ap euro essays

AP European History Practice Exams

See below for a complete list of all the the online AP European History practice exams. Each of these sites has dozens of free practice questions. Start your test prep right now!

AP Euro Practice Test

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AP European History | Practice Exams | DBQ & FRQ | Notes | Videos |   Study Guides

AP European History Exam Tips

Keep an eye on your time..

Monitor your time carefully. Make sure not to spend too much time on any one question so that you have enough time to answer all of them. If you reach the end of the test with time to spare, go back and review your essays. And don’t waste time restating the question in your answers: that won’t earn points.

Plan your responses before you start writing.

Don’t start to write immediately: that can lead to a string of disconnected, poorly planned thoughts. Carefully analyze the question, thinking through what is being asked and evaluating the points of view of the sources and authors. Identify the elements that must be addressed in the response. For example, some questions may require you to consider the similarities between people or events, and then to think of the ways they are different. Others may ask you to develop an argument with examples to support it. Be sure to answer exactly what is being asked in the question prompt!

Integrate evidence into your response.

After you have determined how to answer the question, consider what evidence you can incorporate into your response. Consider the evidence you studied during the year that relates to the question and then decide how it fits into the analysis. Does it demonstrate a similarity or a difference? Does it argue for or against a point that is being addressed?

Decide on your thesis statement.

Begin writing only after you have thought through your evidence and have determined what your thesis statement will be. That way you will be in a position to answer the question analytically instead of in a rambling narrative.

Support your thesis statement.

Make your overarching statement or argument, then position your supporting evidence so that it is obviously directed to answering the question. State your points clearly and explicitly connect them to the larger thesis, rather than making generalizations.

Elaborate on the evidence.

Don’t just paraphrase or summarize your evidence. Clearly state your intent, then use additional information or analysis to elaborate on how these pieces of evidence are similar or different. If there is evidence that refutes a statement, explain why. Your answer should show that you understand the subtlety of the question.

Answering free-response questions from previous AP Exams is a great way to practice: it allows you to compare your own responses with those that have already been evaluated and scored. Go to the Exam Questions and Scoring Information section of the  AP Computer Science A Exam page on AP Central   to review the latest released free-response questions and scoring guidelines. Older questions and scoring information are available on the  Past Exam Questions page.  

Pay close attention to the task verbs used in the free-response questions. Each one directs you to complete a specific type of response. Here are the task verbs you’ll see on the exam:

• Compare: Provide a description or explanation of similarities and/or differences.
• Describe: Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic.
• Evaluate: Judge or determine the significance or importance of information or the quality or accuracy of a claim.
• Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning. Explaining “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas, explaining “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.
• Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.
• Support an argument: Provide specific examples and explain how they support a claim.

AP Short-Answer Response Booklets

Important reminders for completing short-answer responses.

Write each response only on the page designated for that question.

• 1 lined page is provided for each short-answer question.
• The question number is printed as a large watermark on each page, and also appears at the top and bottom of the response area.

Keep responses brief–don’t write essays.

• The booklet is designed to provide sufficient space for each response.
• Longer responses will not necessarily receive higher scores than shorter ones that accomplish all the tasks set by the question.

See a diagram that shows you where to find the question number on pages in the response booklet.

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Familiar with the defenestration of Prague? Know the causes of the French Revolution? The AP ® European History exam tests topics and skills discussed in your Advanced Placement European History course. If you score high enough, your AP Euro score could earn you college credit!

Check out our AP European History guide for the essential info you need about the exam:

• Exam Overview
• Sections and Question Types
• How to Prepare

What’s on the AP European History Exam?

The course focuses on the following nine units of study:

• Unit 1: Renaissance and Exploration
• Unit 2: Age of Reformation
• Unit 3: Absolutism and Constitutionalism
• Unit 4: Scientific, Philosophical, and Political Developments
• Unit 5: Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century
• Unit 6: Industrialization and its Effects
• Unit 7: 19th Century Perspectives and Political Developments
• Unit 8: 20th Century Global Conflicts
• Unit 9: Cold War and Contemporary Europe

The College Board is very detailed in what they require your AP teacher to cover in his or her AP European History course. They explain that you should be familiar with the following themes:

• Interaction of Europe and and the World: commercial and religious motivations to interact with the world; competition for trade; commercial rivalries; Christianity; social Darwinism; mercantilism; slave-labor system; expansion of slave trade; slave revolt and Haitian independence; national self-determination; extreme nationalist political parties; increased immigration into Europe, anti-immigrant policies; Woodrow Wilson’s political/diplomatic idealism; causes of World War I; Columbian exchange; Marshall Plan; 1929 stock market crash; Cold War outside Europe; responses to imperialism; diplomacy and colonial wars
• Economic and Commercial Developments: industrialization; Second Industrial Revolution; French Revolution; Russian reform and modernization; world monetary and trade systems; European economic and political integration; baby boom; the putting-out system; Agricultural Revolution and population growth; mechanization; the factory system; migration from rural to urban areas; critiques of capitalism; evolution of socialist ideology; Russian Revolution; Lenin’s New Economic Policy; Stalin’s economic modernization; fascism; the Great Depression; green parties; revolts of 1968; labor laws and reform programs
• Cultural and Intellectual Developments: revival of classical texts; invention of the printing press; Renaissance art; scientific method; rational thought; theories of Locke and Rousseau; humanism; romanticism; fascist nationalism
• States and Other Institutions of Power: English Civil War; French Revolution; wars of Napoleon; Enlightenment principles; Congress of Vienna; social contract; post-1815 revolutions; nation-building; industrialization; Russian Revolution; constitutionalism; rise of the Nazis; mass media and propaganda; total war; post-1945 nationalist/separatist movements; genocide; imperialism; colonial independence movements; League of Nations; collapse of communism
• Social Organization and Development: gender roles and marriage patterns; hierarchy and social status; urban expansion; rise of commercial and professional groups; family economy; Napoleon and meritocracy; industrialization and class; destructive effects of technology; religious minorities; social Darwinism
• National and European Identity: new class identities; ethnic cleansing; national self-determination; transnational identities; European integration; conflict between religious groups; continued influence of local identities; separatist movements; decolonization; radical political thought; rise of Zionism; mass politics; worker movements
• Technological and Scientific Innovation : Golden Age of Dutch advances (telescope, microscope, etc.); 1 st Industrial Revolution (spinning jenny, steam engine, steamboat); 2 nd Industrial Revolution (electric motors, railways, telegraph, automobile, medical technology); 20 th century (Einstein and theory of relativity, color photography, warfare technology, radio and television, medical innovations)

Read More: For a comprehensive content review, check out our line of AP guides

AP Euro Sections and Question Types

The AP European History exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long. It is composed of two sections: a multiple choice/short answer section and a a free response section. There are two parts (Part A and Part B) to each section.

Note: The College Board has not yet announced if the 2021 digital version of the AP European History exam will be in place for future exam years. For updates on the digital test and its format, please visit the  AP Euro page on the College Board's website .

AP European History Multiple-Choice

Multiple-choice questions are grouped into sets of typically three or four questions and based on a primary or secondary source, including excerpts from historical documents or writings, images, graphs, maps, and so on. This section will test your ability to analyze and engage with the source materials while recalling what you already know about European History.

AP European History Short Answer

The short answer questions will ask you to write answers to questions in your test booklet. Some questions include texts, images, graphs, or maps. Questions 1 and 2 are required and focus on historical developments or processes from 1600–2001. You can choose between Question 3, which focuses on periods 1450–1648 and/or 1648–1815, and Question 4, which focuses on periods 1815–1914 and/or 1914–present.

AP European History Document-Based Question (DBQ)

DBQ questions will present you with a variety of historical documents that are intended to show various perspectives on a historical development or process. You will need to develop a thesis that responds to the question prompt and to support that thesis with evidence from both the documents and your knowledge of European history. The topic of the DBQ will include historical developments or processes between the years 1600 and 2001.

AP European History Long Essay

You’re given a choice form three long essay prompts to complete. You must develop a thesis and use historical evidence to support your thesis, but there won’t be any documents on which you must base your response. Instead you’ll need to draw upon your own knowledge of topics you learned in your AP European History class. Each question focuses on a different time period (1450–1700, 1648–1914, or 1815–2001).

Learn More: Review for the exam with our AP European History Cram Course and Tutors

What's a Good AP European History Score?

AP scores are reported from 1 to 5. Colleges are generally looking for a 4 or 5 on the AP Euro exam, but some may grant credit for a 3. Here’s how students scored on the AP European History exam in May 2022:

Source: College Board

How can I prepare?

AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP European History content and strategy, pick the AP prep option that works best for your goals and learning style.

• AP Exams  

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Ultimate Guide to the AP European History Exam

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The AP European History exam is one of the hardest and least-common AP exams taken. In 2019, only about 100,000 of the more than 5 million students taking AP exams took the AP European History exam. Only 11.7% of those AP Euro test-takers scored a 5.

If you’re planning to take the AP European History exam—whether you have taken the class or self-studied—read on for a breakdown of the test and CollegeVine’s advice for how to best prepare for it.

When is the AP European History Exam?

