Exam preparation materials

United States History - 3rd Edition by Paul Soifer & Abraham Hoffman

United States History - 3rd Edition by Paul Soifer & Abraham Hoffman

CliffsAP study guides help you gain an edge on Advanced Placement* exams. Review exercises, realistic practice exams, and effective test-taking strategies are the key to calmer nerves and higher AP* scores.

CliffsAP United States History, 3rd Edition, is for students who are enrolled in AP U.S. History or who are preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination in United States History. Inside, you’ll find hints for answering the essay and multiple-choice sections, a clear explanation of the exam format, a look at how exams are graded, and more:

  • An overview of U.S. history with definitions, key terms, and concepts
  • Advice on how and what to read about U.S. History to gain the most understanding
  • Comments on sample essays and their possible score
  • Loads of illustrations, tables, maps, photos to help you visualize what you learn
  • A list of Things to Know for each period of history
Sample questions (and answers!) and practice tests reinforce what you’ve learned in areas such as Colonial America, the New Nation, the World Wars, and the second half of the twentieth century. CliffsAP United States History, 3rd Edition, also includes the following periods:

  • The American Revolution and a look at British imperial policy
  • The Constitution and the Federalists, plus the structure of government under the Constitution
  • Jeffersonian and Jacksonian democracy
  • The Civil War and Reconstruction
  • The Gilded Age (1877–1900)
  • The Depression, with a look at New Deal agencies
  • The United States as a superpower and contemporary America
This comprehensive guide offers a thorough review of key concepts and detailed answer explanations. It’s all you need to do your best — and get the college credits you deserve.

Part I: INTRODUCTION

Introducing the Advanced Placement U.S. History Examination

General Test-Taking Strategies for the AP U.S. History Examination

Part II: ANALYSIS OF EXAM AREAS

Multiple-Choice Question Types

"What” Questions

The "Reverse” Multiple-Choice Question

The "When” Question

The "Multiple” Multiple-Choice Question

The Quotation Question

Tables, Charts, and Graphs

Maps

Political Cartoons, Photographs, and Artwork

Essay Question Types

Question Types for the DBQ

Question Types for the Standard Essays

Other Examples of Identification/Evaluation Questions

STUDYING UNITED STATES HISTORY

Reading United States History

The Textbook

The Reader

Scholarly Journals

Audiovisual Sources

Reference Sources

American History on the Internet

Historians and Their Work

The Varieties of History

Some Prominent American Historians

An Overview of United States History

Exploration and Colonization, 1492-1763

The American Revolution, 1763-1787

The Constitution and the Federalists, 1787-1800

Jeffersonian and Jacksonian Democracy, 1800-1840

Sectionalism and Expansion, 1840-1860

Civil War and Reconstruction, 1860-1877

The Gilded Age, 1877-1900

The United States at Home and Abroad, 1896-1920

Prosperity and Depression, 1920-1940

America at War, 1941-1945

The United States As a Superpower, 1945-Present

Contemporary America, 1945-Present

Part IV: FOUR FULL-LENGTH PRACTICE TESTS

Practice Test 1

Section I: Multiple-Choice Questions

Section II: Essay Questions

Answer Key For Practice Test 1

Practice Test 2

Section I: Multiple-Choice Questions

Section II: Essay Questions

Answer Key For Practice Test 2

Practice Test 3

Section I: Multiple-Choice Questions

Section II: Essay Questions

Answer Key For Practice Test 3

Practice Test 4

Section I: Multiple-Choice Questions

Section II: Essay Questions

Answer Key For Practice Test 4

Taking the Exam - Before the Exam - Final Preparation

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