AP US HISTORY
Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 Different Parts of this Audio Book ............................................... 1 Format .......................................................................................... 2 D-B-Q Essay Expectations ........................................................... 3 What You should Bring ................................................................ 3 US History .............................................................................................. 5 MCQ Gradings ............................................................................. 6 Essay Gradings ............................................................................. 6 Scoring ......................................................................................... 7 Scores 8 or 9 ................................................................................. 7 Score 5 to 7 ................................................................................... 7 Score 2-4 ...................................................................................... 8 Score 0 to 1 ................................................................................... 8 MCQ Tips ............................................................................................. 11 Different MCQ Types ................................................................. 12 MCQ with Charts, Tables & Graphs .......................................... 21 Questions with Maps .................................................................. 22 Tips for Cartoons, Photographs or Artwork ............................... 22 Tips for Essay Portion ................................................................ 23 Tips for DBQ .............................................................................. 24 Tips for Standard Essays ...................................................................... 27 Writing Techniques .................................................................... 29 D-B-Q Questions ........................................................................ 30 Document Based Questions ........................................................ 31
D-B-Q Validity ........................................................................... 31 Standard Essays .......................................................................... 32 i
Identification or Evaluation ................................................................. 35 Examples on Identification ........................................................ 35 Discuss and Describe ................................................................. 37 Points for Essays ........................................................................ 37 Compare & Contrast Essays ...................................................... 38 Compare and Contrast Questions ............................................... 39 Validy Essays ............................................................................. 39 Using Your Textbook .......................................................................... 41 How to Read History TextBook ................................................. 41 Using a Reader ........................................................................... 42 Monograph and Historical Series ............................................... 43 Scholary Journals ....................................................................... 45 Audio-Visual Sources ................................................................ 46 Reference Sources ................................................................................ 49 American History on the Internet ............................................... 49 Historians and Their Work ......................................................... 50 Varieties of History .................................................................... 51 Prominent American Historians ................................................. 52 Tips You can Do ........................................................................ 54 Writing Your Paper .................................................................... 54 Sample Essay Questions ............................................................ 55 Pairs of Historical Figures ................................................................... 57 Reviewing US History ......................................................................... 59 Exploration & Colonization ....................................................... 60 American Revolution ................................................................. 66 Constitution and Federalists ....................................................... 69 Bill of Rights .............................................................................. 71 Jeffersonian and Jacksonian Democracy ................................... 75 Sectionalism & Expansion ......................................................... 79 Civil War and Reconstruction .............................................................. 83 Gilded Age ................................................................................. 85 ii
US at Home and Abroad ............................................................. 89 Prosperity & Depression ............................................................. 92
America at War .......................................................................... 96 US as a Super Power .................................................................. 99 Contemporary America ............................................................ 102 Sample Test ........................................................................................ 117 Sample Essay Questions ..................................................................... 183
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Introduction Welcome to an audio review for the A-P United States History test. Research has shown learning in different formats such as audio can help you remember information
better on the test day!
Different Parts of this Audio Book Here is an overview of how to use the different parts of this audio
book. The first part of this audio book is an introduction to U-S History test. The introduction will cover the format and scoring of the test. The introduction will also offer tips on taking both the multiple choice and essay portions of the test. The second part of this audio review will give you an
overview of the various outside sources you can use to study for the test. The third part of this review will be an overview of United States History, complete with key facts, dates, and definitions of key terms. Finally, be sure to take the practice audio test, which has one hundred multiple choice questions and three sample essays. Let's get started!
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Format Here is an overview of the format of A-P United States
History test. The test will be three hours and five minutes long. The test is divided into two sections. The first section will have
eighty multiple choice questions. You will have forty five minutes for the multiple choice questions. That's only forty
seconds per question, so budget your time carefully. Also, remember that questions with charts and graphs will probably take longer to answer. You may want to make two passes through the test. During the first pass, you can quickly answer questions you are sure of. Then during the second pass, you can spend more time with the difficult questions.