The 2020 AP European History exam takes place on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 12 pm. For a comprehensive list of dates and times for all of the 2020 AP exams, check out our blog post 2020 AP Exam Schedule: Everything You Need to Know .

What Does the AP European History Exam Cover?

The AP European History course investigates the content of European history for significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in four historical periods. In this class, you’ll develop your ability to analyze historical data, assess historical evidence, and analyze significant issues in European history. The course content focuses on events from 1450 to the present and provides seven themes for framing connections over time and between places:

• Interaction of Europe and the world
• Economic and commercial developments
• Cultural and intellectual developments
• States and other institutions of power
• Social organization and development
• National and European identity
• Technological and scientific innovation

In 2015, the AP European History course was redesigned. Though the course content remains largely the same, it is now more focused towards clear learning objectives for the exam. The exam itself has also changed. Starting with the 2016 test, there are now fewer long essays and multiple-choice questions, and short-answer questions were added for the first time. It is important to remember when preparing for the exam to use material produced in 2015 or later, as older material will be outdated.    

AP European History Exam Course Content

The AP European History course consists of nine units, covering the cultural, economic, political, and social developments that have shaped Europe from 1450 through the present. Below is a look at how the units break down and what percentage of the exam they represent. 

AP European History Exam Content

The AP European History exam is one of the longer AP exams, clocking in at three hours and 15 minutes. It is comprised of the following parts: 

Section 1: Multiple Choice 

55 minutes | 55 questions | 40% of score

Section 1 takes 55 minutes, contains 55 multiple-choice questions, and accounts for 40% of your total score. Questions generally come in sets of three or four based on the same stimulus, and include one or more sources such as text, images, charts, and maps. 

Section 2: Short-Answer Questions

40 minutes | 3 questions | 20% of score

Section 2 contains three short-answer questions, takes 40 minutes, and accounts for 20% of your total score. 

• The first short-answer question focuses on historical developments or processes from 1600-2001 and includes one or two secondary sources.
• The second short-answer question shares the same focus and time period as the first question—historical developments or processes occurring between 1600-2001—but includes one primary source. 
• The final short-answer question gives test-takers a choice to answer one of three questions. The three questions all focus on the historical developments and processes of particular time periods—1450 to 1648, 1815 to 1914, 1914 to today—and no source material is included. 

In their short answers, students are tasked with analyzing the sources along with the developments described in them, then putting those occurrences in context and making connections between them. 

Section 3: Free Response 

1 hour 40 minutes | 2 questions | 40% of score

The last section features two free-response questions—one is a document-based question (DBQ) which you have an hour to answer and is worth 25% of your score, the other is a long essay that you’re given 40 minutes to write and is worth 15% of your score. 

Document-Based Question: The document-based question is focused on a historical development that happened between 1600 and 2001. Test takers are presented with seven documents giving various perspectives on the event and are tasked with constructing an argument using the documents AND prior knowledge to form and support an argument. 

Long Essay: Test takers are given the choice of three questions, all of them assessing the ability to develop and support arguments based on evidence, but focusing on different historical time periods. The three time periods are: 1450 to 1700, 1648 to 1914, and 1815 to 2001. 

AP European History Score Distribution, Average Score, and Passing Rate

The AP European History exam is a tough one to master, though many students do well enough to pass (score of 3 or higher). In 2019, 58.1% of students who took the AP European History exam received a score of 3 or higher. Of these, only 11.7% of students received the top score of 5 with another 20.5% scoring a 4. Roughly a quarter (25.9%) of all test-takers received a score of 3, contributing greatly to the exam’s pass rate. About a third (29.2%) of students received a score of 2, while 12.5% of test-takers scored a 1 on the exam. If you’re curious about other score distributions, see our post Easiest and Hardest AP Exams .

Keep in mind that policies regarding credit and advanced standing based on AP scores vary widely from college to college. Be sure to check whether the schools on your list accept AP exam credit, and if so, what scores they require.

Best Ways to Study for the AP European History Exam

Step 1: assess your skills.

Take a practice test to assess your initial knowledge of the material. The College Board AP European History website provides a number of sample test questions and exam tips, and it also has a practice AP European History exam available. There are numerous other free practice tests offered on the web; for example, Varsity Tutors has a multitude of free AP European History Diagnostic Tests on their website. High School Test Prep also hosts a handful of free AP European History tests on their website. 

Step 2: Study the Material

The AP European History exam tests your knowledge of significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in European history in four historical periods from 1450 to present. 

Learn to Think Like a Historian: You’ll need to learn the thinking skills and methods used by historians to study the past. These include analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical comparisons, chronological reasoning, and argumentation. 

Go to the Source: The College Board provides a series of useful videos that give an overview of curricular framework and exam format. You should also review the College Board’s Exam Tips .

Ask an Expert: For a more specific idea of where to focus your studying, you should consider using an updated formal study guide. Both the Princeton Review’s Cracking the AP European History Exam, 2020 Edition: Proven Techniques to Help You Score a 5 and Barron’s AP European History, 8th Edition are effective and popular resources. Of these, Barron’s is regarded as the stronger option for long-term studying of the material, while the Princeton Review is often regarded as a better option for test practice (though some users say that its practice tests in the past have been more difficult than the actual AP exam).

There are also a number of free study resources available online. Many AP teachers have posted complete study guides—such as this AP European History study guide from Mrs. Newmark , a teacher at the Raleigh Charter High School in Raleigh, North Carolina—review sheets, and test questions. 

Try using a study app: Finally, another convenient way to study is to use one of the recently-developed apps for AP exams. These can be free or cost a small fee, and are an easy way to quiz yourself on-the-go. Make sure you read reviews before choosing one—their quality varies widely. Varsity Tutors also offers a free app to help you study for the AP Euro exam .

Step 3: Practice Multiple-Choice Questions

Once you have your theory down, test it out by practicing multiple-choice questions. You can find these in most study guides or through online searches. You could also try taking the multiple-choice section of another practice exam.

The College Board Course Description includes many practice multiple-choice questions along with explanations of their answers. There are also many practice questions available in any commercial study guide. As you go through these, try to keep track of which areas are still tripping you up, and go back over this theory again. Focus on understanding what each question is asking and keep a running list of any concepts that are still unfamiliar.

Step 4: Practice Free-Response Questions

The AP European History exam is different from many AP exams in that it consists of five free-response questions of varying length and content. To be successful in these sections, you should know what to expect from each question. If you are already familiar with the free-response portions of the AP U.S. History or AP World History exams, you will find these similar in format.

Short Answer: The first four free-response questions are considered “short answer” and you will be allowed 40 minutes to complete them all. These questions tend to have multiple parts, with each being very specific and limited in scope. In this section, you will have an opportunity to explain the historical examples you know best. You will probably be asked to interpret a graph or figure, compare and contrast the effects of different cultural approaches from specific time periods, or list distinct precipitating factors of significant historical events. You should be able to answer each part of these questions in a short, succinct paragraph.

Document-Based Question : The second free-response section is a document-based question and you will have one hour to complete it. This one question alone is worth 25% of your total exam score. To master it, you need to carefully read the question, practice active reading skills while reviewing the documents, and make a strong outline before you begin to write. In this section, you will assess written, quantitative, or visual materials as historical evidence. Be sure to completely review the outline of requirements provided before the prompt, and check them off as you are outlining and writing your response. 

• Scoring: It’s also beneficial to understand the rubric used to score document-based questions before formulating answers. Document-based questions are scored on a scale of 0 to 7, with points awarded for: Thesis/Claim (0 to 1 point), Contextualization (0 to 1 point), Evidence (0 to 3 points), and Analysis/Reasoning (0 to 2 points).

Long Essay: The last free-response section is a long-essay response, which you will have 40 minutes to complete. It is worth 15% of your total exam score. This section gives you the choice of three separate prompts—remember that you only need to answer one of them! As in the document-based question above, you will be provided with a rough outline of key considerations for the scoring of your work. These include a strong thesis, application of your historical thinking skills, ability to support your argument with specific examples, and the synthesis of your response into a greater historical context. You will be asked to explain and analyze significant issues in world history and develop an argument supported by your analysis of historical evidence.

• Scoring: Once again, understanding the scoring rubric is beneficial. The long essay is scored on a scale ranging from 0 to 6. Points are awarded for Thesis/Claim (0 to 1 point), Contextualization (0 to 1 point), Evidence (0 to 2 points), and Analysis/Reasoning (0 to 2 points). This YouTube video explains the AP Euro DBQ rubric and gives concrete examples of what to do and what NOT to do.

As you complete the document-based question and long essay, make sure to keep an eye on the time. Though you will be reminded of time remaining by the exam proctor, you will not be forced to move on to another question once the amount of time recommended for the first question has passed. Make sure you stay on track to address each section of every question. No points can be awarded for answer sections left completely blank when time runs out.

For a more in-depth explanation of how the document-based section and long-essay section are scored, review the College Board’s scoring rubric . To read descriptions of the directives commonly found on this section, visit the Common Directives page. To see authentic examples of past student responses and scoring explanations for each, visit the College Board’s Student Samples, Scoring Guidelines, and Commentary .

