REA's AP US History Test Prep with TESTware Software 
asked by davedriver on November 13, 2006 8:18 AM
Get the AP college credits you've worked so hard for... Our savvy test experts show you the way to master the test and score higher. This new and fully expanded edition includes a comprehensive review course of all the topics covered on the exam: the Colonial Period, the American Revolution, the U.S. Constitution, Westward expansion, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Industrialism, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Vietnam Era, Watergate, Carter, and the New Conservatism. Features 6 full-length practice exams with all answers thoroughly explained.
Includes CD-ROM software containing 3 of the book's tests as timed, computerized exams that provide actual exam conditions with controlled timing and question order. Your score and test performance are automatically calculated plus the program provides analysis of your performance with suggestions for further study.
Follow up your study with REA's test-taking strategies, powerhouse drills and study schedule that get you ready for test day.
DETAILS
- Comprehensive, up-to-date subject review of every US history topic used in the AP exam
- 6 full-length practice exams. All exam answers are fully detailed with easy-to-follow, easy-to-grasp explanations.
- CD-ROM TESTware program containing 3 of the book's 6 practice exams to give you the closest thing to experiencing an exam live at a computer testing center.
- Study schedule tailored to your needs
- Packed with proven key exam tips, insights and advice
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
TESTware CD-ROM is both Windows and Macintosh compatible.
> Suitable for any PC with 16 MB of RAM minimum, Windows 98 or later.
> Any Macintosh with a 68020 or higher processor, 16 MB of RAM minimum, System 7.1 through 10.2x.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT OUR BOOK AND TESTware
ABOUT THE TEST
ABOUT THE REVIEW SECTION
SCORING THE EXAM
CONTACTING THE AP PROGRAM
AP U.S. HISTORY STUDY SCHEDULE
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY COURSE REVIEW
1 The Colonial Period (1500-1763)
2 The American Revolution (1763-1787)
3 The United States Constitution (1787-1789)
4 The New Nation (1789-1824)
5 Jacksonian Democracy and Westward Expansion (1824-1850)
6 Sectional Conflict and the Causes of the Civil War (1850-1860)
7 The Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1877)
8 Industrialism, War, and the Progressive Era (1877-1912)
9 Wilson and World War I (1912-1920)
10 The Roaring Twenties and Economic Collapse (1920-1929)
11 The Great Depression and the New Deal (1929-1941)
12 World War II and the Post-War Era (1941-1960)
13 The New Frontier, Vietnam, and Social Upheaval (1960-1972)
14 Watergate, Carter, and the New Conservatism (1972-2001)
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY PRACTICE TESTS
Test 1
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 2
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 3
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 4
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 5
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 6
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
INSTALLING REA's TESTware
Technical Support
USING YOUR INTERACTIVE TESTware
About Research & Education Association
AP US HISTORY EXCERPT
ABOUT OUR BOOK AND TESTware
This book - along with our exclusive AP U.S. History TESTware software - provides an accurate and complete representation of the Advanced Placement Examination in U.S. History. REA's comprehensive course review, frequently cited as the best on the bookshelf, and our six practice exams are based on the format of the latest AP U.S. History Exam. Each of our practice exams includes every type of question that you can expect to encounter when you take the AP exam. Following each REA practice exam is an answer key complete with detailed explanations. Our explanations are designed to contextualize he material so that it will stick with you and thus boost your command of the subject matter and the ins and outs of the AP itself.
Our printed practice exams 4, 5, and 6 are also on CD-ROM are part of our interactive AP U.S. History TESTware. Taking the exams on the computer will afford you additional study features and the benefits of enforced timed conditions, individual diagnostic analysis of what subjects need extra study, and instant scoring. For your convenience, our TESTware has been provided for you in both Windows and Macintosh formats. Many features are included that you will find helpful as you prepare for the AP U.S. History Test. See page ix for our study schedule and guidance on how to gain maximum benefits from this book and software package. (For instructions on how to install and use our software, please refer to the appendix at the back of the book.)
By studying our review section, completing all six practice exams, and carefully checking the answer explanations, students can discover their strengths and weaknesses and prepare themselves effectively for the actual AP U.S. History Examination.