The second section will have three parts. You will have two hours and twenty minutes to answer three essay
questions. Part A is the document based question, also called the DB-Q. You will have no choices in this part. All students must complete the same essay. For the D-B-Q, you must analyze a group of documents according to your understanding of U-S History. You have to use information from documents that apply best to the topic. You will have to develop an argument that incorporates the document and your arguments. Section two will start with a fifteen minute reading period. Use this time to read the D-B-Q and the essay questions. You make notes on your green booklet. If you have additional time, you should review the choices for parts B and C. You should spend about forty five minutes on the 2
D-B-Q. Once you are done with the D-B-Q, you can move
on to the other questions.
D-B-Q Essay Expectations Here's an overview of the kinds of documents you can expect in the D-B-Q essay. There will be excerpts from written materials like diaries, letters, speeches, novels, magazine articles, court decisions, and laws. There will also be visual material like charts, graphs, tables, maps, photographs, and political cartoons. There will be seven to ten documents. In parts B and C, you will have a choice of essays. You
will have to pick one essay for each part. There are seventy minutes total for the two essays. That works out to thirty five minutes per essay. You should spend five minutes planning
and thirty minutes actually writing the essay. The essay questions will be a green booklet. You will have to write your essay in a pink booklet. Points are not taken away for grammar or spelling during the essay. Write
neatly, and be sure to answer all parts of the questions. Be sure to visit the College Board's web site on the A-P United States History test. The website will tell you about
any last minute changes to the test.
What You should Bring Here's an overview of what you should bring to the exam. Bring two number two pencils with good erasers. Also, bring two blue or black pens. Remember to write your essay 3
in ink! You will also need your high school code number, your
social security number, and a watch.
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US History Welcome to the section which will give you an overview of the subject matter on the A-P United States History exam. The exam covers all of American history, but it can be broken down into sections.
Seventeen percent of the test will cover colonial America to the New Nation. That's through the year seventeen eighty nine. Fifty percent of the test will cover from the new nation
until World War one. That's through the year nineteen fourteen. Thirty three percent of the test will cover World War one to the present. That's from nineteen fifteen through the present. The emphasis will be on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
You will have to know information on political institutions, public policy, social and economic history, international relations, and social and cultural movements. The College Board will provide you with the timeframe
of the D-B-Q. This changes from year to year. That's why it's important that you check the College Board web site or ask your A-P teacher which period will be covered. That way,
you can pay close attention to important documents from that 5
period. The test will be scored on a five point scale. Five is considered extremely well qualified, four is well qualified, three is qualified, two is possibly qualified, and one means
not qualified. Three is considered a passing score.
MCQ Gradings Welcome to the section on how the multiple choice questions are graded. The multiple choice section is worth fifty percent of your total score. You must get at least sixty percent of the questions right to pass with the test with a grade of three. You will get one point for every question you answer correctly. You will get one fourth of a point deducted for every wrong answer. You will get zero points if you skip a
question.
Essay Gradings Welcome to the section on how the essays are graded. Readers will be college professors or high school teachers. Readers will grade your essay. The readers will have to grade many tests and they will only be able to spend a few minutes grading each of your essays. Readers use a system of confidentiality and objectivity when reading your essays. Readers use a group of standards and examples when they score the essays. The standards are from zero to nine, with zero being low and nine being high. 6
Scoring Here is an overview of the standards at each level of scoring.
Scores 8 or 9 Here is an overview of an essay which would receive a score
of eight or nine.
The essay has a well developed thesis The essay uses most of the documents The thesis is supported with lots of outside information The essay is well written and organized, but may contain minor errors.
Score 5 to 7 Here is an overview of an essay which would receive a
score of five to seven. The essay has a thesis. The essay uses some of the documents. The essay supports the thesis with some outside information The essay has only limited analysis of the issues 7
The writing and organization are acceptable There are factual errors which do not detract from the essay
Score 2-4 Here is an overview of an essay which would receive a
score of two to four. The essay has a confused or poorly developed thesis statement. The essay only quotes or briefly cites the documents The document has minimal, poorly organized outside information The essay is badly written The essay may contain major factual errors.