Step 5: Take Another Practice Test

As you did at the very beginning of your studying, take a practice test to evaluate your progress. You should see a steady progression of knowledge, and it’s likely that you will see patterns identifying which areas have improved the most and which areas still need improvement.

If you have time, repeat each of the steps above to incrementally increase your score.

Step 6: Exam Day Specifics

If you’re taking the AP course associated with this exam, your teacher will walk you through how to register. If you’re self-studying, check out our blog post How to Self-Register for AP Exams .

For information about what to bring to the exam, see our post What Should I Bring to My AP Exam (And What Should I Definitely Leave at Home)?

History enthusiasts will love CollegeVine’s free chancing engine. We use past performance (grades, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities) to predict future outcomes—in this case, your chance of acceptance into college. Try our chancing engine today to see your odds of getting into over 500 colleges and universities. 

Looking for more information on AP exams and courses? If so, check out these other excellent posts: 

2020 AP Exam Schedule

How Long is Each AP Exam?

Easiest and Hardest AP Exams

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Guide to the AP® European History Exam

Why take ap ® european history.

When faced with the choice of whether or not to take AP ® European History, the benefits often outweigh the costs for most students.

Many colleges require students to fulfill a history or social science course before they can graduate. However, if you take the AP ® European History Exam and attain a high score while you are in high school, you may be able to qualify for credit toward that requirement and not have to take another history exam in college.

A more recent argument for taking AP ® Exams, is that more colleges are going test-optional . This means that SAT ® and ACT ® scores are potentially holding less weight in college applications, and a good AP ® score could help tip the scale in your favor when it comes to college admissions.

Besides creating the opportunity to earn college credit for the work you do, AP ® courses also develop crucial skills, challenge you academically, and help round out your knowledge in ways you wouldn’t otherwise be able to. In addition to that, preparing for and taking the AP ® European History Exam provides excellent practice for college-level exams you may take in the future. Still unsure? This article goes into more detail about the benefits of taking AP® European History.

How to sign up for AP ® European History

To register for the AP ® Euro exam, you need to contact your school’s AP ® Coordinator, who can help facilitate your courses and exams.

Bear in mind you’ll likely need to complete requirements to be eligible to enroll in an AP ® course. In order to register for the AP ® European History Exam, you have to join your class section online, on College Board’s My AP portal. Some schools will automatically register you for the exam if you’re enrolled in an AP ® European History class, but others won’t and you will have to register online through the portal. If you are unsure whether or not you are registered for the AP® European History Exam, check wIth your AP ® Coordinator.

There is also a deadline for exam registration, so make sure you register through your AP ® Coordinator by then to avoid paying any late fees. The deadline to register for exams is in the fall, but specific deadlines may vary by the school—be sure to check with your teacher or AP ® Coordinator.

How much does the AP ® Exam cost?

Each AP ® Exam costs a total of $96—if you’re in the mainland United States and its territories and commonwealths, Canada, or a U.S. Department of Defense Dependents School.

If you’re outside of those areas, the AP ® Exam will cost $126 per exam.

College Board has a financial aid program that offers a $34 fee reduction in the exam. Read more about exam fees here .

You cannot use the My AP ® portal to pay fees – they will be collected by your AP ® Coordinator.

When you take into account the cost of a college course versus the cost of the exam, though, you’ll see that the AP ® Exam is actually a bargain. With a passing score, you may be able to earn college credit and save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

When can I take the AP ® European History Exam?

The AP ® European History Exam date in 2022 is Friday, May 6th. You can find more information about dates and late-testing schedules for the 2022 AP ® European History Exam Exam in our 2022 AP ® Exam Dates article.

What’s on the AP ® European History Exam?

Knowing what’s on the AP ® European History Exam is the first step to nailing it. The exam will cover all of the topics that you cover in your coursework. You will have to write a long argumentative essay as well as a document analysis showcasing your knowledge on a specific topic.

The course itself covers nine units. They are:

Renaissance and Exploration

Age of Reformation

Absolutism and Constitutionalism

Scientific, Philosophical, and Political Developments

Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century

Industrialization and Its Effects

19th-Century Perspectives and Political Developments

20th-Century Global Conflicts

Cold War and Contemporary Europe

You should anticipate that the AP ® Euro exam will cover these topics. As such, you should make sure that you’ve studied all that you can.

What is the Test Format for the AP ® European History Exam?

The test format of the AP ® European History Exam is split up into two sections, and includes a variety of question types including multiple-choice, short answer, document analysis, and long essay.

Students will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete the exam. The exam is made up of a 95-minute section of multiple-choice and short-answer questions, and a 100-minute writing section where students will answer two essay prompts.

Here is what the format of the AP® European History exam looks like—along with how much of the exam score depends on each section:

Students are expected to write two essays:

• A document analysis
• A long essay based on an essay prompt

Here’s an overview of the two questions students will face:

Document-Based Question

Length: 60 minutes

Worth: 25% of score

This section includes a 15-minute reading period. The exam presents students with seven documents that provide different perspectives on a historical development or process between the years 1600 and 2001.

Students must then develop an argument based on the documents as well as their own knowledge.

Long Essay Question

Length: 40 minutes

Worth: 15% of score

In this section, students have a choice of three different questions/essay prompts. They must pick one of them to answer.

The questions cover varying time periods. They are:

Students must develop their argument and support it with evidence.

What is a DBQ?

If you’ve come across the term ‘DBQ’, but don’t know what it means, don’t worry – the world of AP ® tends to come with quite a few of its own acronyms. AP ® European History, for example, is often referred to as ‘AP ® Euro’, or simply ‘Euro’, for short.

DBQ simply stands for Document-Based Question. This is the first of the two essay questions you will have to answer in Section II of your AP ® European History Exam.

For the DBQ, you will have one hour, including 15 minutes of reading time, to analyze a set of historical documents (usually 6 or 7), which you should use to help you answer the essay prompt.

The documents provided could either be in text or image format. Past examples of DBQ documents include, but are not limited to:

• Diary excerpts
• Political cartoons
• Speech transcripts

You will be expected to use information from as many of the documents as you can to answer the question to the best of your ability.

How is the AP ® European History Exam Scored?

The AP ® Exam’s scoring system is on a scale of one to five—with five being the best and one being the worst.

Here’s a good table that breaks down the score you could get and what it means.

When it comes to AP ® European History, you’ll want to aim for a score of 3 or higher. Most colleges will give you college credit if you score within that range.

It varies from college to college though. So, if you want to know the score that a specific college will accept in exchange for credit, you’ll need to check with the college’s registrar’s office to find out information about AP ® credit for the AP ® European History Exam. Often, you can find this information on the school’s website. You can also check out the College Board’s search tool for AP® credit policies .

NOTE: Colleges sometimes change their requirements for awarding college credit or offering placement out of required courses. So always check in with the college to make sure you have the most relevant and recent information.

Bottom line: You’re going to want to score as high as you possibly can. Sure your dream school only requires a 3—but you should always be aiming for the highest possible score regardless.

When you get that credit, you will effectively be walking into college with part of the requirements already completed. It means you could skip a history requirement and take whatever class you wanted to. Or, you could even save money on college tuition by spending less time getting credits. Either way, getting that college credit before college is a great way to set yourself up for the next four years. Read more about how AP ® exams helped Marco Learning’s tutors earn college credits.

What Can I Bring to My AP ® European History Exam?

Below is a list of all the things you can bring with you into the exam room. Note: It’s possible that not all of the items will apply to you (e.g., the Student Accommodations Letter).

• Two No. 2 pencils with erasers. These will be used on the multiple-choice portion of the exam.
• Two black or dark blue ink pens. These will be used for the free-response questions. Be sure to bring black or dark blue ink pens only. Leave your turquoise brush pens at home.
• A watch. This is a simple analog or digital watch with no internet access or alarms. Don’t even try to bring your smartwatch in the room.
• The AP ® Student Pack. This is given to you just before you take your exam and contains a label that you need to place on your exam. Follow the labeling instructions carefully.
• Government- or school-issued ID. If you don’t attend the school where you’re taking the AP ® English Language Exam, you must also bring a government- or school-issued ID.
• College Board SSD Student Accommodation Letter. If you require accommodations beyond the regular exam, you’ll receive a letter that verifies this (e.g. you need a braille or large-type exam).
• Remember, you won’t have to bring all these things—but it’s in your best interest to be as prepared as you can for the exam.

Take a look at our Test Day Checklist to make sure you are 100% prepared to take your AP ® English Language and Composition Exam when the time comes!

How do I study for AP ® European History?

#1: Connect the themes

One thing that the AP ® European History course wants you to do is be able to connect historical events to the broader themes covered in the course. Not only that, but you need to be able to show that you know how the themes impact each other. That means connecting the broad themes together and showcasing how they relate to one another using specific examples.

#2: Take practice tests

“Know thy enemy!” You don’t want to take your first AP ® U.S. European Exam on test day. To that end, take as many practice tests as you can before the big day. Take note of the areas you performed the weakest in and dedicate extra study time to those areas. Only by practicing over and over again can you expect to be better at any skill—including test-taking. If you don’t have much experience taking practice tests, check out John Moscatiello’s Step-by-Step Guide to taking a practice test like a pro .

