AP U.S. History

The AP U.S. History exam lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes and consists of two sections, with the first section being divided into two parts. Section I part A includes multiple-choice questions, with each question containing four choices. The multiple-choice questions cover American history from just before European contact with Native Americans to the present day. Questions are presented in sets of two to five questions organized around a primary source or an image (including, but not limited to, maps and political cartoons). Section I part B includes three short-answer questions. The first two questions are required, but students choose between the third and fourth questions. Students are given a total of 95 minutes to complete Section I.

Section II is the free-response section, in which examinees write two essays. Section II, part A, is a document-based question (DBQ), which provides an essay prompt and short primary sources or excerpts related to the prompt. Students are expected to write an essay responding to the prompt in which they use the sources in addition to outside information. Section II, part B, provides three thematic essay prompts. Students must respond to only one of the three essay prompts. However, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AP exams were administered remotely as drastically shortened open-note exams, and the exam consisted of a single modified DBQ essay.

Each long essay question on the exam may address any one of three possible historical reasoning processes: patterns of continuity and change, comparison, or causation. Each of the essay questions will address the same historical reasoning process. There is a fifteen-minute reading period for students to read the essay prompts, take notes, and brainstorm, but students may begin to write the essays before this period ends. Students will then have 100 minutes to write the two essays; 60 minutes are recommended for the DBQ and 40 minutes for the long essay, but students are free to work on the two essays as they see fit.

In May 2011, the AP U.S. History exam was taken by students worldwide, making it second in terms of number of examinees, behind the AP English Language and Composition exam.