Teachers of AP U.S. History courses will also find REA's book and software to be an excellent resource in the classroom. In fact, many AP instructors use it as a supplementary text because it so comprehensively supports and addresses specific curriculum objectives for the course and exam. Our interactive TESTware software is an outstanding tool to help boost your students' test-taking confidence. For TESTware site-license information, point your Web browser to www.rea.com and click on "Teachers' Corner."
ABOUT THE TEST
The Advanced Placement Program is designed to allow high school students to pursue college-level studies while attending high school. The three-hour five-minute AP U.S. History exam is usually given to high school students who have completed a year's study in a college-level U.S. History course. The test results are then used to determine the awarding of course credit and/or advanced course placement in college.
According to the College Board, students taking this exam are called upon to demonstrate "systematic factual knowledge" and bring to bear critical, persuasive analysis of the full sweep of U.S. history. This is why we make every effort to establish and build upon context for you, rather than encouraging rote memorization of disconnected facts.
The AP U.S. History Exam is divided into two sections:
1) Multiple-Choice: This section is composed of 80 multiple-choice questions designed to gauge your ability to understand and analyze U.S. history from the Colonial period to the present. The majority of the questions, however, are based on 19th- and 20th-century history. This section tests factual knowledge, scope of preparation, and knowledge-based analytical skills. You'll have 55 minutes to complete this section, which accounts for 50 percent of your final grade.
2) Free-Response: This section is composed of three essay questions designed to measure your ability to write coherent, intelligent, well-organized essays on historical topics. The essays require you to demonstrate mastery of historical interpretation and the ability to express views and knowledge in writing. The essays may relate documents to different areas, analyze common themes of different time periods, or compare individual and group experiences which reflect socioeconomic, racial, gender, and ethnic differences. Part A consists of a mandatory 15-minute reading period, followed by 45 minutes during which you must answer a document-based question (DBQ), which changes from year to year. In Part B the student chooses to answer on two of the topics that are given. You will have 70 minutes to write these essays. The free-response section counts for 50 percent of your final grade.
These topics are broken down into thirds:
- Political Institutions (1/3rd)
- Social and Economic Change (1/3rd)
- Behavior and Public Policy, Diplomacy and International Relations, Intellectual and Cultural Development (1/3rd)
The time periods covered are as follows:
- Pre-Colonial through 1789 (1/6th of exam)
- 1790-1914 (1/2 of exam)
- 1915-present (1/3rd of exam)
ABOUT THE REVIEW SECTION
This book begins with REA's concise yet thorough 230-page review of U.S. history designed to acquaint you with the exam's scope of coverage. Our review covers these topics and historical time periods:
- The Colonial Period (1500-1763)
- The American Revolution (1763-1787)
- The United States Constitution (1787-1789)
- The New National (1789-1824)
- Jacksonian Democracy and Westward Expansion (1824-1850)
- Sectional Conflict and The Causes of the Civil War (1850-1860)
- The Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1877)
- Industrialism, War, and the Progressive Era (1877-1912)
- Wilson and World War I (1912-1920)
- The Roaring Twenties and Economic Collapse (1920-1929)
- The Great Depression and the New Deal (1929-1941)
- World War II and the Post-War Era (1941-1960)
- The New Frontier, Vietnam, and Social Upheaval (1960-1972)
- Watergate, Carter, and the New Conservatism (1972-2001)
SCORING THE EXAM
The multiple-choice section of the exam is scored by crediting each correct answer with one point and deducting one-fourth of a point for each incorrect answer. You will neither receive a credit nor suffer a deduction for unanswered questions. The free-response essays are graded by instructors and professors from across the country who come together each June for a week of non-stop AP essay grading. Each essay booklet is read and scored by several graders. Each grader provides a score for the individual essays. The DBQ is scored on a scale from 0 to 15, 0 being the lowest and 15 the highest. Each topic-based essay receives a score from 0 to 9. These scores are conceal...
Includes CD-ROM software containing 3 of the book's tests as timed, computerized exams that provide actual exam conditions with controlled timing and question order. Your score and test performance are automatically calculated plus the program provides analysis of your performance with suggestions for further study.
Follow up your study with REA's test-taking strategies, powerhouse drills and study schedule that get you ready for test day.
