AP World History: Modern

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AP World History: Modern

The AP World History: Modern course focuses on world history from c. 1200 CE to the present. The exam is designed to measure your knowledge of world history and your ability to think historically. Questions are based on historical thinking skills, key concepts of world history, course themes, and learning objectives.
The course is divided into nine units, each covering a major era or theme in global history. The approximate exam weighting for each unit is also shown below:

Unit 1: The Global Tapestry (8–10%)
Unit 2: Networks of Exchange (8–10%)
Unit 3: Land-Based Empires (12–15%)
Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections (12–15%)
Unit 5: Revolutions (12–15%)
Unit 6: Consequences of Industrialization (12–15%)
Unit 7: Global Conflict (8–10%)
Unit 8: Cold War and Decolonization (8–10%)
Unit 9: Globalization (8–10%)

AP World History Exam Format
Section I
Part A (55 minutes | 40% of score)
55 multiple-choice questions
Questions appear in sets of 2–5 and are based on stimulus materials such as primary or secondary sources, images, maps, or charts. You’ll use historical reasoning skills to analyze, compare, and interpret these sources.

Part B (40 minutes | 20% of score)
3 short-answer questions. These questions ask you to explain historical examples and analyze developments or processes in world history.

Section II
Part A (1 hour | 25% of score)
1 Document-Based Question (DBQ). Includes a 15-minute reading and planning period followed by 45 minutes of writing time. You must analyze and integrate historical documents and evidence to develop a supported argument.

Part B (40 minutes | 15% of score)
1 Long Essay Question (LEQ). You choose one of three prompts. The LEQ assesses your ability to craft a historical argument supported by specific evidence, showing continuity and change or cause and effect over time.

When Is the AP World History Exam?
The AP World History: Modern Exam is typically administered once each year in May, usually in the morning at 8 a.m. local time. At most schools, the exam is given in a digital format using the College Board’s Bluebook testing application.