🇺🇸 2023 AP US History Study Plan
A plethora of resources that cover everything! This toolkit is constantly being updated with more resources! AP US History is a college-level course where you will learn all about the history of the united states from 1491 onwards. You will learn how to create historical arguments and learn about important historical concepts like American and national identity.
🚨 All you need to know about the 2023 AP US History Exam!
The AP US History Exam
A breakdown of the exam content by percentage.
| Unit | Exam Weighting |
|---|---|
| Unit 1: Period 1: 1491–1607 | 4%–6% |
| Unit 2: Period 2: 1607–1754 | 6%–8% |
| Unit 3: Period 3: 1754–1800 | 10%–17% |
| Unit 4: Period 4: 1800–1848 | 10%–17% |
| Unit 5: Period 5: 1844–1877 | 10%–17% |
| Unit 6: Period 6: 1865–1898 | 10%–17% |
| Unit 7: Period 7: 1890–1945 | 10%–17% |
| Unit 8: Period 8: 1945–1980 | 10%–17% |
| Unit 9: Period 9: 1980–Present | 4%–6% |
Historical Thinking Skills
By taking APUSH, you’ll gain a variety of skills that will help you think and practice like a historian.
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Developments and Processes | Identify and explain historical developments and processes. |
| 2. Sourcing and Situation | Analyze sourcing and situation of primary and secondary sources. |
| 3. Claims and Evidence in Sources | Analyze arguments in primary and secondary sources. |
| 4. Contextualization | Analyze the contexts of historical events, developments, or processes. |
| 5. Making Connections | Using historical reasoning processes (comparison, causation, continuity and change), analyze patterns and connections between and among historical developments and processes. |
| 6. Argumentation | Develop an argument. |
Study Guides for Every Unit
🌽 Unit 1 (1491-1607)—Columbus to Jamestown
- 1.0 Overview of Unit 1
- 1.1 European Encounters in the Americas
- 1.2 Native American Societies Before European Contact
- 1.3 European Exploration in the Americas
- 1.4 Columbian Exchange, Spanish Exploration, and Conquest
- 1.5 Labor, Slavery, and Caste in the Spanish Colonial System
- 1.6 Cultural Interactions Between Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans
- 1.7 Causation in Period 1
- 1.8 Multiple Choice Questions
- 1.9 MC Answers and Review
🦃 Unit 2 (1607-1754)—Colonial America
- 2.0 Overview of Unit 2
- 2.1 Contextualizing Period 2
- 2.2 European Colonization
- 2.3 The Regions of British Colonies
- 2.4 Transatlantic Trade
- 2.5 Interactions Between American Indians and Europeans
- 2.6 Slavery in the British Colonies
- 2.7 Colonial Society and Culture
- 2.8 Comparison in Period 2
- 2.10 Multiple Choice Questions
- 2.10 Answers to MCQs
🇺🇸 Unit 3 (1754-1800)—The American Revolution
- 3.0 Overview of Unit 3
- 3.1 Contextualizing Period 3
- 3.2 The Seven Years’ War (The French and Indian War)
- 3.3 Taxation Without Representation
- 3.4 Philosophical Foundations of the American Revolution
- 3.5 The American Revolution
- 3.6 The Influence of Revolutionary Ideals
- 3.7 The Articles of Confederation
- 3.8 The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification
- 3.9 The Constitution
- 3.10 Shaping a New Republic
- 3.11 Developing an American Identity
- 3.12 Movement in the Early Republic
- 3.13 Continuity and Change in Period 3
- 3.14 Multiple Choice Questions
- 3.15 MC Answers and Review
🐎 Unit 4 (1800-1848)—Expansion of Democracy
- 4.0 Overview of Unit 4
- 4.1 Contextualizing Period 4
- 4.2 The Rise of Political Parties and the Era of Jefferson
- 4.3 Politics and Regional Interests
- 4.4 America on the World Stage
- 4.5 Market Revolution: Industrialization
- 4.6 Market Revolution: Society and Culture
- 4.7 Expanding Democracy
- 4.8 Jackson and Federal Power
- 4.9 The Development of an American Culture
- 4.10 The Second Great Awakening
- 4.11 An Age of Reform
- 4.12 African Americans in the Early Republic
- 4.13 The Society of the South in the Early Republic
- 4.14 Causation in Period 4
- 4.15 Multiple Choice Questions
- 4.15 MC Answers and Reviews
💣 Unit 5 (1844-1877)—The Civil War
- 5.0 Overview of Unit 5
- 5.1 Contextualizing Period 5
- 5.2 Manifest Destiny