Score 0 to 1 Here is an overview of an essay which would receive a
score of zero to one. The essay has no thesis statement. The essay does not use the documents, or misuses them. The essay does not bring in any outside information. The essay is difficult to understand because or poor 8
writing and organization. There are lots of factual errors.
If the question references a particular event or time period, the essay readers will likely make a chart of key points which need to be included for you to receive a certain score. Be sure to be thorough in your answers, including all relevant information. However, you still need to be clear and concise because readers won't have much time to read your
essay! Section two will be worth fifty percent of your total grade. The D-B-Q will be worth forty five percent of your
score in section two. The other two essays will be worth fifty five percent. As you can see, the D-B-Q is the question with the most value. Be sure to answer all questions carefully and completely!
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MCQ Tips Here are some tips for answering the multiple choice questions. Remember, the first step is to read the question and the five answer choices carefully before answering! Pay close
attention to questions with the words EXCEPT, NOT or LEAST. These can be tricky and you need to be sure to answer the question correctly. You should use the process of elimination on the multiple choice questions. You can write on your test booklet. You
should cross out answer choices which you know are wrong. If you can't eliminate any answer choices as incorrect, you
should NOT guess on the question. Remember, you lose points for wrong answers! If you can narrow down the choices to two or three, then you should guess among the remaining choices. It may also be helpful to underline key words and concepts in the question. Be sure to pick the BEST answer. Choice A might sound right, but choice D may be better. Read all the choices and
don't jump to conclusions. Pay attention to questions which show extreme points of
view. Those are usually wrong. Extreme questions are indicated by words like always, never, completely, entirely, or definitely. 11
Be careful to mark the right answer for the right question in your answer booklet. If are stumped on a problem, you
can come back to it later. Mark the question with a mark in your test booklet. Don't mark your answer sheet. Stray marks on your answer sheet can cause errors in scoring! Time is a factor in the multiple choice questions. You will have to answer eighty questions in forty five minutes, so budget your time carefully! You will have about forty seconds per question, but some questions will take longer than others. Those with visual information like charts, graphs or cartoons will take longer. Don't spend two or three minutes debating the answer to a hard question. Either decide to leave it blank, or narrow down the answers and
take an educated guess.
Different MCQ Types Here is an overview of the different types of multiple choice questions. The direct question is also called the what question. The direct question will ask you to pick one of the choices as
being true or correct. Here are two examples of a direct question.
Example one. Which term is defined as the total output of
the goods and services from the United States?
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Here are the answer choices: A. Labor rate B. Stagflation C. Unemployment rate D. Gross Domestic Product E. Total Domestic Goods and Products
The answer to this question would be D. The Gross Domestic Product is commonly called the G-D-P. The Gross Domestic Product is defined as the total of the goods and services produced by the U-S.
Example two. What was President Taft’s policy of promoting U-S interests overseas? Here are the answer choices: A. Referendum B. Expansion of the trusts C. New Nationalism D. New Federalism E. Dollar Diplomacy
The answer to this question would be E. Dollar diplomacy 13
was President Taft’s policy of promoting U-S interests overseas. Taft encouraged American businessmen to invest in foreign countries in the Caribbean and Central America.
The next type of question is the reverse multiple choice. The reverse multiple choice question can be tricky. Be sure
to pay close attention to questions with the words NOT, EXCEPT, or LEAST. The reverse multiple choice question
will ask you to pick out the answer choice that DOES NOT belong. To handle this question, you should cross out the answers that DO belong. Here are two examples of a reverse multiple choice question.
Example one. Which of the following was NOT one of the
agencies created by the New Deal? Here are the answer choices:
A. Civil Conservation corps B. N-A-S-A C. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation D. Public Works Administration E. Tennessee Valley authority
The answer to this question would be B. Franklin Roosevelt created many new governmental agencies to 14
oversee his New Deal policies.
Example two. Which of the following was NOT an idea included in the American system?
