AP History Exam Updates for 2027
The short-answer and long-essay questions of the AP history exams will be updated, starting with the May 2027 exam. The changes are designed to give back time, reposition choice within the questions, and improve focus, transparency, and expectations for students. Course content will not change. The updates apply to AP European History, AP United States History, and AP World History: Modern.
Course Overview
AP European History is an introductory college-level European history course. Students cultivate their understanding of European history through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments as they explore concepts like interaction of Europe and the world; economic and commercial developments; cultural and intellectual developments; states and other institutions of power; social organization and development; national and European identity; and technological and scientific innovation.
Course and Exam Description
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AP European History Course and Exam Description
This is the core document for this course. Unit guides clearly lay out the course content and skills and recommend sequencing and pacing for them throughout the year.
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AP European History Course and Exam Description Clarifications and Corrections
This document provides teachers with clarifications and/or corrections for the AP European History Course and Exam Description.
Course Resources
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AP European History Course Overview
This resource provides a succinct description of the course and exam.
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AP European History Course and Exam Description Walk-Through
Learn more about the CED in this interactive walk-through.
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AP European History Course at a Glance
Excerpted from the AP European History Course and Exam Description, the Course at a Glance document outlines the topics and skills covered in the AP European History course, along with suggestions for sequencing.
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AP European History Course at a Glance Poster
Print the Course at a Glance poster to use for reference in the classroom.
Course Content
Influenced by the Understanding by Design® (Wiggins and McTighe) model, this course framework provides a description of the course requirements necessary for student success.
The AP European History framework is organized into nine commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.
| Unit | Exam Weighting |
| Unit 1: Renaissance and Exploration | 10%–15% |
| Unit 2: Age of Reformation | 10%–15% |
| Unit 3: Absolutism and Constitutionalism | 10%–15% |
| Unit 4: Scientific, Philosophical, and Political Developments | 10%–15% |
| Unit 5: Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century | 10%–15% |
| Unit 6: Industrialization and Its Effects | 10%–15% |
| Unit 7: 19th-Century Perspectives and Political Developments | 10%–15% |
| Unit 8: 20th-Century Global Conflicts | 10%–15% |
| Unit 9: Cold War and Contemporary Europe | 10%–15% |
Historical Thinking Skills
The AP European History framework included in the course and exam description outlines distinct skills that students should practice throughout the year—skills that will help them learn to think and act like historians.
| Skill | Description |
| 1. Developments and Processes | Identify and explain historical developments and processes. |
| 2. Sourcing and Situation | Analyze sourcing and situation of primary and secondary sources. |
| 3. Claims and Evidence in Sources | Analyze arguments in primary and secondary sources. |
| 4. Contextualization | Analyze the context of historical events, developments, or processes. |
| 5. Making Connections | Using historical reasoning processes (comparison, causation, continuity and change) analyze patterns and connections between and among historical developments and processes. |
| 6. Argumentation | Develop an argument. |
AP and Higher Education
Higher education professionals play a key role in developing AP courses and exams, setting credit and placement policies, and scoring student work. The AP Higher Education section features information on recruitment and admission, advising and placement, and more.
This chart shows recommended scores for granting credit, and how much credit should be awarded, for each AP course. Your students can look up credit and placement policies for colleges and universities on the AP Credit Policy Search.
AP Course and Exam Development
The AP Program is unique in its reliance on development committees for their initial and ongoing voice in course and exam development. These committees, made up of an equal number of college faculty and experienced secondary AP teachers from across the country, are essential to the preparation of AP course curricula and exams.
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How AP Develops Courses and Exams
Learn what the development committees do and the methodology they use to develop AP courses and exams.
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