- 5.3 The Mexican–American War
- 5.4 The Compromise of 1850
- 5.5 Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences
- 5.6 Failure of Compromise
- 5.7 Election of 1860 and Secession
- 5.8 Military Conflict in the Civil War
- 5.9 Government Policies During the Civil War
- 5.10 Reconstruction
- 5.11 Failure of Reconstruction
- 5.12 Comparison in Period 5, 1844-1877
- 5.13 Multiple Choice Questions
- 5.14 MC Answers and Review
🚂 Unit 6 (1865-1898)—The Gilded Age
- 6.0 Overview of Unit 6
- 6.1 Contextualizing Period 6
- 6.2 Westward Expansion: Economic Development
- 6.3 Westward Expansion: Social and Cultural Development
- 6.4 The “New South”
- 6.5 Technological Innovation
- 6.6 The Rise of Industrial Capitalism
- 6.7 Labor in the Gilded Age
- 6.8 Immigration and Migration in the Gilded Age
- 6.9 Responses to Immigration in the Gilded Age
- 6.10 Development of the Middle Class
- 6.11 Reform in the Gilded Age
- 6.12 Controversies over the Role of Government in the Gilded Age
- 6.13 Politics in the Gilded Age
- 6.14 Continuity and Change in Period 6
- 6.15 Multiple Choice Questions
- 6.15 MC Answers and Review
🌎 Unit 7 (1890-1945)—Global Conflict
- 7.0 Overview of Unit 7
- 7.1 Contextualizing Period 7
- 7.2 Imperialism: Debates
- 7.3 The Spanish-American War
- 7.4 The Progressives
- 7.5 World War I: Military and Diplomacy
- 7.6 World War I: The Home Front
- 7.7 1920s: Innovations in Communication and Technology
- 7.8 1920s: Cultural and Political Controversies
- 7.9 The Great Depression
- 7.10 The New Deal
- 7.11 Interwar Foreign Policy
- 7.12 World War II: Mobilization
- 7.13 World War II: Military
- 7.14 Postwar Diplomacy
- 7.15 Comparison in Period 7
- 7.15 Multiple Choice Questions
- 7.15 MC Answers and Review
🥶 Unit 8 (1945-1980)—Cold War & Protests
- 8.0 Overview of Unit 8
- 8.1 Contextualizing Period 8
- 8.2 The Cold War from 1945 to 1980
- 8.3 The Red Scare
- 8.4 The Economy After 1945
- 8.5 Culture After 1945
- 8.6 Early Steps in the Civil Rights Movement (1940s and 1950s)
- 8.7 America as a World Power
- 8.8 The Vietnam War
- 8.9 The Great Society
- 8.10 The African American Civil Rights Movement (1960s)
- 8.11 The Civil Rights Movement Expands
- 8.12 Youth Culture in the 1960s
- 8.13 The Environment and Natural Resources from 1968 to 1980
- 8.14 Society in Transition
- 8.15 Continuity and Change in Period 8
- 8.15 Multiple Choice Questions
- 8.15 MC Answers and Review
📱 Unit 9 (1980-Present)—Post-Cold War
- 9.0 Overview of Unit 9
- 9.1 Contextualizing Period 9
- 9.2 Reagan and Conservatism
- 9.3 The End of the Cold War
- 9.4 A Changing Economy
- 9.5 Migration and Immigration in the 1990s and 2000s
- 9.6 Challenges of the 21st Century
- 9.7 Causation in Period 9
- 9.8 Multiple Choice Questions
- 9.9 MC Answers and Review
APUSH MCQ & Writing
- ❓APUSH Multiple Choice Questions: A complete breakdown of the multiple-choice process, including tips and advice from previous APUSH students.
- 📹 Multiple Choice Practice: A replay of a livestream that goes over practice MCQs.
- ✍🏽 Ultimate Guide to the DBQ: A point-by-point breakdown of the entire DBQ rubric, writing process, along with tips and advice from exam readers. Examples and practice prompts are included.
- 🤯 DBQ & LEQ FRQ Help: A complete breakdown of the writing and thinking process of the DBQ and LEQ, including tips and advice from previous APUSH students.
Thematic Guides
- 🇺🇸 Theme 1—National and American Identity
- 👷🏽 Theme 2—Work, Exchange, and Technology
- ♻️ Theme 3—Geography and the Environment
- 🧳 Theme 4—Migration and Settlement
- 🦸🏽 Theme 5—Power and Politics
- 🏙️ Theme 7—American and Regional Culture
- 🏘 Theme 8—Social Structures
Quicklinks
- 🤷🏽♂️ What is AP US History?: An introductory guide that looks at what to expect and what you'll learn in APUSH.
- 🗓️ 98 Important Dates to Know for AP US History: A list of must-know dates that will help you in your APUSH journey.
- 📕 Top 10 APUSH Textbooks: A breakdown of the top 10 textbooks for APUSH!
There are over 450 replays, slide decks, and study guides for APUSH to help you earn your 5!
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