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  4. The APUSH Course and Exam

The APUSH Course and Exam

Your AP U.S. History exam will be on Friday, May 6, 2023 @ 7:30 a.m.

The exam was redesigned for the 2014-15 school year.  Make sure that any review material found online reflect the redesigned exam.  You can also find more information by following the links below:

The APUSH curriculum organizes U.S. History into nine periods with each having an area of focus: 

The 2015 edition of the AP U.S. History Course and Exam Description (.pdf/1.58MB) (CED) and updated AP history rubrics are now available. For more information, visit the AP U.S. History course page.

Exam Overview

AP U.S. HISTORY EXAM: 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES

The AP Exam questions measure students' knowledge of U.S. history and their ability to think historically. Questions are based on key and supporting concepts, course themes, and historical thinking skills.

Information about the rubrics is included in a separate Rubrics for AP Histories + Historical Thinking Skills (.pdf/555KB). To learn more about the rubrics and historical thinking skills changes, watch this narrated presentation.

Exam Format

Section I: Part A
Multiple Choice — 55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score

  • Questions appear in sets of 2 to 5.
  • Students analyze historical texts, interpretations, and evidence.
  • Primary and secondary sources, images, graphs, and maps are included.

Section I: Part B
Short Answer — 3 Questions | 40 Minutes | 20% of Exam Score

  • Questions provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know best.
  • Some questions include texts, images, graphs, or maps.

Section II: Part A
Document Based — 1 Question | 60 Minutes (includes 15-minute reading period) | 25% of Exam Score

  • Analyze and synthesize historical data.
  • Assess written, quantitative, or visual materials as historical evidence.

Section II: Part B
Long Essay — 1 Question of 3 choices | 40 Minutes | 15% of Exam Score

  • Students select one question from three options.
  • Explain and analyze significant issues in U.S. history.
  • Develop an argument supported by an analysis of historical evidence.

This AP Exam formats document (.pdf/114 KB) shows how this year's format compares to last year's.