#3: Write as much as you can

The free-response section of the AP ® European History Exam is the most difficult part of the entire test. To prepare, you should be writing and practicing for the document-based question (DBQ) and long-essay question (LEQ) in the weeks leading up to the exam. College Board’s website has a page dedicated to past exam questions . Read them and start to craft essays around them. You can have your AP ® teacher read them and provide feedback as to which areas you can improve. If you’re looking for ways to improve your writing skills, our Free AP ® European History Writing Workshop is designed specifically to teach you fundamental and advanced skills about how to tackle and formulate essay responses. All sessions are recorded and will be sent to you via email if you miss or want to review a session later.

#4: Find resources that work

When it comes to studying for your exam, there is no “one size fits all.” Just because your friend studied best with flashcards doesn’t necessarily mean that flashcards are right for you. We encourage you to take some time to figure out what study methods you are most comfortable with; it could be a mixture of everything!

We know it can be overwhelming starting from scratch. If you feel stuck, we suggest downloading our free AP ® European History study guide as a jumping off point and going from there.

If you’re looking for live video reviews before the AP ® Exams, we will host live AP ® review sessions on our YouTube channel .  As well as live sessions, you can review content and run through essay techniques for the AP ® European History Exam here:  AP ® Euro Playlist .

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MARCO LEARNING TERMS OF USE

Last Modified: 1/24/2023

Acceptance of the Terms of Use

These terms of use are entered into by and between You and Marco Learning LLC (“ Company “, “ we “, or “ us “). The following terms and conditions (these “ Terms of Use “), govern your access to and use of Marco Learning , including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through Marco Learning (the “ Website “), whether as a guest or a registered user.

Please read the Terms of Use carefully before you start to use the Website. By using the Website or by clicking to accept or agree to the Terms of Use when this option is made available to you, you accept and agree to be bound and abide by these Terms of Use. You may not order or obtain products or services from this website if you (i) do not agree to these Terms of Use, or (ii) are prohibited from accessing or using this Website or any of this Website’s contents, goods or services by applicable law . If you do not want to agree to these Terms of Use, you must not access or use the Website.

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Changes to the Terms of Use

We may revise and update these Terms of Use from time to time in our sole discretion. All changes are effective immediately when we post them, and apply to all access to and use of the Website thereafter.

These Terms of Use are an integral part of the Website Terms of Use that apply generally to the use of our Website. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of revised Terms of Use means that you accept and agree to the changes. You are expected to check this page each time you access this Website so you are aware of any changes, as they are binding on you.

Accessing the Website and Account Security

We reserve the right to withdraw or amend this Website, and any service or material we provide on the Website, in our sole discretion without notice. We will not be liable if for any reason all or any part of the Website is unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of the Website, or the entire Website, to users, including registered users.

You are responsible for (i) making all arrangements necessary for you to have access to the Website, and (ii) ensuring that all persons who access the Website through your internet connection are aware of these Terms of Use and comply with them.

To access the Website or some of the resources it offers, you may be asked to provide certain registration details or other information. It is a condition of your use of the Website that all the information you provide on the Website is correct, current, and complete. You agree that all information you provide to register with this Website or otherwise, including but not limited to through the use of any interactive features on the Website, is governed by our Marco Learning Privacy Policy , and you consent to all actions we take with respect to your information consistent with our Privacy Policy.

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We have the right to disable any user name, password, or other identifier, whether chosen by you or provided by us, at any time in our sole discretion for any or no reason, including if, in our opinion, you have violated any provision of these Terms of Use.

Intellectual Property Rights

The Website and its entire contents, features, and functionality (including but not limited to all information, software, text, displays, images, graphics, video, other visuals, and audio, and the design, selection, and arrangement thereof) are owned by the Company, its licensors, or other providers of such material and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws. Your use of the Website does not grant to you ownership of any content, software, code, date or materials you may access on the Website.

These Terms of Use permit you to use the Website for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of the material on our Website, except as follows:

• Your computer may temporarily store copies of such materials in RAM incidental to your accessing and viewing those materials.
• You may store files that are automatically cached by your Web browser for display enhancement purposes.
• You may print or download one copy of a reasonable number of pages of the Website for your own personal, non-commercial use and not for further reproduction, publication, or distribution.
• If we provide desktop, mobile, or other applications for download, you may download a single copy to your computer or mobile device solely for your own personal, non-commercial use, provided you agree to be bound by our end user license agreement for such applications.
• If we provide social media features with certain content, you may take such actions as are enabled by such features.

You must not:

• Modify copies of any materials from this site.
• Use any illustrations, photographs, video or audio sequences, or any graphics separately from the accompanying text.
• Delete or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights notices from copies of materials from this site.

You must not access or use for any commercial purposes any part of the Website or any services or materials available through the Website.

If you wish to make any use of material on the Website other than that set out in this section, please contact us

If you print, copy, modify, download, or otherwise use or provide any other person with access to any part of the Website in breach of the Terms of Use, your right to use the Website will stop immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made. No right, title, or interest in or to the Website or any content on the Website is transferred to you, and all rights not expressly granted are reserved by the Company. Any use of the Website not expressly permitted by these Terms of Use is a breach of these Terms of Use and may violate copyright, trademark, and other laws.

Trademarks, logos, service marks, trade names, and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are trademarks of the Company or its affiliates or licensors (collectively, the “ Trademarks ”). You must not use such Trademarks without the prior written permission of the Company. All other names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans on this Website are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Prohibited Uses

You may use the Website only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms of Use. You agree not to use the Website:

• In any way that violates any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation (including, without limitation, any laws regarding the export of data or software to and from the US or other countries).
• For the purpose of exploiting, harming, or attempting to exploit or harm minors in any way by exposing them to inappropriate content, asking for personally identifiable information, or otherwise.
• To send, knowingly receive, upload, download, use, or re-use any material that does not comply with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.
• To transmit, or procure the sending of, any advertising or promotional material, including any “junk mail”, “chain letter”, “spam”, or any other similar solicitation.
• To impersonate or attempt to impersonate the Company, a Company employee, another user, or any other person or entity (including, without limitation, by using email addresses or screen names associated with any of the foregoing).
• To engage in any other conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone’s use or enjoyment of the Website, or which, as determined by us, may harm the Company or users of the Website or expose them to liability.

Additionally, you agree not to:

• Use the Website in any manner that could disable, overburden, damage, or impair the site or interfere with any other party’s use of the Website, including their ability to engage in real time activities through the Website.
• Use any robot, spider, or other automatic device, process, or means to access the Website for any purpose, including monitoring or copying any of the material on the Website.
• Use any manual process to monitor or copy any of the material on the Website or for any other unauthorized purpose without our prior written consent.
• Use any device, software, or routine that interferes with the proper working of the Website.
• Introduce any viruses, Trojan horses, worms, logic bombs, or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to, interfere with, damage, or disrupt any parts of the Website, the server on which the Website is stored, or any server, computer, or database connected to the Website.
• Attack the Website via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack.
• Otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Website.

If you use, or assist another person in using the Website in any unauthorized way, you agree that you will pay us an additional $50 per hour for any time we spend to investigate and correct such use, plus any third party costs of investigation we incur (with a minimum $300 charge). You agree that we may charge any credit card number provided for your account for such amounts. You further agree that you will not dispute such a charge and that we retain the right to collect any additional actual costs.

User Contributions

The Website may contain message boards, chat rooms, personal web pages or profiles, forums, bulletin boards, and other interactive features (collectively, “ Interactive Services “) that allow users to post, submit, publish, display, or transmit to other users or other persons (hereinafter, “ post “) content or materials (collectively, “ User Contributions “) on or through the Website.

All User Contributions must comply with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.

Any User Contribution you post to the site will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary. By providing any User Contribution on the Website, you grant us and our affiliates and service providers, and each of their and our respective licensees, successors, and assigns the right to use, reproduce, modify, perform, display, distribute, and otherwise disclose to third parties any such material for any purpose.

You represent and warrant that:

• You own or control all rights in and to the User Contributions and have the right to grant the license granted above to us and our affiliates and service providers, and each of their and our respective licensees, successors, and assigns.
• All of your User Contributions do and will comply with these Terms of Use.

You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you, not the Company, have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness.

For any academic source materials such as textbooks and workbooks which you submit to us in connection with our online tutoring services, you represent and warrant that you are entitled to upload such materials under the “fair use” doctrine of copyright law. In addition, if you request that our system display a representation of a page or problem from a textbook or workbook, you represent and warrant that you are in proper legal possession of such textbook or workbook and that your instruction to our system to display a page or problem from your textbook or workbook is made for the sole purpose of facilitating your tutoring session, as “fair use” under copyright law.

You agree that we may record all or any part of any live online classes and tutoring sessions (including voice chat communications) for quality control and other purposes. You agree that we own all transcripts and recordings of such sessions and that these Terms of Use will be deemed an irrevocable assignment of rights in all such transcripts and recordings to us.

