Preparing for the AP European History exam can feel daunting, but understanding its structure is the first step to success. The Ap Euro History Test is designed with consistent question types, weighting, and scoring guidelines, ensuring you know exactly what to expect on exam day. This breakdown will guide you through each section, helping you focus your study efforts effectively.
Section I, Part A: Multiple Choice Questions
The first part of Section I consists of 55 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 55 minutes, accounting for 40% of your total exam score. These questions are typically presented in sets of 3-4 and require you to analyze historical texts, interpretations, and various forms of evidence. Be prepared to engage with primary and secondary sources, as well as visual aids like images, graphs, and maps. This section tests your ability to quickly recall and apply your knowledge of European history.
Section I, Part B: Short Answer Questions
Following the multiple-choice section, Part B of Section I presents 3 short answer questions with a total of 40 minutes allocated, contributing to 20% of your exam score. These questions are designed to assess your analytical skills in interpreting historians’ perspectives, historical sources, and historical propositions. You’ll have opportunities to showcase your in-depth understanding of European history. Some questions may include texts, images, graphs, or maps to analyze.
For the final short-answer question, you get to choose between two options, each focusing on different time periods. Question 1 is mandatory and includes 1-2 secondary sources, focusing on historical developments or processes between 1600 and 2001. Question 2 is also required, featuring a primary source and covering the same 1600-2001 period. Finally, you’ll choose between Question 3 (1450-1815) and Question 4 (1815-2001), neither of which includes sources, giving you flexibility to select the area where you feel most confident.
Section II: Document-Based Question (DBQ) and Long Essay
Section II is comprised of two free-response questions: the Document-Based Question (DBQ) and the Long Essay, together making up 40% of your exam score and allotted 1 hour and 40 minutes in total.
Document-Based Question (DBQ)
The DBQ is recommended to be completed in 1 hour, including a 15-minute reading period, and it constitutes 25% of your exam score. You will be provided with 7 documents presenting diverse viewpoints on a historical development or process, all within the period of 1600 to 2001. Your task is to evaluate these written, quantitative, or visual materials as historical evidence. Critically, you must develop a cohesive argument, supported by your analysis of these documents. This section emphasizes your ability to work with historical sources and construct a well-supported historical argument.
Long Essay Question
The Long Essay portion has a recommended time of 40 minutes and accounts for 15% of your exam score. This question requires you to explain and analyze significant issues in European history. You’ll need to develop an argument that is substantiated by your analysis of historical evidence. While the core skills and reasoning processes (comparison, causation, continuity and change) remain consistent, you will have a choice between 3 options. Each option will focus on a distinct range of historical periods: 1450–1700 (option 1), 1648–1914 (option 2), or 1815–2001 (option 3). This choice allows you to focus on the historical era you are most prepared to discuss in depth.
Understanding the format of the AP Euro History test is crucial for effective preparation. By familiarizing yourself with each section’s question types, time limits, and weighting, you can tailor your study strategy to maximize your performance on exam day.
