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Important Updates

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Course Overview

AP U.S. History is an introductory college-level U.S. history course. Students cultivate their understanding of U.S. history from c. 1491 CE to the present through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments as they explore concepts like American and national identity; work, exchange, and technology; geography and the environment; migration and settlement; politics and power; America in the world; American and regional culture; and social structures.

Course Content

Influenced by the Understanding by Design® (Wiggins and McTighe) model, this course framework provides a description of the course requirements necessary for student success.


 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

The AP U.S. History framework included in the course and exam description outlines distinct skills that students should practice throughout the year—skills that will help them learn to think and act like historians.

 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.

AP and Higher Education

Higher education professionals play a key role developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Education site features information on recruitment and admission, advising and placement, and more.


Meet the Development Committee for AP U.S. History.