completion of the school’s regular US History course. Many also require a grade of C or better on either AP® European History or AP® World History. For these reasons, most schools recommend waiting until your junior or senior year to take AP® US History. 

Waiting until 11th or 12th grade to take AP® US History means that you’re well-established in your high school career and more able to juggle the demands of more rigorous classes. This experience will allow you to handle this intensive survey course that covers the entirety of American history. 

Taking other AP® courses before AP® US History also allows you to have more exposure to the in-depth and informed responses required for the College Board’s short answer and essay questions before tackling them in the detail-heavy environment of AP® US History. 

Some students like to take more than one AP® class at a time. Many pair the reading and writing intensive AP® US History course with either an AP® language or AP® math course to balance the workload. 

In the end, the decision of when to take AP® US History will depend on your academic abilities and your workload. You should discuss the decision with your parents and your guidance counselor to settle on the perfect time to take AP® US History. 

Where can I find past AP® US History exams?

The College Board has made past AP® US History exam questions available on their AP® Central website . 

In addition, the College Board has made practice tests available for the past several years. Using these practice tests allows you to gain familiarity with the level of depth of the questions and the types of responses that have been successful in the past. 

Practice tests for the AP® US History exam for the most recent exam years can be found below:

• 2023 AP® US History Free-Response Questions
• 2022 AP® US History Free-Response Questions
• 2021 AP® US History Free-Response Questions
• 2019 AP® US History Free-Response Questions
• 2018 AP® US History Free-Response Questions
• 2017 AP® US History Free-Response Questions
• 2016 AP® US History Free-Response Questions
• 2015 AP® US History Free-Response Questions

You can find some examples of the multiple choice questions from the AP® US History Course and Exam Description . There are only 17 questions in the guide, so this will not mimic the actual test in length and may omit some important learning objectives. 

If you would like additional practice on the multiple choice portion of the exam, Albert provides thousands of practice questions that are aligned with the actual units covered by the AP® US History exam. 

There is quite a bit more useful information on the AP® Central website that you should review if you want to maximize your score on the AP® US History exam. This includes:

• AP® US History Scoring Guidelines 2023 / 2022 / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016
• AP® US History Chief Reader Reports 2023 / 2022 / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016
• AP® US History Scoring Reports 2023 / 2022 / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016

The scoring guidelines are useful to review because they outline how points are allocated or withheld on the short answer questions. 

Unlike multiple choice, the short answer questions can be more subjective to judge. The scoring guidelines provide examples of answers that would be awarded full or partial credit. This information can be invaluable to students trying to milk every point out of the AP® US History test.

In the Chief Reader Reports, the Chief Reader for each year shares insights on each short answer and essay question. The reports outlines the expectations for each question and the elements that were present in successful responses. The report also provides information on where students missed the mark on the question. 

According to the 2019 Chief Reader Report for AP® US History, one common mistake that students made was relying too heavily on quotations. To the reader this signaled an inability to show comprehension by expressing the ideas from the excerpts in their own words. From this report data, you can learn not to rely on quotations and to restate concepts to demonstrate a higher level of understanding.  

Another useful tool is the AP® US History Scoring Report. This report lets you see at a glance which questions students struggled with and which ones they were successful in answering. For example, question #3 on the 2019 exam had the lowest mean score of 1.34 points (out of a possible 3).

Correctly answering this question required an understanding of the economics of different colonial groupings from 1607 to 1754. According to the Chief Reader Report, students who missed this question often failed to correctly identify the geography of the colonies or discussed factors that occurred outside the specified time frame. 

After reviewing the Scoring Guidelines, the Chief Reader Reports and the Scoring Reports, you can also review the sample responses. For example, the sample response for question #3 provides three actual student responses to the question: one that received full credit, one that received two points, and one that received one point. 

If you’re looking for powerful practice with AP® US History FRQs,  Albert has practice questions for each type of FRQ  along with examples of responses that would earn full points. Albert even provides a detailed explanation of how the sample response earned each point in the rubric!

AP® Central provides a lot of information on the short answer and essay questions, but it is important to remember that 40% of the exam score comes from the multiple choice section. Albert provides thousands of AP-aligned practice questions for the AP® US History exam, along with detailed explanations for each question. 

You can learn more about Albert here    

Who should take AP® US History? What sort of students may like it more than others?

The decision to take AP® US History depends on your academic interests and goals after graduation. If you have enjoyed history courses in the past and are interested in learning more about the events and cultures that went into founding the United States, AP® US History could be a good choice for you. You can read more detail in the course overview . 

You are not required to take AP® US History to graduate, so if history and analytical writing are not strengths for you, it might be better to choose a different AP® course. It really does depend on your interests and academic strengths. 

If college is your goal, taking AP® US History looks good on your transcript and can boost your overall GPA. AP® courses carry more weight than the average high school class, or even honors classes, since they are considered college-level. The combination of AP® classes on your transcript, a higher weighted GPA and a higher class rank can make the difference when applying to colleges with more competitive admissions.

If you are considering taking AP® US History to get a perfect score, you’ll want to be aware of the difficulty level and the percentage of 5s awarded for this exam. Approximately 10-11% of students who take the AP® US History exam typically score a 5 on the exam. 

This is comparable to several of the other AP® History exams. The AP® US Government exam awarded 12.9% of students a perfect score in 2019, and AP® European History awarded a 5 to 11.7% of students. AP® World History had the lowest percentage, with only 8.7% of students being awarded a perfect score. 

No matter which AP® courses you choose, achieving a perfect score will always be difficult, so you should choose AP® courses based on your interests and academic strengths. You should decide after weighing advice from your parents and guidance counselor, but the ultimate decision should be yours. 

How do students typically score on AP® US History? What’s the score distribution?

How students usually score on the AP® US History exam depends on a variety of factors. First, it is important to note that the AP® US History exam is the second most popular AP® exam, so the trends over the past three years are based on an extremely large sample size. The larger sample size increases the reliability of the data.

Over the last three years, the scoring trends for the AP® US History exam are as follows:

Over the last few years, the percentage of students who achieved a passing score has remained mostly stable, with about 50% of students passing the exam with a score of 3 or higher.

For 2023, the mean score on the AP® US History exam was 2.54, which was based on 467,975 total test takers .

Need help preparing for your AP® US History exam?

Albert has thousands of AP® US History practice multiple-choice questions, free-response questions, and full-length practice tests to try out.

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