HistoryTwo semesters of introductory college U.S. history

AP United States History

American history from 1491 to the present with document analysis and historical argumentation.

AP U.S. History (APUSH) covers the period from 1491 to the present, developing historical thinking skills such as analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical arguments, and reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. Students explore nine chronological periods and eight themes.

$65
Single 90-minute lesson
$49.50
Lowest rate per lesson
50 lessons
Full syllabus, 75 hours
Prices and optionsRequest a tutor
Course Introduction

Why AP United States History Matters

A qualifying score on the AP United States History Exam can earn college credit or placement. Each college sets its own policy, so check the score your colleges ask for.

Foundational social studies credit at most colleges
Builds document analysis and argumentation skills
Essential context for law, policy, and government majors
Develops evidence-based historical writing
College Equivalent

U.S. History survey

Required/Recommended for Majors
HistoryPolitical ScienceLaw (Pre-Law)EducationPublic PolicyAmerican StudiesJournalism
Exam Format

The AP United States History course and exam were revised recently. Check the current sections, timing and weighting on College Board's AP course pages.

Scored 1–5. In Bluebook, fully digital or hybrid (handwritten free responses).

AP United States History course units

The units of the College Board course. Lessons follow them in the order your class takes them.

Unit 14-6% of exam
Period 1: 1491-1607
Native American societies before contactEuropean explorationThe Columbian Exchange
Unit 26-8% of exam
Period 2: 1607-1754
Development of European coloniesTransatlantic tradeSlavery in the British colonies
Unit 310-17% of exam
Period 3: 1754-1800
Seven Years' WarAmerican RevolutionArticles of Confederation and the Constitution
Unit 410-17% of exam
Period 4: 1800-1848
Rise of political partiesMarket and technological changeSecond Great Awakening and reform
Unit 510-17% of exam
Period 5: 1844-1877
Manifest DestinySectional conflict over slaveryCivil War and Reconstruction
Unit 610-17% of exam
Period 6: 1865-1898
Settlement of the WestIndustrial capitalismImmigration and reform
Unit 710-17% of exam
Period 7: 1890-1945
Imperialism debatesProgressivismGreat Depression and New DealWorld Wars
Unit 810-17% of exam
Period 8: 1945-1980
Cold WarCivil rights movementGreat SocietyVietnam War
Unit 94-6% of exam
Period 9: 1980-Present
Reagan and conservatismEnd of the Cold WarChallenges of the 21st century

How lessons approach APUSH

Understanding the concepts, and answering the exam's questions the way they are scored.

Conceptual Understanding
Building deep knowledge that lasts
  • Organize content by themes and periods
  • Practice analyzing primary and secondary sources
  • Build timelines for causation and change over time
  • Connect events across periods through themes
Exam-Specific Strategies
Techniques that maximize your score
  • Master the DBQ and Long Essay rubrics
  • Practice the SAQ short-answer format
  • Develop strong, defensible thesis statements
  • Use the document analysis HIPP framework

Past papers and practice exams

Practice exams in the current exam format are reviewed afterwards, and the errors set the work for the next lessons.

Past papers

Released APUSH DBQs, LEQs, and SAQs with scoring guidelines.

  • Full-length practice exams in the current exam format
  • Multiple-choice, SAQ, DBQ, and LEQ sections
  • Rubric-based essay scoring
  • Detailed feedback on argumentation and evidence
  • Progress tracking across nine periods

How a practice exam is used

  1. 1
    Sit a full practice exam
    Timed, section by section
  2. 2
    Review the errors
    With your tutor, by unit and question type
  3. 3
    Targeted practice
    On the units and question types that cost points
  4. 4
    Repeat
    Before the exam

AP United States History: lessons, prices and how to start

One-to-one lessons are 90 minutes, live online. Prices are set per program, so they are the same for every AP subject.

AP United States History one-to-one tutoring packages
Single lesson$65Per lesson: $65Buy a lesson
10 lessons$630Per lesson: $63Buy package
20 lessons$1,200Per lesson: $60Buy package
Full syllabus · 50 lessonsLowest rate75 hours · or 2 payments of $1,350 ($2,700 in all)$2,475Per lesson: $49.50Buy packageor pay in 2

Group options

All 2026–27 AP groups are full. The AP group course is $1,755 or 3 payments of $585, 75 hours of teaching in 50 lessons, in classes of at most 6. Three or more students who come together can ask for a private group.

Ask about a private group

How do you start?

Request a free consultation: it is a conversation about your goals and timeline, not a lesson or a test. There is no separate diagnostic test for AP, because no single test stands in for a school syllabus. The first lesson does the assessment: your tutor works through your recent marked work and past-paper questions from your own specification, and reads where you stand. It is a normal paid lesson, not a free trial, and it teaches as it assesses.

Request a free consultation

Refunds

Not satisfied after your first private lesson? Full (100%) refund. Not satisfied after the first week of your group course? Full (100%) refund. No score is guaranteed. Full terms.

Every AP priceAll AP subjects

AP United States History — Frequently Asked Questions

What college credit does AP United States History carry?
Two semesters of introductory college U.S. history. Credit policies are set by each university rather than by the College Board, so confirm the score your target schools require before choosing which exams to sit.
What does AP United States History cover?
The course is organized into 9 units: Period 1: 1491-1607, Period 2: 1607-1754, Period 3: 1754-1800, Period 4: 1800-1848, Period 5: 1844-1877 and 4 more. Our tutoring follows the same order, so what you cover with a tutor lines up with what your class is doing.
What college course is AP United States History equivalent to?
U.S. History survey. That is the level the exam is written to, which is why a strong AP score is treated as evidence you can handle first-year university work in the subject.
Which majors is AP United States History useful for?
It is most relevant to History, Political Science, Law (Pre-Law), Education and 3 more. It is worth taking if it is either required for your intended major or the strongest subject you can show, since a high score in a demanding subject carries more weight than a safe pass in an easy one.