DETAILS
- Comprehensive, up-to-date subject review of every US history topic used in the AP exam
- 6 full-length practice exams. All exam answers are fully detailed with easy-to-follow, easy-to-grasp explanations.
- CD-ROM TESTware program containing 3 of the book's 6 practice exams to give you the closest thing to experiencing an exam live at a computer testing center.
- Study schedule tailored to your needs
- Packed with proven key exam tips, insights and advice
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
TESTware CD-ROM is both Windows and Macintosh compatible.
> Suitable for any PC with 16 MB of RAM minimum, Windows 98 or later.
> Any Macintosh with a 68020 or higher processor, 16 MB of RAM minimum, System 7.1 through 10.2x.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT OUR BOOK AND TESTware
ABOUT THE TEST
ABOUT THE REVIEW SECTION
SCORING THE EXAM
CONTACTING THE AP PROGRAM
AP U.S. HISTORY STUDY SCHEDULE
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY COURSE REVIEW
1 The Colonial Period (1500-1763)
2 The American Revolution (1763-1787)
3 The United States Constitution (1787-1789)
4 The New Nation (1789-1824)
5 Jacksonian Democracy and Westward Expansion (1824-1850)
6 Sectional Conflict and the Causes of the Civil War (1850-1860)
7 The Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1877)
8 Industrialism, War, and the Progressive Era (1877-1912)
9 Wilson and World War I (1912-1920)
10 The Roaring Twenties and Economic Collapse (1920-1929)
11 The Great Depression and the New Deal (1929-1941)
12 World War II and the Post-War Era (1941-1960)
13 The New Frontier, Vietnam, and Social Upheaval (1960-1972)
14 Watergate, Carter, and the New Conservatism (1972-2001)
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY PRACTICE TESTS
Test 1
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 2
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 3
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 4
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 5
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Test 6
Answer Sheet
Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
INSTALLING REA's TESTware
Technical Support
USING YOUR INTERACTIVE TESTware
About Research & Education Association
AP US HISTORY EXCERPT
ABOUT OUR BOOK AND TESTware
This book - along with our exclusive AP U.S. History TESTware software - provides an accurate and complete representation of the Advanced Placement Examination in U.S. History. REA's comprehensive course review, frequently cited as the best on the bookshelf, and our six practice exams are based on the format of the latest AP U.S. History Exam. Each of our practice exams includes every type of question that you can expect to encounter when you take the AP exam. Following each REA practice exam is an answer key complete with detailed explanations. Our explanations are designed to contextualize he material so that it will stick with you and thus boost your command of the subject matter and the ins and outs of the AP itself.
Our printed practice exams 4, 5, and 6 are also on CD-ROM are part of our interactive AP U.S. History TESTware. Taking the exams on the computer will afford you additional study features and the benefits of enforced timed conditions, individual diagnostic analysis of what subjects need extra study, and instant scoring. For your convenience, our TESTware has been provided for you in both Windows and Macintosh formats. Many features are included that you will find helpful as you prepare for the AP U.S. History Test. See page ix for our study schedule and guidance on how to gain maximum benefits from this book and software package. (For instructions on how to install and use our software, please refer to the appendix at the back of the book.)
By studying our review section, completing all six practice exams, and carefully checking the answer explanations, students can discover their strengths and weaknesses and prepare themselves effectively for the actual AP U.S. History Examination.
Teachers of AP U.S. History courses will also find REA's book and software to be an excellent resource in the classroom. In fact, many AP instructors use it as a supplementary text because it so comprehensively supports and addresses specific curriculum objectives for the course and exam. Our interactive TESTware software is an outstanding tool to help boost your students' test-taking confidence. For TESTware site-license information, point your Web browser to www.rea.com and click on "Teachers' Corner."
ABOUT THE TEST
The Advanced Placement Program is designed to allow high school students to pursue college-level studies while attending high school. The three-hour five-minute AP U.S. History exam is usually given to high school students who have completed a year's study in a college-level U.S. History course. The test results are then used to determine the awarding of course credit and/or advanced course placement in college.
According to the College Board, students taking this exam are called upon to demonstrate "systematic factual knowledge" and bring to bear critical, persuasive analysis of the full sweep of U.S. history. This is why we make every effort to establish and build upon context for you, rather than encouraging rote memorization of disconnected facts.