We are not responsible or liable to any third party for the content or accuracy of any User Contributions posted by you or any other user of the Website.

Monitoring and Enforcement: Termination

We have the right to:

• Remove or refuse to post any User Contributions for any or no reason in our sole discretion.
• Take any action with respect to any User Contribution that we deem necessary or appropriate in our sole discretion, including if we believe that such User Contribution violates the Terms of Use, including the Content Standards, infringes any intellectual property right or other right of any person or entity, threatens the personal safety of users of the Website or the public, or could create liability for the Company.
• Disclose your identity or other information about you to any third party who claims that material posted by you violates their rights, including their intellectual property rights or their right to privacy.
• Take appropriate legal action, including without limitation, referral to law enforcement, for any illegal or unauthorized use of the Website.
• Terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Website for any or no reason, including without limitation, any violation of these Terms of Use.

Without limiting the foregoing, we have the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity or other information of anyone posting any materials on or through the Website. YOU WAIVE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, LICENSEES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM ANY CLAIMS RESULTING FROM ANY ACTION TAKEN BY ANY OF THE FOREGOING PARTIES DURING, OR TAKEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, INVESTIGATIONS BY EITHER SUCH PARTIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.

However, we do not undertake to review material before it is posted on the Website, and cannot ensure prompt removal of objectionable material after it has been posted. Accordingly, we assume no liability for any action or inaction regarding transmissions, communications, or content provided by any user or third party. We have no liability or responsibility to anyone for performance or nonperformance of the activities described in this section.

Content Standards

These content standards apply to any and all User Contributions and use of Interactive Services. User Contributions must in their entirety comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations. Without limiting the foregoing, User Contributions must not:

• Contain any material that is defamatory, obscene, indecent, abusive, offensive, harassing, violent, hateful, inflammatory, or otherwise objectionable.
• Promote sexually explicit or pornographic material, violence, or discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age.
• Infringe any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other intellectual property or other rights of any other person.
• Violate the legal rights (including the rights of publicity and privacy) of others or contain any material that could give rise to any civil or criminal liability under applicable laws or regulations or that otherwise may be in conflict with these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .
• Be likely to deceive any person.
• Promote any illegal activity, or advocate, promote, or assist any unlawful act.
• Cause annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety or be likely to upset, embarrass, alarm, or annoy any other person.
• Impersonate any person, or misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or organization.
• Involve commercial activities or sales, such as contests, sweepstakes, and other sales promotions, barter, or advertising.
• Give the impression that they emanate from or are endorsed by us or any other person or entity, if this is not the case.

(collectively, the “ Content Standards ”)

Copyright Infringement

If you believe that any User Contributions violate your copyright, please contact us  and provide the following information:

• An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;
• A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed;
• A description of where the material you claim is infringing is located on the website (and such description must reasonably sufficient to enable us to find the alleged infringing material);
• Your address, telephone number and email address;
• A written statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
• A statement by you, made under the penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.

We may terminate the accounts of any infringers.

Reliance on Information Posted

From time to time, we may make third party opinions, advice, statements, offers, or other third party information or content available on the Website or from tutors under tutoring services (collectively, “Third Party Content”). All Third Party Content is the responsibility of the respective authors thereof and should not necessarily be relied upon. Such third party authors are solely responsible for such content. WE DO NOT (I) GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR USEFULNESS OF ANY THIRD PARTY CONTENT ON THE SITE OR ANY VERIFICATION SERVICES DONE ON OUR TUTORS OR INSTRUCTORS, OR (II) ADOPT, ENDORSE OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY OPINION, ADVICE, OR STATEMENT MADE BY ANY TUTOR OR INSTRUCTOR OR ANY PARTY THAT APPEARS ON THE WEBSITE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL WE BE RESPONSBILE OR LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM YOUR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION OR OTHER CONENT POSTED ON OR AVAILBLE FROM THE WEBSITE.

Changes to the Website

We may update the content on this Website from time to time, but its content is not necessarily complete or up-to-date. Any of the material on the Website may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no obligation to update such material.

Information About You and Your Visits to the Website

All information we collect on this Website is subject to our Privacy Policy . By using the Website, you consent to all actions taken by us with respect to your information in compliance with the Privacy Policy.

Online Purchases and Other Terms and Conditions

All purchases through our site or other transactions for the sale of services and information formed through the Website or resulting from visits made by you are governed by our Terms of Sale, which are hereby incorporated into these Terms of Use.

Additional terms and conditions may also apply to specific portions, services, or features of the Website. All such additional terms and conditions are hereby incorporated by this reference into these Terms of Use.

Linking to the Website and Social Media Features

You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part without our express written consent.

This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to:

• Link from your own or certain third-party websites to certain content on this Website.
• Send emails or other communications with certain content, or links to certain content, on this Website.
• Cause limited portions of content on this Website to be displayed or appear to be displayed on your own or certain third-party websites.

You may use these features solely as they are provided by us, and solely with respect to the content they are displayed with and otherwise in accordance with any additional terms and conditions we provide with respect to such features. Subject to the foregoing, you must not:

• Establish a link from any website that is not owned by you.
• Cause the Website or portions of it to be displayed on, or appear to be displayed by, any other site, for example, framing, deep linking, or in-line linking.
• Link to any part of the Website other than the homepage.
• Otherwise take any action with respect to the materials on this Website that is inconsistent with any other provision of these Terms of Use.

The website from which you are linking, or on which you make certain content accessible, must comply in all respects with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.

You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to stop. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.

We may disable all or any social media features and any links at any time without notice in our discretion.

Links from the Website

If the Website contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties (“ Linked Sites ”), these links are provided for your convenience only. This includes links contained in advertisements, including banner advertisements and sponsored links. You acknowledge and agree that we have no control over the contents, products, services, advertising or other materials which may be provided by or through those Linked sites or resources, and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this Website, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.

You agree that if you include a link from any other website to the Website, such link will open in a new browser window and will link to the full version of an HTML formatted page of this Website. You are not permitted to link directly to any image hosted on the Website or our products or services, such as using an “in-line” linking method to cause the image hosted by us to be displayed on another website. You agree not to download or use images hosted on this Website or another website, for any purpose, including, without limitation, posting such images on another website. You agree not to link from any other website to this Website in any manner such that the Website, or any page of the Website, is “framed,” surrounded or obfuscated by any third party content, materials or branding. We reserve all of our rights under the law to insist that any link to the Website be discontinued, and to revoke your right to link to the Website from any other website at any time upon written notice to you.

Geographic Restrictions

The owner of the Website is based in the state of New Jersey in the United States. We provide this Website for use only by persons located in the United States. We make no claims that the Website or any of its content is accessible or appropriate outside of the United States. Access to the Website may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries. If you access the Website from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

Disclaimer of Warranties

You understand that we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading from the internet or the Website will be free of viruses or other destructive code. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for anti-virus protection and accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to our site for any reconstruction of any lost data. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR TO YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY WEBSITE LINKED TO IT.

YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE WEBSITE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, THE COMPANY HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

Limitation on Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY, ITS AFFILIATES, OR THEIR LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR DIRECTORS BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE WEBSITE, ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO IT, ANY CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE OR SUCH OTHER WEBSITES, INCLUDING ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, LOSS OF DATA, AND WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE.

THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, licensors, and service providers, and its and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms of Use or your use of the Website, including, but not limited to, your User Contributions, any use of the Website’s content, services, and products other than as expressly authorized in these Terms of Use or your use of any information obtained from the Website.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

All matters relating to the Website and these Terms of Use and any dispute or claim arising therefrom or related thereto (in each case, including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New Jersey without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New Jersey or any other jurisdiction).

Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms of Use or the Website shall be instituted exclusively in the federal courts of the United States or the courts of the State of New Jersey in each case located in the County of Monmouth although we retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms of Use in your country of residence or any other relevant country. You waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts. You may not under any circumstances commence or maintain against us any class action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding.

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How to Earn the AP Euro Thesis Point for LEQs

1 min read • july 11, 2024

📌 Check out these other Euro resources! 👉

• Click  here to watch students' LEQs being graded.
• Watch  this stream reviewing the 2019 AP Euro essay questions to get some examples.
• Watch AP Euro live review streams every week with Fiveable+  👉  Join Today!

About the Thesis Point 📚

• The thesis point is where you introduce the premise of your essay and state your argument.- It must be "historically defensible," which means there must be enough evidence present to defend your claim.- Your argument must be decisive and contain a development from what the prompt says. Steer clear of rephrasing!- The thesis needs to be between one to two sentences long and should be located in the introduction or conclusion.

Tips for a Great Thesis ✅

• Always state your thesis in the introduction. That way, if you miss out on your point there, you have a second chance to earn it in the conclusion.- Take a tip from AP English classes- qualify your argument. This means accepting a scenario where your thesis might not apply. If done well, this could help you earn the complex historical understanding point later.- Use simple wording. The essay isn't being graded on your writing skills, so there's no need for a nuanced or creative thesis. Write decisively, but in the most straightforward way possible.- If you're writing a DBQ, don't introduce documents in the thesis. Utilize the documents' themes to categorize your essay and defend your claims.- Read the prompt closely and make decisions for what to include based on the type of question being asked.