Here are the answer choices: A. national banks B. internal improvements C. strong role of government in economy D. high tariffs E. Private banks.
The answer to this question would be E. The American system was an economic program. The American System included support for a national bank, high tariffs, and internal improvements. The American system also emphasized a strong role for federal government within the economy.
The when question will ask you when something took place. Watch for the words first, last, occurred and most recently in when questions. These words are not capitalized. Be sure to pay attention to all parts of the question. The question may contain clues to the correct answer. Here are two examples of when questions. 15
Example one. When did Pizarro of Spain conquer Peru
and the Inca people? Here are the answer choices: A. fifteen forty B. fourteen ninety two C. fourteen ninety nine D. fifteen hundred E. fifteen thirty one
The answer to this question would be E. The explorer Pizarro of Spain conquered Peru and the Inca people in fifteen thirty one.
Example two. According to the constitution, when did all women gain the right to vote?
Here are the answer choices: A. when African American men were given the right to vote B. nineteen hundred C. nineteen twenty D. nineteen thirty three 16
E. nineteen forty two
The answer to this question would be C. Women were granted the right to vote in nineteen twenty with the
nineteenth amendment. Before that, only twenty six states allowed women to vote, at least for president. The fifteenth amendment said Americans couldn't be denied the right to vote because of race, color or condition of previous
servitude. The fourteenth amendment was passed in eighteen seventy. African American men had the right to vote fifty years before women did.
The Multiple Multiple choice question will give five answer choices and more than one of them may be correct.
You have to read the question carefully and eliminate answer choices that are clearly incorrect. The best way to handle this type of question is to circle the choices that are correct. You can then eliminate all choices that do not include the correct answer choice. Use this process of elimination to get down to the correct answer. Here are two examples of a multiple multiple choice question.
Example one. What was emphasized by mercantilism? Here are the answer choices: A. Silver B. Slaves 17
C. Gold D. Silver, Slaves and Gold E. Both Silver and Gold.
The answer to this question would be E. Mercantilism was an economic policy that said the strength of a nation is
based on the amount of gold and silver that it has. Mercantilism also said the country needs a favorable balance of trade. Mercantilism said colonies provide raw materials and a market for goods to the mother country.
Example two. Which of the following people was considered a Federalist? Here are the answer choices: A. Patrick Henry B. Thomas Jefferson C. John Jay D. Alexander Hamilton E. Both John Jay and Alexander Hamilton
The answer to this question would be E. John Jay and
Alexander Hamilton were famous federalists. Federalists were supporters of the constitution.
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The quotation question is based on a short passage from a document. The document can be from a letter, diary, book, speech or court ruling. Sometimes, you will be expected to identify the author or source of the material. You also may
have to identify the point of view of the author. Some questions may be more difficult and test your ability to comprehend and analyze passages. Here are two examples of quotation questions.
Example one. Here is a quote from a source: (Pause) Your president may easily become a king. Your Senate so imperfectly constructed that your dearest rights may become sacrificed by what might be a small minority.
Here is the question. What point of view does this statement reflect? Here are the answer choices: A. Antifederalist B. Democrat C. Federalist D. Republican E. Green party
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The answer to this question would be A. Patrick Henry made this statement. Henry was an antifederalist. Antifederalists were concerned about the constitution because it did not originally contain a Bill of Rights.
Example two. Here is a quote from a source: The Opposition tells us that we ought not to govern a people without their consent. I answer, The rule of liberty
that all just government derives its authority from the consent of the governed, applies only to those who are capable of self government. . . . And, regardless of this formula of words made only for enlightened, self governing people, do we owe no duty to the world? Shall we turn these peoples back to the reeking hands from which we have taken them? Shall we abandon them, with Germany, England, Japan, hungering for them?
Here is the question. What is this speech referring to? Here are the answer choices: A. land included in the purchase of Alaska B. colonies acquired after the Spanish American War C. land included in the Northwest ordinance D. the Philippines and Puerto Rico E. Belgian colonies in the Congo
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The answer to this question would be B. The quote is from debates on Imperialism after the Spanish American War.
