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The AP World History Exam
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Exam Content
World History is the most recent addition to the roster of AP Exams. The exam was administered for the first time in May 2002. The AP World History Exam tests knowledge of topics included in a full-year introductory college course in world history. The exam highlights six overarching themes: impact of societal interactions, change and continuity across world history periods, impact of technology and demography, social and gender structures, cultural and intellectual developments, and functions and structures of states. The exam addresses historical habits of mind or skills (constructing and evaluating arguments, using primary documents and data, assessing change and continuity over time, and handling diversity of interpretations) as well as world historical topics (global patterns, comparison within and among societies, and understanding of ideas and values).
The multiple-choice section of the exam measures students' knowledge of world history from the Foundations period (c. 8000 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.) to the present. Approximately 19 to 20 percent of the questions deal with the Foundations period, 22 percent cover the period 600 C.E. to 1450, 19 to 20 percent cover the period 1450 to 1750, 19 to 20 percent deal with the period 1750 to 1914, and 19 to 20 percent cover the period 1914 to the present.
In the free-response section of the exam, students answer three questions: a document-based question; a question that deals with change over time and is focused on large global issues such as technology, trade, culture, migrations, or biological developments; and an essay question requiring students to compare a wider set of issues and focus on interactions of at least two societies.
Multiple-Choice Questions
For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the Course Description.
 AP World History Course Description (.pdf/2.5MB)
Free-Response Questions
Below are free-response questions from past AP World History Exams. Included with the questions are scoring guidelines, sample student responses, and commentary on those responses, as well as exam statistics.
2007: Free-Response Questions
2006: Free-Response Questions
2005: Free-Response Questions
2004: Free-Response Questions
2003: Free-Response Questions
2002: Free-Response Questions
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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