Continuity and Change Over Time⌚

• You can recognize a CCOT prompt if it asks about change, developments, or stagnation during a specific time period. These prompts always give you a defined time frame and will occasionally provide specific areas to write about (politics, religion, economics, etc.)- The best way to write organize a thesis for a CCOT essay is to write about one way the subject matter evolved during the given era and one way that it stayed the same.- Arguing broadly, such as simply asserting a country or region's economics changed, will not be enough to get the point. To guarantee your thesis is descriptive enough, write a short description of the way your theme changed, such as "During the late 15th and early 16th centuries, Spain's economy became increasingly globalized." Repeat this for your continuity.- Remember to stick to your thesis points. They are your roadmap and deviation from them risks confusing your audience. Study Guide: Continuity and Change in the 18th-Century States
• A causation question will always ask about the relationship between two specific events, movements, or historical trends. It will often use phrases like "to what extent did ______ result from _________?" Sometimes, the prompt will not inquire about the level of causation, but rather the type or to identify a cause or effect.- A good causation thesis begins with a position on the question. The prompt will probably be nuanced, and the answer will not be a simple yes or no. Including phrases like "largely influenced" and "had little correlation" could demonstrate your knowledge of this and strengthen your writing.- Then, introduce causation and links to other developments beyond the one you reference. A potential thesis could read: "Although Germany's fascist descent was strongly influenced by the "war guilt clause" from the Treaty of Versailles, rampant industrialism and the US's abandonment of isolationism also played roles in inciting conflict." Study Guide: Causation in the Age of Industrialization

Study Guide: Causation in the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery

Comparison 👯‍♀️

• A comparison prompt will ask you to articulate similarities and differences between content. It will also usually for an explanation or description of their importance.- A comparison thesis needs two parts: explanation of similarities and differences, and an introduction to the other required skill.- Start by introducing the evidence you plan on using for both similarities and differences. For example, "The Northern and  Italian Renaissances both experienced significant economic shifts. However, the Northern Renaissance was more centralized, as exemplified by the strong states of England, the Netherlands, and the Holy Roman Empire."- Then, depending on the prompt, you may need to explain possible causes of the difference.- Your full thesis might look like, "Both the Northern and Italian Renaissances saw significant economic shifts. However, the Northern Renaissance was more centralized, while the Italian Renaissance occurred in city-states and was, by comparison, secular in nature." Study Guide: Comparison in the Age of Absolutism and Constitutionalism

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Every AP European History Practice Test Available: Free and Official

Advanced Placement (AP)

Are you taking the AP European History exam and want to make sure you're prepared? One of the best ways to measure your progress and learn which areas you need to focus on is to take practice exams. There are a lot of AP Euro History practice tests available; however, some are higher-quality than others. Taking a poorly written practice exam can cause you to study the wrong things and give you an inaccurate picture of what the real AP exam will be like.

In this guide, I'll go over every AP Euro practice test available , explain if and how you should use each one, and end with a schedule you can follow to help you incorporate practice tests into your study plans.

Official AP European History Practice Tests and Questions

Official practice exams are those that have been created by the College Board (the organization that develops and administers all AP exams). They are always the top resources to use because you can be sure that they accurately reflect the format and content of the real AP exam.

There are three types of official practice resources:

Complete Practice Tests

Full-length official practice tests are hard to come by since the College Board frequently reuses multiple-choice questions and therefore doesn't often make them publicly available. However, they've released one full-length AP Euro practice test:

2017 AP European History Practice Test

This practice test mostly aligns with the format and content of the latest version of the test . It's absolutely the best free practice exam available , so try to save it for when you're closer to test day and want to get an accurate estimate of how you're scoring.

There is another official AP Euro practice test floating around, this one from 2008. The College Board no longer shows it on their website, so you need to find it from unofficial sources. Additionally, the exam has been significantly updated since then, so both the format and content are somewhat out of date. This practice test has 80 multiple-choice questions instead of the current 55, and the questions focus much more on general recall of facts than they do now. Additionally, there are no passages to read and answer questions about like there are on the current exam. For the essays, the DBQ is pretty similar, but there are no short answer questions on this test. Instead there are two long essays (the current format only has one). So you can still use this exam for practice, but be aware that it's much less useful than the 2017 exam.

Free-Response Questions

2021 free-response questions 1999-2019 free-response questions

Even though official multiple-choice questions are sparse, there are over 20 years' worth of official free-response questions for you to practice with. These questions all come from past AP exams. 

AP Euro Course and Exam Description

The AP European History Course and Exam Descriptions offer additional multiple-choice questions and free-response questions—just not in the format of a full-length test. You can still get some great practice with these materials, especially the multiple-choice questions.

This is the most current course description:

2020 Course and Exam Description : Updated for current AP exam format. Contains 17 multiple-choice questions, one short-answer question, one DBQ, and one Long Essay prompt.

Unofficial AP European History Practice Exams and Quizzes

Many unofficial practice AP Euro exams can be a great study resource, but not all are worth your time. Below, we explain each unofficial resource and how you should use it. The resources are separated into two categories: free and paid, and they're roughly ordered from most to least helpful.

Free AP Euro Practice Tests

Marco Learning

This is an unofficial AP Euro practice test, but it fits the format of the actual AP exam exactly and also does a good job of matching the difficulty and type of questions you'll see on the AP exam. You can access the answer explanations here (you'll need to sign up for a free account). This is a high-quality resource, and you should save it for when you do a timed, full-length practice test (see the next section).

CrackAP's site has 32 AP Euro quizzes, each about ten questions long. A lot of the questions are passage-based, as they are on the actual AP exam, although the ones from this resource tend to be a bit more simplistic and easier to answer than actual AP questions. However, this is still a decent resource, particularly for shorter study sessions.

High School Test Prep

This resource has four quizzes, each focused on a different time period. The quizzes are each 20 questions, which is fairly short, but they do a pretty good job of matching actual AP questions. After you answer a question, you immediately learn if you got it right or not (and a helpful answer explanation is provided). This makes this not a great resource if you're trying to time yourself, but we recommend it for early on in your AP prep, when you're still becoming familiar with the types of multiple-choice questions you'll be asked.

A History of Western Society Practice Tests

Even if this isn't the textbook you're using in your AP Euro class, this is a good resource to make sure you're keeping up with the class material. There are 31 quizzes, one for each chapter of the book. You'll click on the chapter you want, then click "ACE the Test" on the left. These questions focus more on facts than making inferences, but they can be a good way to ensure you're staying on top of the information you need to know throughout the school year, especially because you can choose which chapter quiz to take based on the specific topic you want to improve in.

Varsity Tutors

The Varsity Tutors site for AP Euro has seven diagnostic tests, each with 80 multiple-choice questions. On the actual AP exam, you'll only answer 55 multiple-choice questions, which means you're getting about ten tests worth of multiple-choice questions here. They also have over 100 additional questions in the form of short quizzes organized by topics like European expansion and political practice. So there's a lot of content here.

Unfortunately, none of it is a great match for the actual AP exam. Varsity Tutors' questions focus almost solely on basic historic facts, like when a certain event happened or what a particular person's claim to fame is. There are no passages to read and make inferences from or questions that test your knowledge of major themes and changes in Europe. This makes these resources significantly different from the actual AP Euro exam, which, contrary to what many people believe, has few questions focused solely on recalling specific dates or events.

This resource is best used for people looking to build up their background knowledge of specific time periods/places/themes as opposed to using it as a close substitute for real AP multiple-choice questions. We recommend using it throughout the year to keep on top of all the information you're learning in class.

Paid AP Euro Practice Tests

AP Euro Prep Books

Prep books are a very common study resource to use when preparing for an AP exam. In addition to giving you tips for how to do well on the AP test, they nearly always include a full-length practice test as well. Here are three of the most popular AP European History review books:

• Barron's (about $18, with 5 practice tests)
• Princeton Review (about $18, with 6 practice tests)
• Crash Course (about $12, with 1 practice test)

Albert 

Albert has over 1,000 AP European History practice questions, organized into time period and category. They do a good job of mimicking actual AP questions. You'll see the answer and explanation immediately after you answer a question.

You'll need to create an account to access the questions. After you've done that, some of the questions are available for free, but for most you need a paid subscription to access. It currently costs $69 for a year's access to their AP Euro materials. 

If you purchase a Peterson's subscription, you gain access to two full-length AP European History practice exams . A subscription costs a pretty pricey $49 a month (with discounts for three- and six-month packages), however; this gets you access to all of Peterson's resources, including their other AP prep and their ACT and SAT resources.

How to Use AP European History Practice Exams 

Knowing how to use each of these resources will make your studying more effective, as well as prepare you for what the real AP European History exam will be like. Read the guide below to learn how and when you should use these resources throughout the year.

First Semester

At this point, you can mostly rely on unofficial AP Euro History practice tests and quizzes that only deal with the topics your class has covered. Many of the websites listed above have large collections of questions for each unit of the course. Work on building a strong foundation of knowledge so that you'll be prepared to answer more advanced analytical questions in the future. The Varsity Tutors and A History of Western Society AP Euro practice quizzes are good for testing your basic European history knowledge.

