APUSH Exam Info

Multiple Choice 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 35 percent with the period 1915 to the present. There may be a few multiple-choice questions on the period since 1980.

Multiple Choice Political institutions and behavior and public policy account for approximately 35 percent of the questions 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).

Multiple Choice As of the 2011 exam, a wrong answer does not deduct from the overall test score The multiple-choice section and the free-response section each account for 50% of the final score. each correct multiple choice earns 1.125 points

DBQ Info

1. Read the question -- that is, the prompt -- three times 1.Read the question -- that is, the prompt -- three times. Remember that in this instance "AP" stands for "address prompt." 2.Identify the task. State in your own words what you are being asked to write.

3.Circle or underline the main words, especially words of direction, such as "analyze," "explain," "compare and contrast," "evaluate," and "to what extent."

2012 DBQ Prompt In the post–Civil War United States, corporations grew significantly in number, size, and influence. Analyze the impact of big business on the economy and politics and the responses of Americans to these changes. Confine your answer to the period 1870 to 1900. (Suggested writing time—45 minutes) Percent of Section II score—45

4.Briefly list the main events of the historical time period addressed. Use the acronym PERSIA to help you categorize the political, economic, religious, social, intellectual, and artistic aspects of the period. This is outside information that may be included in the essay.

5. Read each document, noting the source or the title 5.Read each document, noting the source or the title. Briefly write the main point of each document. If the prompt requires you to take one position or another, group the documents on the basis of those positions. For example, in the 1999 DBQ you are asked to evaluate colonial identity AND unity. Note that documents A, C, E, and G are about unity, whereas documents B, D, F, and H deal with identity. Some documents may be used to support both unity and identity.

6.Use the source or the title when referring to the information in the document. Do NOT use the word "document" in the narrative of your essay. (Writing "Document A says," "Document B says," and so on results in a laundry list of documents instead of an essay.) You may use the word "document" in parentheses as a reference to a specific document at the end of the information you have included from that document.

FRQ Information

FRQ’s You may look at them during the DBQ section, but you cannot begin writing then. 2 Free Response Questions. In all likely-hood will be pre-1865 questions

2012 FRQ Section B 2. Analyze the effect of the French and Indian War and its aftermath on the relationship between Great Britain and the British colonies. Confine your response to the period from 1754 to 1776. 3. Analyze how western expansion contributed to growing sectional tensions between the North and the South. Confine your answer to the period from 1800 to 1850. You are advised to spend 5 minutes planning and 30 minutes writing your answer

2012 FRQ Section C 4. Analyze the origins and outcomes of the intense cultural conflicts of the 1920s. In your response, focus on TWO of the following. Immigration Prohibition Religion 5. Compare and contrast the Cold War foreign policies of TWO of the following presidents. Harry Truman (1945–1953) Dwight Eisenhower (1953–1961) Richard Nixon (1969–1974) (Suggested total planning and writing time—70 minutes) Percent of Section II score—55

What the graders are looking for… Well-developed thesis Specific Factual Evidence that supports the thesis Analysis Effective Use of Documents on DBQ- Means synthesizing, extracting a main idea—how and why this document is impacting what your thesis is trying to say. Do not just re-phrase the word in the document. As graders scoring they think about how much significant knowledge of history has this student demonstrated in this essay.

Common APUSH Writing Mistakes 8- does not put thesis in introduction Don’t tease, don’t tantalize the reader. Hold their hand and guide them through the paper 7- A better thesis develops throughout paper, but students don’t change first one If the students discover a better thesis as they write their essay, include it at the end. They can draw an arrow to the intro, etc. It is ok. 6- Does not incorporate the documents in their essays 5- Writes like an English class. In history class there is only one way of writing – it’s a persuasive essay. Take a position and support it. It should be brief- not great literature!

Common APUSH Writing Mistakes 4- Does not add any outside information to show historical knowledge. 3- Does not budget time. 2- Does not spend enough time understanding, brainstorming, and organizing the essay before beginning to write. Avoid the compulsion to immediately begin writing. Figure out the best method for you to organize your essay before you begin to write. 1- No thesis is included.