The AP U.S. History Exam is divided into two sections:
1) Multiple-Choice: This section is composed of 80 multiple-choice questions designed to gauge your ability to understand and analyze U.S. history from the Colonial period to the present. The majority of the questions, however, are based on 19th- and 20th-century history. This section tests factual knowledge, scope of preparation, and knowledge-based analytical skills. You'll have 55 minutes to complete this section, which accounts for 50 percent of your final grade.
2) Free-Response: This section is composed of three essay questions designed to measure your ability to write coherent, intelligent, well-organized essays on historical topics. The essays require you to demonstrate mastery of historical interpretation and the ability to express views and knowledge in writing. The essays may relate documents to different areas, analyze common themes of different time periods, or compare individual and group experiences which reflect socioeconomic, racial, gender, and ethnic differences. Part A consists of a mandatory 15-minute reading period, followed by 45 minutes during which you must answer a document-based question (DBQ), which changes from year to year. In Part B the student chooses to answer on two of the topics that are given. You will have 70 minutes to write these essays. The free-response section counts for 50 percent of your final grade.
These topics are broken down into thirds:
- Political Institutions (1/3rd)
- Social and Economic Change (1/3rd)
- Behavior and Public Policy, Diplomacy and International Relations, Intellectual and Cultural Development (1/3rd)
The time periods covered are as follows:
- Pre-Colonial through 1789 (1/6th of exam)
- 1790-1914 (1/2 of exam)
- 1915-present (1/3rd of exam)
ABOUT THE REVIEW SECTION
This book begins with REA's concise yet thorough 230-page review of U.S. history designed to acquaint you with the exam's scope of coverage. Our review covers these topics and historical time periods:
- The Colonial Period (1500-1763)
- The American Revolution (1763-1787)
- The United States Constitution (1787-1789)
- The New National (1789-1824)
- Jacksonian Democracy and Westward Expansion (1824-1850)
- Sectional Conflict and The Causes of the Civil War (1850-1860)
- The Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1877)
- Industrialism, War, and the Progressive Era (1877-1912)
- Wilson and World War I (1912-1920)
- The Roaring Twenties and Economic Collapse (1920-1929)
- The Great Depression and the New Deal (1929-1941)
- World War II and the Post-War Era (1941-1960)
- The New Frontier, Vietnam, and Social Upheaval (1960-1972)
- Watergate, Carter, and the New Conservatism (1972-2001)
SCORING THE EXAM
The multiple-choice section of the exam is scored by crediting each correct answer with one point and deducting one-fourth of a point for each incorrect answer. You will neither receive a credit nor suffer a deduction for unanswered questions. The free-response essays are graded by instructors and professors from across the country who come together each June for a week of non-stop AP essay grading. Each essay booklet is read and scored by several graders. Each grader provides a score for the individual essays. The DBQ is scored on a scale from 0 to 15, 0 being the lowest and 15 the highest. Each topic-based essay receives a score from 0 to 9. These scores are conceal...
Reviews
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This is with no doubt the best review guide that you can buy for AP US History, if you use it to its full potential, no questions asked.
The review material is around 200 pages long, and all the important facts and information that you could need for those possible topics on the exam can be found there. Since there is such a large amount of review material though, I would recommend purchasing this book early in the year and highlighting important things in each section, so when you study for the AP test a month or so before the actual AP test you won't have to freak out about what parts you'll need to read out of the entire 200 pages of review (or just skipping it altogether.
Besides the excellent review this book provides, the best feature of this book in my opinion would be the six review tests it provides, along with about 6 sample essays for each of the tests. I did not do any of the essays myself; beginning in early April I simply went through ones I thought might be important topics on the exam, read them, highlighted them, and then studied them. As for the 6 multiple choice parts of the exam, I completed about 3 of these, and highlighted ones I got wrong. I would recommend doing one practice test a week before the exam (since I started them in april I only completed three) and reviewing only the ones that you get wrong.
By doing everything I mentioned above with this book, I got a 5 on the exam (2006). The two FRQ (Free Response Questions)'s I had to write for the actual AP exam were practically the same as two of the essays I had read in this book, so it really was an invaluable tool.