You can also look through the official free-response practice questions to find some you feel confident answering based on what you've learned so far. It's never too early to start practicing for the free-response section, especially when it comes to the Document-Based Question, or DBQ (the essay most students struggle with).

Second Semester

Second semester is when you can begin taking complete practice exams and continue reviewing content you've already learned. Follow these five steps:

Step 1: Complete Your First Complete Practice Exam

About a month or two into this semester, after you've covered a majority of the content you need to know for the AP exam, take your first complete practice exam. For this first practice test, we recommend using the Marco Learning test. You should take this test timed and in one sitting, then correct it when you're finished.

If you haven't already, this is a good time to set a score goal for yourself. Aim for at least a 3 since this is the lowest passing score for the exam. However, if you scored a 3 or higher on this first practice exam, it's a good idea to set your goal score even higher, to a 4 or 5. Getting a higher score on the AP Euro exam looks more impressive to colleges, and it can sometimes get you more college credit.

Step 2: Analyze Your Score Results

After you've figured out your score, look over each problem you answered incorrectly and try to figure out why you got the question wrong. As you're doing this, look for patterns in your results. Were there certain time periods you did better or worse on? Did you do well on multiple choice but struggled with the free-response questions?

Figuring out which problems you got wrong and why is the best way to stop repeating your mistakes and make improvements for future exams. Even if it seems tedious, don't be tempted to skip this step!

Step 3: Focus on Your Weak Areas

By now, you should have a good idea of the areas or techniques you need to work on to raise your score. If there are specific content areas you need to work on, review them by going over your notes, reading a review book, and answering multiple-choice and free-response questions that focus specifically on those topics. High School Test Prep and CrackAP resources are good to use here as they'll help you get more familiar with AP-type multiple-choice questions. Continue to supplement with the official free-response questions, as well.

Step 4: Take Another Practice Exam

After you've spent time improving your weak areas, it's time to see the results of your hard work. About a month before the AP test, take and score another complete practice exam, timed and finished in one sitting. This is a good time to use the 2017 official released exam.

Step 5: Review Your Results to Determine Your Future Study Plan

Now you're able to see how much you've improved, and in which areas, since you took your first complete practice exam. If you've made improvements and have reached or are close to your target score, you may only need to do some light studying from now until the AP exam.

However, if you haven't improved a lot, or you're still far from your score goal, you'll need to analyze the way you've been reviewing and think of ways to improve. The most common reason for not improving is not actively studying, and only passively leafing through your notes or reviewing missed questions.

Active studying takes longer and requires more effort, but it's the best way to see significant improvements. As you're studying, make sure you really understand exactly where you made a mistake for every practice question you answer incorrectly. Also, when you're reviewing your notes, stop every few minutes and mentally go over what you just learned to make sure you're retaining the information. Repeat these steps (using additional AP Euro History practice tests) as many times as you need to in order to reach your target score.

What's Next?

Interested in learning more about the AP Euro exam?  Our in-depth guide to the AP European History text explains everything you need to know!

Is AP Euro hard? How tough is the class and exam compared to other APs? We break down the five key factors in determining how hard is AP European History. (coming soon)

Want more of our AP guides? We've got complete AP test guides for AP Human Geography , AP Language and Composition , AP Literature and Composition , AP World History , AP US History , AP Chemistry , AP Biology , and AP Psychology .

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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These are the Hardest AP Classes to Pass

Every May, millions of high school students charge up their graphing calculators, crank out practice essays, and brush up on topics like participatory democracy and kinematics in preparation for what’s likely one of the biggest challenges of their academic lives: AP exams.

However, the challenge is often worth it. Taken at the end of Advanced Placement classes, a passing grade on an AP exam can be a game changer for high schoolers. These college-level courses are appealing to students who want to get ahead, take a deep dive into topics of interest, and explore potential careers.

Passing AP tests before senior year can also mean a more attractive college application and an easier time adjusting to the academic rigors of college. Some colleges even accept passing AP test scores as college credit—a major incentive for students to take the exams when college costs at four-year institutions average $36,436 per year.

It’s no wonder then that over the past two decades, the AP program has experienced tremendous growth. In 2023, more than 2.8 million students took AP tests, according to the College Board. That’s nearly four times the number of test takers in 2000.

To be clear, these college-level courses—and the exams that go with them—are not easy. For many high school students, an AP course is their first foray into all types of advanced skills such as developing political arguments and quantitative data analysis. All AP courses are designed to be rigorous, but some prove to be more challenging than others.

Numerade used data from the College Board to identify the 10 AP courses with the lowest pass rate in 2023, meaning students scored at least a 3 on a scale of 1 to 5 to pass, with 5 being the highest score. While the subjects are ranked by pass rate (the highest pass rate is at #10 on the list, while the lowest is at #1), exam difficulty is only one factor influencing outcomes. For example, a course with a high share of first-year students may have a lower pass rate since it is many students’ first AP course ever.

Though the College Board considers 3 to be a passing score, some colleges will only count an AP course toward college credit with a score of 4 or higher. While AP classes may count as college credit, not all schools will allow AP courses to meet general education requirements.

#10. AP Psychology

– Number of test takers: 321,329 (Mostly 12th grade, 142,624 students) – Students who passed: 59.6% — Scored a 3: 19.5% — Scored a 4: 23.2% — Scored a 5: 16.9%

Equivalent to a college-level introduction to psychology course, this AP class covers the basics of psychology and behavior. Course concepts include cognitive, developmental, clinical, and social psychology; students will spend time applying key concepts and psychological theories. Practical skills like quantitative data analysis and investigating research studies are also part of the course scope.

#9. AP European History

– Number of test takers: 81,788 (Mostly 10th grade, 53,835 students) – Students who passed: 59.4% — Scored a 3: 25.2% — Scored a 4: 21.3% — Scored a 5: 12.9%

This course covers major events and developments in Europe from the Renaissance to the present day, with themes of exploration, colonization, and industrialization as common threads. Students discuss the French and Russian Revolutions and World Wars I and II while learning how to make connections and comparisons between events. Modern-era topics include decolonization, the fall of communism, and the European Union.

#8. AP Calculus AB

– Number of test takers: 273,987 (Mostly 12th grade, 170,652 students) – Students who passed: 58.0% — Scored a 3: 19.4% — Scored a 4: 16.2% — Scored a 5: 22.4%

Students who want to bypass their first college calculus course take this class, which focuses on differential and integral calculus. A solid mathematical foundation is critical: Course prerequisites include analytic geometry, trigonometry, and elementary functions. The exam consists of multiple choice and free response sections, and graphing calculators are allowed in some sections.

#7. AP Latin

– Number of test takers: 4,533 (Mostly 12th grade, 2,546 students) – Students who passed: 56.7% — Scored a 3: 28.0% — Scored a 4: 16.5% — Scored a 5: 12.3%

For advanced Latin students, this course goes deep on Virgil’s “Aeneid” and Caesar’s “Gallic War.” Students study these works within their historical contexts, and they hone their ability to read, comprehend, translate, and analyze Latin. This class compares to an intermediate-level college course on the same material.

#6. AP English Language & Composition

– Number of test takers: 562,328 (Mostly 11th grade, 487,414 students) – Students who passed: 56.1% — Scored a 3: 26.1% — Scored a 4: 19.7% — Scored a 5: 10.3%

Students take AP English Language & Composition for the chance to bypass English 101 in college. Students develop academic writing skills, namely evidence-based analytic and argumentative writing. They also learn how to conduct a rhetorical analysis of nonfiction work by examining an author’s work and develop an argument around what they believe the author is trying to convey.

#5. AP Human Geography

– Number of test takers: 247,043 (Mostly 9th grade, 176,232 students) – Students who passed: 54.4% — Scored a 3: 18.4% — Scored a 4: 20.0% — Scored a 5: 16.0%

Human geography is the study of how humans relate to and change their environments. Because it has no prerequisite requirements, this course is popular among ninth and 10th graders. Students cover several patterns and processes including migration, agriculture, urban, and industrial. They use three “big ideas” as the foundation of their learning and analysis: Patterns and spatial organization; impacts and interactions; and spatial process and societal change.

#4. AP Environmental Science

– Number of test takers: 209,757 (Mostly 12th grade, 96,308 students) – Students who passed: 53.7% — Scored a 3: 17.0% — Scored a 4: 28.4% — Scored a 5: 8.3%

In this course, students learn concepts about ecosystems and biodiversity and how to conduct experiments, analyze data, and develop solutions to environmental problems. Core topics include human impact on the environment, including overfishing, mining, and pollution. The multiple-choice portion of the exam counts for 60% of the final score, with the remaining 40% assessing students’ ability to design an investigation for an environmental scenario.

