Study+Tips


 * Preparation for the Mid-Year Exam in AP U.S. History **

The Mid-Year AP Exam is 2 hours, 10 minutes long and is divided into two sections. The first section consists of 80 multiple-choice questions and lasts 55 minutes. The second section includes two free response essay questions. Students get a total of 70 minutes to work on this section. There is a short break between the two sections of the test, so you CANNOT start on the essays if you finish the multiple-choice questions early.
 * __The Test __**

1. “Essay Evaluation” Sheets from papers and tests: Crucial! Lists all the major points in an easy to read format. Try to memorize as many of these points as possible – they will be key for essays as well as for multiple-choice questions.
 * __Major Tools for Studying for the AP Exam __**

2. Questions from Assignment Sheets: if you have a good understanding as to how to answer these questions, you will be in very good shape.

3. Terms Sheets/Flashcards: Ditto

4. Handouts: find the ones that list major programs or people.

5. Websites/Wikispaces Project

*Numerous practice Multiple Choice Questions: questions and answers on the web!  []

6. AP Review Book: Focus on the topics we didn’t cover closely in class.

7. Your Notebook/Review Sheets: Rewrite portions that look disorganized or incomplete. Make lists of what you consider to be the most important information.
 * __Major Units From First Semester __****: What are the most important things to know? **
 * 1) Colonial Era (1620-1754)
 * 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Revolutionary War (1754-1781)
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Constitution (1781-1789)
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Political Beginnings (1789-1809)
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Era of Good Feelings (1809-1829)
 * 6) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Jacksonian Democracy (1829-1849)
 * 7) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">19th Century Reform (1800-1850)
 * 8) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Manifest Destiny (1836-1850)
 * 9) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Crucial Decade (1850-1861)
 * 10) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Civil War (1861-1865)
 * 11) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Reconstruction (1865-1877)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1. Take a look at your personal calendar to develop a study plan. When will you have time to prepare for the exam? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2. Locate and organize all “Essay Evaluation” Sheets, Assignment Sheets and Handouts into units. The basics of the exam are there. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3. Study terms lists/flashcards. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">4. Review all assignment sheets. Make sure you can answer all unit questions. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">5. Organize notes into a manageable size – rewrite and review. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">6. Check out the AP Review Book. Practice multiple-choice questions, read through chapter summaries, look for “Social History” topics that we didn’t cover fully in class. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">7. Memorize the years __in office__ of each president. (i.e. Washington, elected in 1788, served 1789-1797) Washington through Jackson and the 3 or 4 around Lincoln would be fine. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">8. Check out the websites listed above.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">How to Start __****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">On one of the multiple choice questions on the exam, you will be asked a question that includes the word "plurality." It occurs to me that not all of you know what that word means. Therefore, here is the definition:
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">NOTE: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Plurality -- "in a contest of more than two alternatives, the number of votes cast for the winning alternative if this number is not more than one half of the total votes cast." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Example: in the 1992 election there were 3 alternatives: Bill Clinton, George HW Bush, and Ross Perot. The final votes read like this:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Clinton: 43% of the popular vote/370 electoral college votes <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bush: 38%/168 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Perot 19%/0

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Therefore, Clinton won a MAJORITY of the electoral college votes, but a PLURALITY of the popular votes. Anyone now misses #75 on this exam, oh boy....


 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">FINAL THOUGHTS: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1. Don’t forget to write a thesis that answers the question and use as many “analytical” words as you can.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2. If you draw a blank on an essay, remember the acronym “STREP” as it applies to the range of years.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">S = Social (women, blacks, Native Americans, labor unions, literature, art) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">T = Technology (cotton gin, railroads, telegraph, etc.) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">R = Religion/Reform (any reform movements going on?) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">E = Economics (farming, industry, banking issues) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">P = Politics (who is president?)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3. Bring a watch to help with the pacing of the test.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">4. Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanical reaper.


 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Test-Taking Tips for the AP U.S. History Test __**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">General Test-Taking Tips **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Before you take the test, find out about how is structured, how many questions there are, what types of questions there are, and what the time limits are. That way, you won't have to figure it all out during the test. (You can find out about the test [|here] at this site.)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Suggestions for the Multiple-Choice Questions **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">If you don’t know the answer to a multiple choice question, take your best guess. Beginning in 2010, there will be no penalty for guessing incorrectly.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Don't waste too much time agonizing over a difficult question. Take your best guess and move on.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Make sure the number on the answer sheet matches the number of the question you're answering (I know it sounds stupid, but it's an easy mistake to make and it's a real waste of time to go back and erase all those answers to match them up correctly again).
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Be careful to note whether the question asks "Which of the following IS true..." or "Which of the following is NOT true..." (Again, it sounds obvious, but it's a common mistake).
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The questions that ask you to choose some or all of the Roman-numeral choices (If you aren't familiar with these questions, they're explained [|here] as example #3.) are often most easily answered by eliminating all the wrong answers.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Go back and check your answers after you finish.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Suggestions for the Free Response Essay Questions **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Answer the questions that are easiest for you. You don't gain any extra credit for answering the questions that you find more difficult.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">If the question asks you to select subtopics, pick the ones you know the most about, and make sure you address them in your essay.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Use plenty of historical details in your essay, but be sure to tie them in with your thesis statement. Being able to give the year a certain event took place is generally not as important as being able to explain what the causes and effects of that event were.