AP US History

Click on the menu above for the best AP US History practice exams, document-based questions, free response questions, notes, videos, and study guides. These online resources include all the information you need to succeed in this challenging history course.

AP US History Exam

This AP test covers American history from 1491 to the present. It’s the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college course.

The AP United States History Exam format is:

Section 1
Part A: (55 minutes, 40% of score)
55 Multiple-choice questions
Part B: (40 minutes, 20% of score)
3 Short-answer questions

Section 2
Part A: (60 minutes, 25% of score)
1 Document-Based Question (DBQ)
Part B: (40 minutes, 15% of score)
1 Long Essay Question (chosen from 2 options)

Multiple-Choice Questions:
The multiple-choice questions appear in sets containing 2–5 questions. Each set is based on stimulus material such as a primary or secondary source, chart, graph, text, map, or image. You’ll need to use the stimulus material along with your knowledge of historical developments to answer accurately.
Short-Answer Questions:
These questions may include a historian’s argument, a primary source, data, or maps. You’ll analyze the sources and provide specific examples of relevant historical evidence in concise, focused responses.
Document-Based Question (DBQ):
You’ll develop a thesis and support it using evidence from a set of provided documents. You’ll need to analyze, group, and synthesize this material to construct a coherent historical argument.
Long Essay Question:
You’ll choose one of two questions and write an essay that develops a thesis or argument, supported with specific historical evidence and reasoning skills such as comparison, causation, or continuity and change over time.

When is the AP U.S. History Exam?
For the 2024–2025 school year, the AP U.S. History Exam will be administered on Friday, May 9, 2025, at 8 a.m. local time. The APUSH exam is offered once per year.