The AP World History exam takes place each May. Not only do you need to master the historical eras, you also need to have the writing skills to pass the second half of the exam: THE ESSAYS. So, before we get started on how to write ALL THREE types of AP World History Essay; Let's look at how the test breaks down.
The first 55 minutes are devoted to the Multiple choice section. You will have 55 minutes to answer 70 multiple choice questions. You will then take a break. Following the break, you will be given the Essay booklet. You will be given 2 hours and 10 minutes to write the essays. (Keep in mind: NO MORE THAN 20% of the EXAM WILL FOCUS SOLELY ON EUROPE). Below is the most recent released AP WORLD HISTORY PRACTICE EXAM. Click the banner below to give it a shot.
Here's a quick strategy guide for taking the test. 3 Simple Steps to help you succeed...
1. Never underestimate the AP Test. Expect the unexpected...
It's gonna be early. For many of you (sadly), this will be the earliest you've been up all year. So, once you've completed the College Board's PRECIOUS paperwork, it will be you and the multiple choice section. Don’t just show up with a #2 pencil and expect everything to work out. It won’t. This is not some rando test you're taking. You’ll have to be on your toes pretty early in the morning. The first section will be a wake up call. Don’t expect to just breeze through the multiple choice section. There will be multiple images, cartoons, readings, and quotes. You've been working on this stuff all year. Now is your chance to prove it. Remember, they can ask you anything that's ever happened ever.
2. Pace yourself...
70 Questions... 55 minutes. That's roughly 1.272727272727272727272727272727272 questions per minute. Clock Management will become your greatest asset. The multiple choice section is where you will run into time issues. (Very few people run out of time on the essay portion) You want to have at least a shot at all 70 questions. So, DO NOT GET STUCK ON A SINGLE QUESTION. If you find yourself lingering for more than a minute or two… skip it. You want to at least have a shot at each question. You don’t want to get bogged down on a question on Zoroastrianism for 20 minutes and end up not answering the last 10 questions. What if the last 10 questions were ones you knew? So, rule #2: Pace yourself.
3. Rank the Essays
After the break, you will be given the essay booklet. Inside this booklet are all three essays (the DBQ, the Compare-Contrast, and the Continuity and Change.) They’re gonna give you 10 minutes to read the DBQ documents and the other three questions. During this 10-minute span, you need to rank the three essays in order of your ability to answer them. Rule # 3: Rank the Essays. If the Compare/Contrast essay looks like its written in Klingon, save it for last. If the Continuity and Change Over Time is asking you about a place you’ve never heard of… save it for last. If the Worst Case scenario arises and you have never heard of anything these essays are talking about, then go with the DBQ. The DBQ is a measure of your historian abilities, not your historical knowledge. Once you’ve given the essays an order, get started. Most people finish the essay portion with plenty of time; so don’t worry.
Here is how the College Board describes the FREE RESPONSE portion of the exam:
"In Section II of the AP Exam is the free-response section of the exam. Part A begins with a mandatory 10-minute reading period for the document-based question. Students should answer the document-based question in approximately 40 minutes. In Part B students are asked to answer a question that deals with continuity and change over time (covering at least one of the periods in the concept outline). Students will have 40 minutes to answer this question, 5 minutes of which should be spent planning and/or outlining the answer. In Part C students are asked to answer a comparative question that will focus on broad issues or themes in world history and deal with at least two societies. Students will have 40 minutes to answer this question, 5 minutes of which should be spent planning and/or outlining the answer. In total, the free-response section contains 3 essay questions, lasts 130 minutes, and accounts for 50 percent of the student’s overall AP Exam scor
"In Section II of the AP Exam is the free-response section of the exam. Part A begins with a mandatory 10-minute reading period for the document-based question. Students should answer the document-based question in approximately 40 minutes. In Part B students are asked to answer a question that deals with continuity and change over time (covering at least one of the periods in the concept outline). Students will have 40 minutes to answer this question, 5 minutes of which should be spent planning and/or outlining the answer. In Part C students are asked to answer a comparative question that will focus on broad issues or themes in world history and deal with at least two societies. Students will have 40 minutes to answer this question, 5 minutes of which should be spent planning and/or outlining the answer. In total, the free-response section contains 3 essay questions, lasts 130 minutes, and accounts for 50 percent of the student’s overall AP Exam scor
Below are the FREE RESPONSE questions that have been asked in previous years.
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002
NOTE: The College Board changed their curriculum for the 2011 Exam. Click here to see the above questions updated for that new curriculum.
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002
NOTE: The College Board changed their curriculum for the 2011 Exam. Click here to see the above questions updated for that new curriculum.
THE ESSAYS
Click on the following banners to take you to a description of how to write a THESIS, COMPARE/CONTRAST, DBQ, and CONTINUITY/CHANGE essays.