All this being said, if you buy this book at least a few months before the AP test it will really help you on it; if you buy it only a short time before the test you should probably just skip the review and try a few practice tests, look at the ones you got wrong, and study that time period (and of course read some of the essays).
The review material is around 200 pages long, and all the important facts and information that you could need for those possible topics on the exam can be found there. Since there is such a large amount of review material though, I would recommend purchasing this book early in the year and highlighting important things in each section, so when you study for the AP test a month or so before the actual AP test you won't have to freak out about what parts you'll need to read out of the entire 200 pages of review (or just skipping it altogether.
Besides the excellent review this book provides, the best feature of this book in my opinion would be the six review tests it provides, along with about 6 sample essays for each of the tests. I did not do any of the essays myself; beginning in early April I simply went through ones I thought might be important topics on the exam, read them, highlighted them, and then studied them. As for the 6 multiple choice parts of the exam, I completed about 3 of these, and highlighted ones I got wrong. I would recommend doing one practice test a week before the exam (since I started them in april I only completed three) and reviewing only the ones that you get wrong.
By doing everything I mentioned above with this book, I got a 5 on the exam (2006). The two FRQ (Free Response Questions)'s I had to write for the actual AP exam were practically the same as two of the essays I had read in this book, so it really was an invaluable tool.
All this being said, if you buy this book at least a few months before the AP test it will really help you on it; if you buy it only a short time before the test you should probably just skip the review and try a few practice tests, look at the ones you got wrong, and study that time period (and of course read some of the essays).
reviewed by aries on November 17, 2006 8:37 AM
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I really didn't go through this book as much as other prep books. The review section, while lengthy, lacked information on specific historical figures and left out many of the unifying themes that are indispensable when writing essays for the exam. At best, I skimmed some of the sections, but I found some irrelevant information. This book is great if you have lots of time on your hands to read all of the review section carefully. As for me, I found the information presented in a less than stimulating manner and I ended up relying on course-notes outlines, rereading my American Pageant, the Princeton Review book and my teacher's afterschool review sessions.
The multiple choice questions on REA were alright, but a bit on the easy side. I didn't attempt any of the essays at all; the questions were oftentimes far too specific or presented in a format that they don't use in the actual exam. The sample answers they provide for the essays are far beyond what most people could write in 45 minutes or less. The Princeton Review book on the other hand has better practice tests because they go through different approaches you might take with the question by bullet-pointing some key details you should include instead of writing out an essay for you. Also, the CD had a few errors.
Overall, it's probably a good book to accompany your text throughout the year, but for studying in April right before the exam, it hinders rather than helps.
And since most people seem to be touting the virtues of this book without giving any concrete evidence of it working, I'm going to tell anybody considering this book outright that I got a 5. Just goes to show that you don't need to depend on a killer book like this to score well.
The multiple choice questions on REA were alright, but a bit on the easy side. I didn't attempt any of the essays at all; the questions were oftentimes far too specific or presented in a format that they don't use in the actual exam. The sample answers they provide for the essays are far beyond what most people could write in 45 minutes or less. The Princeton Review book on the other hand has better practice tests because they go through different approaches you might take with the question by bullet-pointing some key details you should include instead of writing out an essay for you. Also, the CD had a few errors.
Overall, it's probably a good book to accompany your text throughout the year, but for studying in April right before the exam, it hinders rather than helps.
And since most people seem to be touting the virtues of this book without giving any concrete evidence of it working, I'm going to tell anybody considering this book outright that I got a 5. Just goes to show that you don't need to depend on a killer book like this to score well.
reviewed by shawn on November 24, 2006 10:07 PM
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I never had to read the textbook provided by the school this year. I just used this book which prepared me for the AP. This book should be bought by everyone who takes APUSH
reviewed by bugger on November 27, 2006 8:31 AM
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REA offers a book that is full of information. While other books give topics and short summaries, REA gives all the important details. It is like your textbook, condensed. Buy it if your looking a few weeks ahead of time and want a comprehensive review. If you want a skim review, buy a different book because REA lacks any timelines or lists of important details. Also, the setup within can be a little confusing, so it may be helpful to have some sort of timeline to keep track of events. However, for pure amounts of information condensed for the multiple choice questions, you can't do better.
reviewed by 90210 on November 28, 2006 12:24 PM