<p>Crash Course repeatedly stresses the importance of African American history calling it an “essential building block of any successful coalition of points.” My analysis totally underscores this point. Studying African American history is a must. Here’s why:</p>
<p>MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS: 88 of the 520 released multiple-choice questions have been devoted to African American history. That’s 16 percent or 14.5 questions per test. That equals an average of 16.67 points per test.</p>
<p>FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS: There have been a total of 76 free-response questions from 1999 - 2009. All 76 can be found at AP Central. (Remember, there have been A and B versions of the exam since 2002). 26 of these 76 free-response questions dealt fully or in part with African American history. Of the 19 tests on AP Central 17 had at least one free-response questions devoted fully or in part to African American history. The only exceptions were the 1999 and the 2007 B tests. </p>
<p>DBQ QUESTIONS: Three of the 19 DBQs were devoted to African American history and another 7 had at least one document devoted to African American history. Nine of the 19 DBQ’s from 1999 to 2009 did not cover African American history.</p>
<p>AVERAGE POINTS: So how does all this translate into points? The 19 tests from 1999 to 2009 devoted an average of 40.4 points to African American history! The 2009 test had the most with 81 points and the 1999 and 2007B tests had the least with 16 points. The median number of points is 34. Keep in mind that you only needed 106 points to score a 5 on the 2006 released exam.</p>
<p>KEY SOURCES:</p>
<p>So which texts and review books provide the best coverage of African American history?
Here are my picks:</p>
<ol>
<li>Crash Course - Chapters 22 and 23 provide an excellent outline of key topics and essential points. This should be a mandatory reading for all APUSH students.</li>
<li>Amsco - Amsco is only so-so on slavery. However, Amsco does a fine job discussing the modern Civil Rights Movement.</li>
<li>American Pageant - Review Chapters 16 (The South and the Slavery Controversy), 22 (The Ordeal of Reconstruction), 37 (The Eisenhower Era) and 38 (The Stormy Sixties).</li>
<li>AP Central - Here is the link to this vital but often overlooked source:
[AP</a> Central - The AP United States History Exam](<a href=“Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board”>Supporting Students from Day One to Exam Day – AP Central | College Board)
Be sure to read the Level 9 essays for 2000 Question 3, 2001 Question 2, and 2002 Question 5. The essay for Question 2000 Question 3 is a model of how to write a Level 9 essay.</li>
</ol>
<p>TOP TOPICS:</p>
<p>The following topics have generated just over half of the 88 released multiple-choice questions on African American history. I have placed the topics in chronological order. Interesting, William Lloyd Garrison, the Dred Scott Case, and Marcus Garvey are the top three topics!</p>
<ol>
<li>Stono Rebellion</li>
<li>Missouri Compromise of 1820</li>
<li>Compromise of 1850</li>
<li>Position of the Republican Party on slavery</li>
<li>Dred Scott decision</li>
<li>American Colonization Society</li>
<li>William Lloyd Garrison</li>
<li>Sharecroppers</li>
<li>Plessy v. Ferguson</li>
<li>W.E.B. Dubois</li>
<li>Harlem Renaissance</li>
<li>Marcus Garvey</li>
<li>Birth of a Nation</li>
<li>Brown v. Board of Education</li>
<li>Sit-ins</li>
<li>Dr. King (Be sure you know that Dr. King was the head of the SCLC and that Stokely Carmichael was the head of SNCC)</li>
</ol>
<p>thanks for this! You are AMAZING! Definitely going through Crash Course after I get through AMSCO :)</p>
<p>Yup, the APUSH exam definitely stresses social issues like this. The DBQ last year was based on the expansion of slavery.</p>
<p>Wow that’s awesome. I’m doing AMSCO right now and I haven’t really seen a great emphasis on African Americans as of yet, I’m only ten sections in though. I have American Pageant so I’m definitely going to review those chapters! </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>You are amazing. Post more threads! :D</p>
<p>because the plight of the African Americans and other minorities are always present no matter what time period you look at in history</p>
<p>Thanx guys! Glad this helps. I’m working on a report on women. Will post the results soon.</p>