Frequently Asked APWH Questions
My uncle Tom Prudhomme (kneeling) was an "unauthorized medic"* in the very first Ranger Battalion and the First Special Service Forces
in World War II.
Here he dresses a wound at Anzio.
He received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.
Rest in Peace. *his words
Answers to these FAQ's are found below this list of Questions
1. Where can I get "start up" materials for AP World History?
2. The Exam is all-digital in 2025.
3. The AP History DBQ and Long Essay Rubric changed for the 2024 Exam
4. Where can I get help with my APWH Course Audit?
5. Where can I get help from real APWH teachers?
6. What is the best APWH textbook?
7. What about document/supplemental readers?
8. Do real people actually read every AP essay at the exam reading?
9. Who takes the most APWH exams?
10. How can I become an AP exam reader?
11. Is AP World History "anti-Western Civ"?
12. What is the best student prep book for APWH?
1. Where can I get "start up" materials for AP World History?
Go to the College Board's AP World History Course Home Pageto download the AP World History Course and Exam Description (aka the Curriculum Framework). You can also access previously-released exams, essay questions, rubrics and student essays there.
Most importantly! You must be properly trained at an APWH Summer Institute, taught by College Board-approved consultants. It's usually a 4 day class full of materials, tips, how-to's, and free textbooks.
2. Is "C.E." anti-"A.D."?
No. Part of the global history movement of the last 30 years or so has been an acknowledgment that not all cultures accept "Anno Domini"--in the year of Our Lord--as a unit of time. So--the dates are the same, and C.E. (Common Era) is used for A.D., while B.C.E (Before the Common Era) is used for B.C. (Before Christ).
3. The AP History DBQ and LEQ Rubrics Changed for 2024
Yep. To align the essay writing skills needed for success in AP US History, AP European History and AP World History, the College Board changed the DBQ and Long Essay Rubrics. See HERE and scroll down to download the new rubrics. Basically, it's easier to get Point of View and that "Unicorn" 7th (DBQ) or 6th (LEQ) point.
In case you've been out of the loop, The APWH: Modern curriculum begins c. 1200, with some pre-1200 material to put the 13th century in context. That info isHERE.
THE EXAM
A. The Multiple Choice section has 55 questions, with 55 minutes to complete. The MC section is worth 40% of the overall exam score.
Each question will have some kind of "stimulus" like an historical document attached to a group of 2-5 MC questions.
B. Next, students pick 3 out of 4 Short Answer Questions, with 40 minutes to complete them. 20% of the exam score.
Each SAQ will have 3 parts: A, B and C. No thesis statement needed, but complete sentences are required. Questions 1&2 are required, and come from periods 3-6. Students choose between questions 3 (period 1-3) & 4 (period 4-6)
---A short break, and then:
C. The Document Based Question that will have 7 documents and 60 minutes to complete (this includes a 15 minute reading and prep period).
D. Pick one out of threeLong Essay Questions. 40 minutes. The essay topics will be the same type, i.e., Turning Point, Continuity and Change Over Time, etc. Download theCollege Board Curriculum Framework for help. Essay 1 will come from periods 1-2; essay 2 from periods 3-4 and essay 3 (pick one of these) from periods 5-6.
Also see "Some of Jay's APWH Materials" tab at the top of this page.
4. Where can I get help with my APWH Course Audit?
If you have already had your Course Audit approved for APWH, you do NOT have to submit a new one for APWH: Modern. AP Central has a wealth of materials to help. You can also contact fellow APWH teachers who have gone through the audit process. (see #5)
5. Where can I get help from real APWH teachers?
Join the College Board sponsored APWH Teacher Community
6. What is the best APWH textbook?
Well, sometimes you get what they give you. However, popular textbooks as cited by veteran APWH teachers include: Ways of the World with Sources for AP by Strayer; Traditions and Encounters by Bentley and Ziegler; World Civilizations: The Global Experience by Stearns and others; The Earth and Its Peoples by Bulliet and others;
Voyages in World History by Hansen and Curtis; The World's History by Spodek and Worlds Together, Worlds Apart by Tignor. And that's not all of them.
7. What about document/supplemental readers?
Andrea and Overfield's The Human Record and Wiesner-Hank's, et al Discovering the Global Past are two of the most popular, but there are many others. Money-saving tip: You don't need the newest edition of the document readers. Go to used book stores online like abebooks.com and type in titles or isbn #'s and save a bundle on older editions.
8. Do real people actually read every AP essay at the exam reading?
Yes. Every essay is read by a real person. Starting in 1995, I was an essay reader in AP US History, then AP European History, and from its first year, I was part of the leadership team in AP World History. So I know of what I speak. IMPORTANT: tell your students to improve their handwriting, and answer THE QUESTION andonly THE QUESTION.
9. Who takes most of the APWH exams?
Sophomores. This means your students have a chance. Some other sophomore is going to succeed on the exam, why not yours? Roughly half of the APWH exam-takers pass. You've shown your dedication and talent by coming here, so clearly your students have a shot.
10. How can I become an AP exam reader?
After you've taught APWH for 3 years, you can apply to be an AP exam reader.
Application info is here. It is the greatest professional development you will ever attend, and who knows, you might read essays next to a famous textbook author.
11. Is AP World History "anti-Western Civ"?
No. It was explained to me this way many years ago: APWH isn't anti-anything, it's pro-global. When you studied American History, you didn't study the history of the 50 separate states, you studied American History. In a similar fashion, APWH is studied from a global perspective. What kinds of similarities and differences have people faced in religion, politics, economics, culture over the centuries and across regions?
I confess that when I first taught APWH during my 20th year in the classroom, bending my mind to think this way was a BEAST. But when I began to see connections across places and time that I'd never seen before, I fell in love with the approach.
For example: where's spaghetti from? Italy, right? Except...we think pasta was brought to Italy from China, and we know that tomatoes came from the Americas. So Italian spaghetti is a mash-up of East Asian and South/ Central American products. Cool!
12. What is the best student prep book for APWH?
There are many, and I list the ones that I recommend, because I know the
authors and trust their expertise. (OK, including me)
IMPORTANT: Buy the most up-to-date edition to stay up with changes!
Cracking the AP World History Exam, by Monty Armstrong (Princeton Review)
AP World History : Modern Prep Plus by Patrick Whelan and Jen Laden (Kaplan)
Strive for a 5 APWH Modern by Kit Wainer, Barbara Ozuna, Ryba Epstein and the ubiquitous Patrick Whelan (Bedford St. Martin's)
5 Steps to a 5: APWH Modern by Peggy Martin, et al
Mastering APWH: Modern by Chris Peek, et al
Crash Course AP World History: Modern by yours truly. (REA Publishers)