The AP U.S. History exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long

. It is divided into two main sections:

• Section I (1 hour 35 minutes total):
  • Part A: 55 multiple-choice questions, 55 minutes, 40% of exam score
  • Part B: 3 short-answer questions, 40 minutes, 20% of exam score
• Section II (1 hour 40 minutes total):
  • Part A: Document-Based Question (DBQ) essay, 60 minutes (including a 15-minute reading period), 25% of exam score
  • Part B: Long Essay Question (LEQ), 40 minutes, 15% of exam score

The exam tests knowledge of U.S. history from pre-Columbian times to the present, with questions often based on primary and secondary sources, images, charts, and maps

. In summary:

Section| Number of Questions| Time| Weight of Exam Score| Format
---|---|---|---|---
Multiple Choice (Section I A)| 55| 55 minutes| 40%| Sets of 3-4 questions per source
Short Answer (Section I B)| 3| 40 minutes| 20%| Brief written responses
Document-Based Question (II A)| 1| 60 minutes (15 min reading)| 25%| Essay with 7 documents
Long Essay (Section II B)| 1 (choose 1 of 3)| 40 minutes| 15%| Thesis-driven essay

This structure requires effective time management to complete all parts within the allotted time