AAE - First Things First (Lesson)

First Things First

Exam Format

The AP European Exam is broken into 2 sections:

  • Section 1 - Multiple Choice and Short Answer
  • Section 2 - Document Based Question & Long Essay Question

Each piece has its own requirements and will be discussed in depth in this module. As a reminder, even if you are not planning on taking the AP exam, many of the assignments and tests in your course are structured in this format. Understanding what will be required of you will be extremely  beneficial as you proceed. If you are planning on taking the national exam, knowing the format of the test and what to expect will help you feel more comfortable and allow you to relax and focus on the material during exam day.

 

Here's how it all breaks down.

Pie Chart of Exam Breakdown percentagesThe test is broken into 2 sections.

Section I (60%)

  • Multiple Choice (40%)
  • Short Answer Questions (20%)

Section II (40%)

  • Document Based Question (25%)
  • Long Essay Question (15%)

 

The exam is a little over 3 hours long and given in late spring. Visit the College Board's AP website to see the specific date for your exam.

 

The Scores.

Each section is scored individually and those individual components are combined to determine your final score (from 1 to 5.) Individually, the multiple choice score is based on a 0-55 scale, short answers are based on a 0-3 scale, the DBQ is based on a 0-7 scale, and the long essay is based on a 0-6 scale. These individual scores are then combined and translated into a score of 0-5.

A score of 3 overall is considered passing with most colleges only offering credit to those with scores of 4 or 5. Not every college accepts AP scores for credit. You will need to check with your college of choice to see if: 1. They accept the AP scores and 2. What score they require in order for you to receive college credit. Visit the College Board's AP website to get more information and start your research. You can access that website here. Links to an external site.

Throughout the course, you'll hear several "score" numbers thrown out at you. Typically when a score is given to you it will refer to your specific essay score NOT your overall AP score.

 

The Course

We need to look at the course setup before we dive any further into the test format.

As noted on the previous page, AP European History is a college level course that discusses the social, political, economic, and cultural history of Europe from 1450 to present day. But beyond that, the course assesses your ability to apply 6 Historical Thinking Skills and your understanding of the 7 Course Themes and Key Concepts. Each module will include a list of the Key Concepts discussed within. Think of these as the guideposts for the course. NOTHING will be tested on the exam that can not be found within the Key Concepts and the Course Themes. 

The course has been further divided into four Historical Periods and each of the four will be tested equally on the exam.

You can access the College Board's AP European Website for students here. Links to an external site.

 

Let's take a closer look at some of these items.

Historical Periods.

Period 1 - 1450-1648 Period 2 - 1648 - 1815 Period 3 - 1815 - 1914 Period 4 - 1914 - present

Course Themes.

THEME 1: INTERACTION OF EUROPE AND THE WORLD (INT)
Motivated by a variety of factors, Europe’s interaction with the world led to political, economic, social, and cultural exchanges that influenced both European and non-European societies.


THEME 2: ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS (ECD)
Economic development, especially the development of capitalism, played an important role in Europe’s history, often having significant social, political, and cultural effects.


Infographic of AP Euro Course ThemesTHEME 3: CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS (CID)
The creation and transmission of knowledge, including the relationship between traditional sources of authority and the development of differing world views, had significant political, intellectual, economic, cultural, and social effects on European and world societies.


THEME 4: STATES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF POWER (SOP)
European states and nations developed governmental and civil institutions from 1450 to the present to organize society and consolidate political power, with a variety of social, cultural, and economic effects.


THEME 5: SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT (SCD)
Economic, political, and cultural factors have influenced the form and status of family, class, and social groups in European history, affecting both the individual and society.


THEME 6: NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN IDENTITY (NEI)
Definitions and perceptions of regional, cultural, national, and European identity have developed and been challenged over time, with varied and often profound effects on the political, social, and cultural order in Europe.


THEME 7: TECHNOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (TSI)
Scientific and technological innovations have increased efficiency, improved daily life, and shaped human development and interactions, having both intended and unintended consequences.

 

Historical Thinking and Reasoning Skills

The AP exam will test your knowledge of European History, but it will also test your application of a variety of Historical Thinking Skills and Reasoning Processes. Learn about each below.

Historical Thinking Skills

  • Development and Processes - Identify and explain historical developments and processes.
  • Sourcing and Situation - Analyze sourcing and situation of primary and secondary sources.
  • Claims and Evidence in Sources - Analyze arguments in primary and secondary sources.
  • Contextualization - Analyze the context of historical events, developments, or processes.
  • Making Connections - Using historical reasoning processes (comparison, causation, continuity, and change), analyze patterns and connections between and among historical developments and processes.
  • Argumentation - Develop an argument.

 

Let's take a closer look at these skills...

Development and Processes

  • Identify a historical concept, development, or process.
  • Explain a historical concept, development, or process.

Sourcing and Situation 

  • Identify a source’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience.
  • Explain the point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience of a source.
  • Explain the significance of a source’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience, including how these might limit the use(s) of a source.

Claims and Evidence in Sources

  • Identify and describe a claim and/or argument in a text-based or non-text-based source.
  • Identify the evidence used in a source to support an argument.
  • Compare the arguments or main ideas of two sources. 
  • Explain how claims or evidence support, modify, or refute a source’s argument.

Contextualization

  • Identify and describe a historical context for a specific historical development or process.
  • Explain how a specific historical development or process is situated within a broader historical context.

Making Connections

  • Identify patterns among or connections between historical developments and processes.
  • Explain how a historical development or process relates to another historical development or process.

Argumentation

  • Make a historically defensible claim.
  • Support an argument using specific and relevant evidence.
  • Describe specific examples of historically relevant evidence.
  • Explain how specific examples of historically relevant evidence support an argument.
  • Use historical reasoning to explain relationships among pieces of historical evidence.
  • Corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument using diverse and alternative evidence in order to develop a complex argument. This argument might:
      • Explain the nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables.
      • Explain relevant and insightful connections within and across periods.
      • Explain the relative historical significance of a source’s credibility and limitations.
      • Explain how or why a historical claim or argument is or is not effective.

 

Reasoning Processes

Reasoning Process 1 - Comparison

  • Describe similarities and/or differences between different historical developments or processes.
  • Explain relevant similarities and/or differences between specific historical developments and processes.
  • Explain the relative historical significance of similarities and/or differences between different historical developments or processes.

Reasoning Process 2 -  Causation

  • Describe causes and/or effects of a specific historical development or process.
  • Explain the relationship between causes and effects of a specific historical development or process.
  • Explain the difference between primary and secondary causes and between short- and long-term effects.
  • Explain how a relevant context influenced a specific historical development or process.
  • Explain the relative historical significance of different causes and/or effects.
  • Describe patterns of continuity and/or change over time.
  • Explain patterns of continuity and/or change over time.
  • Explain the relative historical significance of specific historical developments in relation to a larger pattern of continuity and/or change.

Reasoning Process 3 - Continuity and Change

  • Describe patterns of continuity and/or change over time.
  • Explain patterns of continuity and/or change over time.
  • Explain the relative historical significance of specific historical developments in relation to a larger pattern of continuity and/or change.

 

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