A.P. U.S. History Exam Tips

Exam Breakdown

• Total exam time is 3 hours, 5 minutes• 80 Multiple Choice Questions – 55 Minutes– No penalty for guessing

• Free Response Questions – 130 Minutes– Mandatory 15 Minute Reading Period– All essays graded on a scale of 1-9, no basic or expanded core

• Part A - DBQ – 45 Minute Suggested Writing Time• Part B & C – Each include a choice of TWO essays – Suggested

Writing Time is 35 minutes each• Part B – Colonization – Civil War• Part C – Civil War - Present

DBQ

• Documents unlikely to be famous• Outside information is mandatory– During the reading period, make a list of the major

events of the time period that the question is referring to.

– Group the documents relating to the question that is being asked.

– Identify 2-3 documents for a POV analysis.• Look for bias, tone, intended audience (this is especially

useful for political messages)

DBQ

• POV Analysis– How does who they are influence what they

write?– Look at the social class, gender, region of the

author of the document.– Analyze bias, tone, intended audience, purpose of

the document.

DBQ Structure

• Thesis – answer the question and mention the time period

• You must use all documents• You do not need “additional documents or

missing voices”• Cite documents according to author and title

of the document:– “According to Thomas Jefferson, in the Declaration

of Independence…..”

DBQ Structure

• Thesis paragraph• Ideally there will be 3 body paragraphs• Each Body Paragraph should have the

following:– Use of 3-4 documents (cited correctly)– POV analysis– 3 pieces of outside information

Free Response

• Part B - 35 Minutes– Choose the essay that you feel you know the most about, this

means the one you will be able to include the most detailed information for

– Some essays will give you a choice of TWO of several options– Essay will range from Colonization – Civil War– Essay might include compare and contrast– Historical evidence is key – dates, names, events, legislation,

regions, time periods, etc.– Put as much information into the essay as you can, even if you

are unsure if it is correct – 8’s and 9’s can include incorrect information

Free Response

• Part C – 35 Minutes– Choose the essay that you feel you know the most about, this

means the one you will be able to include the most detailed information for

– Some essays will give you a choice of TWO of several options– Essay will range from Reconstruction – Present Times (1980’s)– Essay might include compare and contrast– Historical evidence is key – dates, names, events, legislation,

regions, time periods, etc.– Put as much information into the essay as you can, even if you

are unsure if it is correct – 8s and 9s can include incorrect information

Sample Exam DBQ

• The 1920’s have been characterized as a decade of economic, social, and cultural change. Analyze the extent to which the First World War and consumerism affected U.S. society during this period.

Potential Outside Info for Sample DBQ

• 1921 Quota Act - 1929 Crash• 1924 National Origins Act - Flapper• Al Smith – 1924 Election - Alice Paul• Sacco and Vanzetti Trial - Women’s Suffrage• 18th Amendment - The Lost Generation• Great Migration - Scopes Trial• Harlem Renaissance - William Jennings Bryan• Marcus Garvey - Stocks “On Margin”• A. Philip Randolph - Overproduction• Silent films - Teapot Dome Scandal• Babe Ruth, New York Yankees - Laissez-Faire • Speakeasies - Calvin Coolidge• Henry Ford – Assembly Line - Warren Harding• The Saturday Evening Post – Advertising - Treaty of Versailles

Question 2

• Americans have sometimes resorted to using extralegal means to promote change. Assess the extent to which such measures were effective by analyzing EACH of the following:– Boston Tea Party– John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry

Boston Tea Party• End of the French and Indian War led to increased taxation upon the colonies to

finance British war debts• Proclamation of 1763• End of salutary neglect• “No taxation without representation”• Stamp Act Congress – 1765• Boston Massacre – March 1770• Townshend Acts • Colonial boycott of tea in response to British granting East India Company a monopoly• Boston Tea Party – December 16, 1773 – colonists disguised as American Indians raid

ships in Boston Harbor– British Response – Intolerable Acts, closing of Boston port, renewed Quartering Act– Colonial Response – oppose restrictions being passed by Parliament– 1st Continental Congress– 2nd Continental Congress– John Adams, Samuel Adams, George Washington, John Hancock

John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry

• October 16, 1859 – designed to spur a slave rebellion in Virginia – supported by Northern abolitionists

• Compromise of 1850, Fugitive Slave Act• Kansas-Nebraska Act• “Bleeding Kansas”• Dred Scott case• Convicted of treason – executed on December 2, 1859• Reactions to raid

– South – viewed as treason, anti-slavery, no regard for constitutional principles

– North – supported by abolitionists such as Harriet Tubman, tributes to Brown included lowered flags; sermons; and the tolling of bells

Question 3

• To what extent did the War of 1812 constitute a “second American Revolution”? In your answer be sure to address EACH of the following: foreign relations, economic development.

Foreign Policy

• Border disputes with Canada• War Hawks• Native Conflicts – William Henry Harrison, Tecumseh

and the Prophet• Impressment crisis with British• Treaty of Ghent– Armistice– U.S. did not lose territory– Battle of New Orleans fought after treaty signed– Settlement of Canadian boundary dispute

Economic Development

• Jefferson’s Embargo• Non-Intercourse Act• Impact of embargo on American manufacturing• Opposition of New England Federalists – center

of manufacturing – Hartford Convention• Henry Clay’s American System• Development of infrastructure• Bank of the United States

Question 4

• The period of 1870 to 1900 experienced more conflict than consensus over labor relations. Assess the validity of this statement with respect to TWO of the following: government, industrialists, organized labor.

Government

• Interstate Commerce Commission 1887• Sherman Antitrust Act 1890• Grover Cleveland• William McKinley

Industrialists

• Formation of monopolies• U.S. Steel• Standard Oil• Andrew Carnegie• “Gospel of Wealth”• J.P. Morgan• John D. Rockefeller• George Pullman

Organized Labor

• Great Railroad Strike of 1877• Knights of Labor• Haymarket Riot of 1886• Homestead Strike 1892• Pullman Strike 1894• American Federation of Labor• Samuel Gompers• Socialists• Molly Maguires• Depression of 1873• Panic of 1893

Question 5

• Evaluate the impact of the Second World War on the United States in the 1950s and 1960s in terms of TWO of the following: Education, International Relations, Science and Technology

Education

• GI Bill of Rights• Math and Science • Launch of Sputnik – engineering• Elementary and Secondary Education Act of

1965• Head Start• Brown vs. the Board of Education

International Relations

• George Kennan – containment• Truman Doctrine• Marshall Plan• Korean War• Communist takeover of China• Berlin Airlift• Bay of Pigs• Cuban Missile Crisis• Vietnam War

Science and Technology

• Polio vaccine• Consumerism• Television• Cars• Airplanes• Space exploration• Computers• Interstate Highway Act of 1956• Early computers