The AP European History Exam is structured to consistently assess your understanding of European history. Knowing the exam format, question types, and scoring is key to success in your 2024 Ap Euro exam preparation. This guide breaks down each section to help you and your students know exactly what to expect on exam day.
Section I, Part A: Multiple Choice Questions
55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score
This section of the 2024 AP Euro exam consists of 55 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 55 minutes, accounting for 40% of your total exam score. Questions are typically grouped in sets of 3–4 and require you to analyze historical texts, interpretations, and diverse forms of evidence. Expect to encounter a mix of primary and secondary sources, along with visual aids such as images, graphs, and maps that are integral to historical analysis. These questions are designed to test your ability to interpret and synthesize historical information efficiently.
Section I, Part B: Short Answer Questions
3 Questions | 40 Minutes | 20% of Exam Score
In 40 minutes, you will tackle 3 short answer questions which contribute to 20% of your 2024 AP Euro exam score. These questions are designed to evaluate your ability to analyze historians’ interpretations, historical sources, and historical propositions. They are structured to allow you to demonstrate your strongest areas of historical knowledge. Some questions may include texts, images, graphs, or maps to provide context and stimulate your analysis.
Notably, for the final required short-answer question, you will have a choice between two options, each focusing on different periods. Question 1 is mandatory and will include 1–2 secondary sources, focusing on historical developments or processes between 1600 and 2001. Question 2 is also required, presenting 1 primary source and similarly focusing on historical developments or processes between 1600 and 2001. For the third question, you can choose between Question 3, which centers on historical developments or processes between 1450 and 1815, and Question 4, which focuses on the period from 1815 to 2001. Questions 3 and 4 will not include any sources, requiring you to draw upon your existing historical knowledge.
Section II: Document-Based Question and Long Essay
2 questions | 1 Hour, 40 minutes | 40% of Exam Score
Section II of the 2024 AP Euro exam takes 1 hour and 40 minutes and also accounts for 40% of your overall score, divided between a Document-Based Question (DBQ) and a Long Essay.
Document-Based Question (DBQ)
Recommended time: 1 Hour (includes 15-minute reading period) | 25% of Exam Score
You should allocate approximately 1 hour for the DBQ, including a 15-minute reading period. This section is worth 25% of your total 2024 AP Euro exam score. You will be presented with 7 documents that offer diverse perspectives on a historical development or process, all pertaining to the period from 1600 to 2001. Your task is to evaluate these documents—which may be written, quantitative, or visual—as historical evidence. You must then construct a coherent argument supported by your analysis of these documents, demonstrating your ability to synthesize information and build a historical argument using provided sources.
Long Essay
Recommended time: 40 minutes | 15% of Exam Score
The Long Essay section, for which 40 minutes are recommended, contributes 15% to your 2024 AP Euro exam score. Here, you are required to explain and analyze significant issues in European history. You will need to develop an argument supported by your analysis of historical evidence, similar to the DBQ but without provided documents. You will be given a choice of 3 questions, each focusing on the same historical thinking skills (like comparison, causation, or continuity and change) but across different time ranges: 1450–1700 (option 1), 1648–1914 (option 2), or 1815–2001 (option 3). This section tests your in-depth understanding of European history and your ability to craft a well-supported, analytical essay.
By understanding the structure and demands of each section of the 2024 AP Euro Exam, you can tailor your study approach and maximize your performance on exam day.
