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The AP United States History Exam
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Exam Content
The first AP U.S. History Exam -- originally known as "American History" -- was given in 1956. The exam tests knowledge and skills included in a full-year introductory course in United States history from the first European explorations of the Americas to the present. The exam covers political institutions and behavior, public policy, social and economic change, diplomacy and international relations, and cultural and intellectual development.
The multiple-choice section tests students' factual knowledge, breadth of preparation, and knowledge-based analytical skills. The majority of multiple-choice questions are on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Approximately 20 percent of the questions deal with the period from the first European explorations through 1789, 45 percent with the period 1790 through 1914, and 35 percent with the period 1915 to the present. There may be a few multiple-choice questions on the period since 1980. Political institutions and behavior and public policy account for approximately 35 percent of the questions, and social and cultural developments account for approximately another 40 percent. The remaining questions are divided between the areas of diplomacy and international relations (15 percent) and economic developments (10 percent).
Standard essay questions may require students to relate developments in different areas, analyze common themes in different time periods, or compare individual or group experiences that reflect socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, or gender differences.
Multiple-Choice Questions
For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the Course Description.
 AP United States History Course Description (.pdf/891KB)
If you are using assistive technology and need help accessing these PDFs in another format, please contact us at ssd@info.collegeboard.org. Note: versions of these PDFs with enhanced accessibility will be available in the upcoming academic year.
Free-Response Questions
Below are free-response questions from past AP United States History Exams. Included with the questions are scoring guidelines, sample student responses, and commentary on those responses, as well as exam statistics and the Chief Reader's Student Performance Q&A for past administrations.
Note about "Form B" Exams
Prior to the May 2012 exam administration, for selected AP subjects, another version of the exam called "Form B" was administered outside of North, Central, and South America.
2013: Free-Response Questions
2012: Free-Response Questions
2011: Free-Response Questions
2011: Form B
2010: Free-Response Questions
2010: Form B
2009: Free-Response Questions
2009: Form B
2008: Free-Response Questions
2008: Form B
2007: Free-Response Questions
2007: Form B
2006: Free-Response Questions
2006: Form B
2005: Free-Response Questions
2005: Form B
2004: Free-Response Questions
2004: Form B
2003: Free-Response Questions
2003: Form B
Important Note: PDF Files
The links to exam questions for this course are in Adobe® PDF format, and you will need to use the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to view them. If you don't have Acrobat Reader 4.0 or higher installed on your computer, choose the link for the Adobe Web site below for installation instructions. For help downloading and printing PDF files, choose the link "PDF Troubleshooting" below in "See also."
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