Short Answer questions are a new part of the exam and count for 20% of your total score. Every Short Answer question will have three parts to answer. Each part (a, b, and c) should be answered in 2-3 sentences with specific historical evidence. Do not write too much info or you could run out of time and space. Furthermore, make sure you label your answers a, b, and c.

Here are tips for Short Answer Questions!

Short Answer Type #1: No documents

This type of Short Answer will have three different tasks related to a similar theme. This could include: briefly explaining a cause of an event (a), briefly explaining a short-term event of the event (b), and briefly explaining a long-term cause of an event (c).

Here’s an example of this type of question:

Answer all 3 parts:

1. Briefly explain one reason for European exploration in the 15th – 17th centuries
2. Briefly explain one impact of European contact on the Americas
3. Briefly explain one impact of European contact on Europe

Short Answer Type #2: No documents, but three events to choose from

This type of Short Answer will provide 3 bulleted events/terms/people to choose from that relate to a similar theme. This could have you: explain why one of the choices is the most significant event related to the theme (a), providing historical evidence to back up your assertion (b), and contrasting your choice against another one, explaining why the other is not as good of a choice (c).

Here’s an example of this type of question:

a) Briefly explain why one of the following could be seen as a major reason for calls for significant revisions to the Articles of Confederation:

• Difficulties over trade
• Difficulties over finacnes
• Internal Unrest

b) Support your choice with at lest one piece of historical evidence

c) Contrast your choice against another and briefly explain why it is not as good of a choice

Short Answer Type #3: 1 document, most likely a political cartoon/illustration

This type of Short Answer will provide a visual related to a historical theme. After briefly examining the theme you could be asked to: explain the point of view of the author – potentially the view on different themes (a), how the visual expressed that point of view (b), and one piece of historical evidence that either supports or opposes the view (c).

Short Answer Type #4: 2 documents, most likely opposing views of an event/time period

This type of Short Answer will provide two different readings about a similar event/time period/topic. After reading both documents, you could be asked to: summarize the differences between the points of view of the authors (a) – please make sure you specifically state how the authors views are DIFFERENT, provide one piece of historical evidence that supports one author (b), and provide one piece of historical evidence that supports the other author (c).

With all Short Answer Questions, please pay special attention to the dates. Figure out what time period it relates to and include information from THOSE YEARS ONLY!

“Yes, I didn’t shoot Henry Clay, and I didn’t hang John C. Calhoun.” That was how Andrew Jackson responded as he was close to death. Most people, I imagine, reflect on life and wish they did more – travelled more, spent more time with family and friends, and were happier. I guess for our 7^th president, he wished he had done more killing.

Jackson, never one to let go of a grudge, held on to his hatred for these two men for over twenty years. By the way, Calhoun was Jackson’s Vice-President during his first term.

If you would like to know why Jackson had such deep hatred for these men, check out the videos below:

The Corrupt Bargain of 1824 (AKA, Why He Hated Henry Clay)

The Nullification Crisis (AKA, Why He Hated John C. Calhoun)

***For more info on this and the life of Henry Clay, check out Robert Remini’s EXCELLENT book, Henry Clay, Statesman for the Union.***

Why Pitbull and Chris Brown should have taken APUSH……

I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing that Pitbull and Chris Brown did not take APUSH. If they did, they forgot an important concept from the course; the definition of international.

Released in 2011, the song focuses on places Pitbull has traveled through his stardom. What I want to focus on is the chorus of the song, which is sung by Chris Brown:

You put it down like New York City
I never sleep
Wild like Los Angeles
My fantasy
Hotter than Miami
I feel the heat
Ohh, girl, this international love
Ohh, this international love

Inter means 2 or more. (For example, in the court case Gibbons v. Ogden, John Marshall stated that only Congress can control INTERstate trade – trade between two or more states.) For more info on that court case and other John Marshall cases, click here:

In the chorus, Pitbull and Chris Brown mention cities that are located ONLY in the United States; thus it is not international love. It should be intranational (intra, meaning within the country) love.

Make sure you understand this important concept in APUSH.

I just uploaded two videos of a four part series in which I dissect the new APUSH test. If you have not already, you can check the videos out here. Good luck!