MCQ with Charts, Tables & Graphs Here is an overview of how to deal with multiple choice
questions which have charts, tables, and graphs. Always be sure to study the data carefully. You will need to be able to interpret the visual information. You should study the graphs and charts closely in your A-P textbook to
prepare for the exam. Tables, charts and graphs usually show change over time. Here are some tips for dealing with these types of questions. Make sure to read the labels on both the vertical and horizontal axis carefully. You need to understand exactly what data is being represented.
Pay attention to the range of dates shown. Think of what major events during that time period. The numbers can be represented in absolute numbers. Absolute numbers are abbreviated or rounded off. Be sure to pay attention to the key. Numbers can also be shown in percentages. Line graphs usually show trends over time. The horizontal axis usually shows time. The vertical axis usually shows other data.
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Remember that a pie chart represents one hundred percent. Each part of the pie chart represents a certain percentage. The A-P Test typically uses more than pie chart at a time so you can see changes.
Questions with Maps Here are some tips on questions with maps. There are two types of maps on the A-P test. The first type is maps which are historically significant. The second
type is maps that represent historic information. The second type is much more common. You will find many of those
maps in your A-P textbook. Be sure to study the map carefully. You should look at the title, as well as the key or legend before you try to answer
the question. Some maps will not have a key, legend or title.
Tips for Cartoons, Photographs or Artwork Here are some tips for questions which have cartoons, photographs, or artwork.
Visual representations will be used to test your analytical skills. Political cartoons are used to stir up public support for a
cause. Most of the time, cartoons take a position against rulers in power. Cartoons commonly use distortion, exaggeration and symbols to get their point of view across. You should pay attention to the figures in the cartoon. Look at the way they are dressed to approximate the time
period of the cartoon. 22
The cartoon may have a caption or conversations. Be sure to read these words carefully! Photographs can be important tools in studying American history. Photographs offer a snapshot of a time period and
show how certain people lived. Questions about photographs usually ask you what is taking place in the photo. The question will usually want you to place the photograph in political context. Questions based on artwork, like paintings, drawings, sculptures and architecture, are not as common. These questions will be similar to the ones asked about photographs. Be sure to pay close attention to the details, and the captions, if there are any!
Tips for Essay Portion Here are general tips for the essay portion. Read the directions carefully. Review all four test questions before you start writing. Think of good points and examples for your essay. You can use the green booklet to outline your essays and create a thesis statement. Read the question carefully and be sure you understand EXACTLY what the question is asking. Listing means you can just name the concepts requested. Spend more time on
concepts if the question asks you to describe or discuss. Include terms and concepts in your essay and be sure to
define them. 23
Don't write everything you know about a topic. Be sure to focus and answer the given question. There are no strict guidelines for how long your essays
should be. Write enough so you cover all parts of the question in detail.
Tips for DBQ Here are some tips for doing the Data Based Question,
called the D-B-Q. The D-B-Q will require you to write about the seven to
ten documents presented in the test. Also, it's very important to pay close attention to the directions for the test! You will be required to bring in OUTSIDE knowledge that is not included in the documents or questions. You will be severely penalized if you do not bring in any outside knowledge of U-S History! You will be required to spend fifteen minutes reading over documents for the Data Based Question. Be sure to read the D-B-Q BEFORE you start reading the documents. You can take notes on the test, and be sure you do! You should
underline concepts and dates, as well as make notes with facts and ideas for your essay. You should read the documents after you read the question. Be sure to underline key facts or ideas and pay attention to the source of the quotes. You should also be writing down details about the time period which are not
included in the documents. You will use these ideas to bring in the required outside information. 24
Do NOT shape your essay around the documents. You should develop your own ideas and theories and use the documents to support them. You do not have to structure the essay by using the documents in the order that they appear.
You do not want have an essay which explains each document sequentially. This is called a laundry list. A laundry list will NOT get
you the good score you want! Incorporate the information in the documents naturally within your essay.
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You have reached the end of the audio review for
AP US History Sample Test.
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