Sample Questions & Scoring Guidelines
The AP U.S. History Exam tests knowledge of U.S. History from the first European explorations of the Americas up through modern times. The bulk of the questions focuses on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Exam topics include political institutions and behavior, public policy, social and economic change, diplomacy and international relations, and cultural and intellectual developments.
You can find additional free-response questions and scoring guidelines on AP Central, along with grade distributions and examples of actual students' responses and commentary that explains why the responses received the scores they did.
Multiple-Choice Questions
For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the Course Description.
AP U.S. History Course Description (.pdf/964K)
Free-Response Questions
2009 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/1.38M)
2009 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/396K)
2008 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/229K)
2008 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/235K)
2007 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/425K)
2007 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/279K)
2006 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/183K)
2006 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/174K)
2005 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/617K)
2005 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/353K)
2004 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/400K)
2004 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/150K)
2003 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/380K)
2003 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/522K)
2002 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/821K)
2002 Form B Free-Response Questions (.pdf/7.16M)
2001 Free-Response Questions (.pdf/3.91M)
Scoring Guidelines
2009 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/598K)
2009 Form B Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/863K)
2008 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/487K)
2008 Form B Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/345K)
2007 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/448K)
2007 Form B Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/272K)
2006 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/135K)
2006 Form B Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/123K)
2005 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/181K)
2005 Form B Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/133K)
2004 Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/129K)
2004 Form B Scoring Guidelines (.pdf/121K)
Additional Tools for Preparing for the AP U.S. History Exam
Study Skills and Test-Taking Tips for History and Social Sciences
