The Complete AP U.S. History Study Guide
THE COMPLETE
AP U.S. HISTORY
STUDY GUIDE
Units 1–9 • 1491 to the Present • 30 Chapters
Every key term. Every turning point. Every exam-ready summary —
organized chapter-by-chapter, unit-by-unit, from first contact to the present day.
Page 1
, The Complete AP U.S. History Study Guide
Table of Contents
Unit 1: Contact and Colonization (1491–1607)
Chapter 1: The Beginning
Unit 2: The Colonial Period (1607–1754)
Chapter 2: The Thirteen Colonies
Chapter 3: Colonial Society in the Eighteenth Century
Unit 3: Revolution and the New Nation (1754–1800)
Chapter 4: Imperial Wars and Colonial Protest
Chapter 5: The American Revolution
Chapter 6: The Constitution and the New Republic
Unit 4: Jeffersonian America to the Market Revolution (1800–1860)
Chapter 7: The Jeffersonian Era
Chapter 8: The Era of Good Feelings
Chapter 9: Sectionalism
Chapter 10: The Jacksonian Era
Chapter 11: The Antebellum Reform Era
Unit 5: Expansion, Sectional Crisis, and Reconstruction (1830–1877)
Chapter 12: Westward Expansion
Chapter 13: A Union in Peril
Chapter 14: The Civil War
Chapter 15: Reconstruction
Unit 6: Industrialization and the Progressive Response (Late 1800s–Early 1900s)
Chapter 16: The Second Westward Migration
Chapter 17: The Rise of Big Business
Chapter 18: The Victorian Era
Chapter 19: Gilded Age Politics
Unit 7: War, Prosperity, and Depression (Late 1890s–1945)
Chapter 20: The Progressive Era
Chapter 21: American Imperialism and World War I
Chapter 22: The Roaring Twenties
Chapter 23: The Great Depression and the New Deal
Chapter 24: World War II
Unit 8: The Cold War and Postwar America (1945–1980)
Chapter 25: The Cold War
Chapter 26: The Affluent Society and Postwar Culture
Chapter 27: The Civil Rights Movement
Chapter 28: The Great Society, Vietnam, and the New Left
Chapter 29: The Era of Limits
Unit 9: The Contemporary Era (1980–Present)
Chapter 30: The Conservative Resurgence and Beyond
Page 2
, The Complete AP U.S. History Study Guide
Exam For m at at a Glance
The AP U.S. History Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and consists of four sections. Use this guide's chapter
summaries to prepare for the multiple-choice and short-answer sections, and use the term-and-definition
bullets throughout to build strong, specific evidence for your DBQ and Long Essay responses.
Section Format Weight
1A — Multiple Choice 55 questions in 55 minutes, in sets of 3–4 tied to sources 40%
1B — Short Answer 3 questions in 40 minutes; Q1 & Q2 required (1754–1980), choice of 20%
Q3 (1491–1877) or Q4 (1865–2001)
2A — Document-Based 1 question, 1 hour incl. 15-min reading period; 7 documents, 1754– 25%
Question 1980
2B — Long Essay 1 question, 40 minutes; choice of 3 time periods (1491–1800 / 15%
1800––2001)
Page 3
, The Complete AP U.S. History Study Guide
Page 4
THE COMPLETE
AP U.S. HISTORY
STUDY GUIDE
Units 1–9 • 1491 to the Present • 30 Chapters
Every key term. Every turning point. Every exam-ready summary —
organized chapter-by-chapter, unit-by-unit, from first contact to the present day.
Page 1
, The Complete AP U.S. History Study Guide
Table of Contents
Unit 1: Contact and Colonization (1491–1607)
Chapter 1: The Beginning
Unit 2: The Colonial Period (1607–1754)
Chapter 2: The Thirteen Colonies
Chapter 3: Colonial Society in the Eighteenth Century
Unit 3: Revolution and the New Nation (1754–1800)
Chapter 4: Imperial Wars and Colonial Protest
Chapter 5: The American Revolution
Chapter 6: The Constitution and the New Republic
Unit 4: Jeffersonian America to the Market Revolution (1800–1860)
Chapter 7: The Jeffersonian Era
Chapter 8: The Era of Good Feelings
Chapter 9: Sectionalism
Chapter 10: The Jacksonian Era
Chapter 11: The Antebellum Reform Era
Unit 5: Expansion, Sectional Crisis, and Reconstruction (1830–1877)
Chapter 12: Westward Expansion
Chapter 13: A Union in Peril
Chapter 14: The Civil War
Chapter 15: Reconstruction
Unit 6: Industrialization and the Progressive Response (Late 1800s–Early 1900s)
Chapter 16: The Second Westward Migration
Chapter 17: The Rise of Big Business
Chapter 18: The Victorian Era
Chapter 19: Gilded Age Politics
Unit 7: War, Prosperity, and Depression (Late 1890s–1945)
Chapter 20: The Progressive Era
Chapter 21: American Imperialism and World War I
Chapter 22: The Roaring Twenties
Chapter 23: The Great Depression and the New Deal
Chapter 24: World War II
Unit 8: The Cold War and Postwar America (1945–1980)
Chapter 25: The Cold War
Chapter 26: The Affluent Society and Postwar Culture
Chapter 27: The Civil Rights Movement
Chapter 28: The Great Society, Vietnam, and the New Left
Chapter 29: The Era of Limits
Unit 9: The Contemporary Era (1980–Present)
Chapter 30: The Conservative Resurgence and Beyond
Page 2
, The Complete AP U.S. History Study Guide
Exam For m at at a Glance
The AP U.S. History Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and consists of four sections. Use this guide's chapter
summaries to prepare for the multiple-choice and short-answer sections, and use the term-and-definition
bullets throughout to build strong, specific evidence for your DBQ and Long Essay responses.
Section Format Weight
1A — Multiple Choice 55 questions in 55 minutes, in sets of 3–4 tied to sources 40%
1B — Short Answer 3 questions in 40 minutes; Q1 & Q2 required (1754–1980), choice of 20%
Q3 (1491–1877) or Q4 (1865–2001)
2A — Document-Based 1 question, 1 hour incl. 15-min reading period; 7 documents, 1754– 25%
Question 1980
2B — Long Essay 1 question, 40 minutes; choice of 3 time periods (1491–1800 / 15%
1800––2001)
Page 3
, The Complete AP U.S. History Study Guide
Page 4