#3. AP United States Government & Politics

– Number of test takers: 329,132 (Mostly 12th grade, 218,135 students) – Students who passed: 49.2% — Scored a 3: 25.1% — Scored a 4: 11.3% — Scored a 5: 12.8%

A nonpartisan examination of the U.S. government and political system, this course uses the country’s founding documents and Supreme Court decisions as the basis for understanding governmental processes and institutions. Students will apply key concepts to real-life scenarios, hone their analytical abilities, and write argumentative essays. The exam is weighted equally between multiple-choice questions and free responses and requires students to develop sound political arguments.

#2. AP United States History

– Number of test takers: 467,975 (Mostly 11th grade, 377,048 students) – Students who passed: 47.5% — Scored a 3: 22.1% — Scored a 4: 14.8% — Scored a 5: 10.6%

Covering 1491 to the present, students take a thematic approach to America’s geography, national identity, position as a world leader, and more. This course uses Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe’s “Backward Design” framework , which centers student learning goals rather than existing lessons linked to the course objective. It crams in a lot of information—two semesters of intro-level college classes. The two-part exam includes analyzing a historical document.

#1. AP Physics 1

– Number of test takers: 159,582 (Mostly 11th grade, 95,657 students) – Students who passed: 45.6% — Scored a 3: 18.5% — Scored a 4: 18.3% — Scored a 5: 8.8%

The College Board is making changes to this algebra-based course and exam for the 2024-2025 school year. The course will add a unit on fluids—formerly part of AP Physics 2—to go along with units on kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, and different types of motion. The test will have fewer multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. Despite minor time changes to different sections, students will still have three hours for the test.

Jill Jaracz is a Cleveland-based writer who has covered a number of topics including bridal, financial services, and local news. She's also the co-host and executive producer of Keep the Flame Alive, a podcast for fans of the Olympics and Paralympics. Jill covered the Beijing 2022 Olympics and Paralympics from the closed loop in China, where she saw some amazing sports moments, geeked out about curling ice, and ate bao every day for six weeks.

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/live-map-track-the-path-of-tropical-storm-ernesto

Live map: Track the path of Hurricane Ernesto

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Ernesto barreled toward Bermuda on Thursday after leaving hundreds of thousands of people in Puerto Rico without power or water as sweltering heat enveloped the U.S. territory, raising concerns about people’s health.

Track the storm with the live map below.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Bermuda, with Ernesto expected to pass near or over the island on Saturday.

The Category 1 storm was located about 495 miles (795 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda on Thursday afternoon. It had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) and was moving north at 13 mph (20 kph) over open waters.

“I cannot stress enough how important it is for every resident to use this time to prepare. We have seen in the past the devastating effects of complacency,” said National Security Minister Michael Weeks.

Ernesto was forecast to near Category 3 hurricane status on Friday and then decrease in strength as it approaches Bermuda, where it is expected to drop between 6-12 inches of rain, with up to 15 inches in isolated areas.

“All of the guidance show this system as a large hurricane near Bermuda,” said the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Ernesto is then expected to pass near or east of Atlantic Canada on Monday.

Meanwhile, the spinning storm on Thursday was generating southern winds in Puerto Rico, which have a heating effect as opposed to the typical cooling trade winds that blow from the east.

READ MORE: Hurricane forecasters still predict highly active Atlantic season in updated outlook

“We know a lot of people don’t have power,” said Ernesto Morales with the National Weather Service as he warned of extreme heat and urged people to stay hydrated.

More than 380,000 of 1.4 million customers remained in the dark more than a day after Ernesto swiped past Puerto Rico late Tuesday as a tropical storm before strengthening into a hurricane. A maximum of 735,000 clients were without power on Wednesday.

Hundreds of thousands also were without water as many questioned the widespread power outage given that Ernesto was only a tropical storm when it spun past the island.

“I haven’t slept at all,” said Ramón Mercedes Paredes, a 41-year-old construction worker who planned to sleep outdoors on Thursday night to beat the heat. “I haven’t even been able to take a shower.”

At a small park in the Santurce neighborhood of the San Juan capital, Alexander Reyna, a 32-year-old construction worker, sipped on a bright red sports drink that friends provided as roosters crowed nearby above the slap of dominoes.

He had no water or power and planned to spend all day at the park as he lamented the lack of breeze, a slight film of sweat already forming on his forehead: “I have to come here because I cannot stand to be at home.”

The situation worried many who lived through Hurricane Maria, a powerful Category 4 storm that hit Puerto Rico in September 2017 and was blamed for at least 2,975 deaths in its sweltering aftermath. It also razed the island’s power grid, which is still being rebuilt.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory on Thursday warning of “dangerously hot and humid conditions.”

Faustino Peguero, 50, said he was concerned about his wife, who has fibromyalgia, heart failure and other health conditions and needs electricity. He has a small generator at home, but he is running out of gasoline and cannot afford to buy more because he hasn’t found work.

“It’s chaos,” he said.

Officials said they don’t know when power will be fully restored as concerns grow about the health of many in Puerto Rico who cannot afford generators or solar panels on the island of 3.2 million people with a more than 40% poverty rate.

Crews have flown more than 540 miles (870 kilometers) across Puerto Rico and identified 400 power line failures, with 150 of them already fixed, said Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, a private company that operates the transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico. The remaining failures will take more time to fix because they involve fallen trees, he added.

“We haven’t seen anything catastrophic,” he said.

When pressed for an estimate of when power would be restored, Alejandro González, Luma’s operations director, declined to say.

“It would be irresponsible to provide an exact date,” he said.

At least 250,000 customers across Puerto Rico also were without water given the power outages, down from a maximum of 350,000. Among them was 65-year-old Gisela Pérez, who was starting to sweat as she cooked sweet plantains, pork, chicken and spaghetti at a street-side diner. After her shift, she planned to buy gallons of water, since she was especially concerned about her two small dogs: Mini and Lazy.

“They cannot go without it,” she said. “They come first.”

— Danica Coto, Associated Press

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Kingdom in the Middle: China as an International Mediator — 2024 China Focus Essay Contest Runner Up

From University of California, San Diego

Introduction

China has long maintained an image of a non-interventionist state. Despite its global clout and rising power, China has adopted neutrality in a wide variety of situations. That could have started to change. As China seeks to expand its power and pursue its core interests, China will take on the task of becoming an international mediator. The crucial moment for China was the Saudi-Iran Deal, which has transformed how many are viewing China’s role in the international community. How did the Middle Kingdom end up in the middle? China has a complex history as a conciliatory actor, but as its economic interests move abroad, it seeks to create stability around the globe.

For the Record

Before its pivotal moment with the Saudi-Iran Deal, China’s forays into international mediation were less pronounced and more strategically selective, largely mirroring its national interests. Traditionally, China’s diplomatic philosophy has revolved around non-interference, a stance that, while contributing to its image as a neutral party, often kept it from taking robust mediatory roles that could entangle it in the internal conflicts of other nations. This approach, rooted in the doctrine of peaceful coexistence, has been both a shield and a strategy as China navigated its rise to global prominence without provoking direct confrontations with other superpowers.

In instances where China did step into the role of mediator, its efforts were mostly concentrated in its immediate sphere of influence—Asia and Africa. Notably, it played a significant part in the Six-Party Talks aimed at denuclearizing North Korea, showcasing its capability to engage in complex security dialogues. In Africa, where China’s economic stakes are massive, it has engaged more directly in mediation, particularly in countries like Sudan, helping to broker talks that aimed to stabilize regions critical to its Belt and Road Initiative. These mediations tended to prioritize economic stability.

The Six Party Talks were launched in 2003, inviting to the table China, the United States, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and Russia. Talks took place in the hope of getting North Korea, the newly nuclearized nation, to adhere to international nuclear standards. China has maintained allyship with North Korea despite the country isolating itself from much of the rest of the world. It relies primarily on China for imports and aid. Beijing initially leveraged this partnership with North Korea to get the nation to the negotiating table. The talks reached a stalemate in 2009, but China, since 2013, has been pushing to relaunch the talks. This demonstrates greater cooperation and willingness to act as an international mediator.

China’s diplomatic engagements in Africa in the past also tell a tale of strategic depth and economic calculus. Traditionally viewed as a distant player in African politics, China shifted towards a more hands-on approach as its investments on the continent ballooned. In Sudan and South Sudan, where oil fields and infrastructure projects align with the expansive Belt and Road Initiative, China took on a mediator’s mantle. Here, it sought not just to quell conflicts but to secure a stable environment for its economic ventures. This role, while pivotal in reducing immediate tensions, often prioritized the continuity of commerce over the complexities of political reconciliation. Critics argue that China’s mediation has been more about protecting its assets and less about crafting lasting peace, reflecting a broader pattern where commercial interests drive its diplomatic strategies.

Winds of Change

The pattern of China’s non-interventionism broke as Xi Jinping came to power. China’s onslaught into international mediation notably increased with the introduction of the Belt and Road Initiative. There are several underlying reasons for the shift, including a change in diplomatic policy and a shift in economic drivers.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine violated China’s non-interference policy, as Russia was not only invading the country, but attempting to manipulate domestic politics. China, explicitly, cannot justify this action. However, due to China and Russia’s “No Limits Partnership,” Beijing had to sit back and let Moscow act, not denouncing the levying of war publicly. China’s course of action was to call for peace from both the Ukrainian and Russian sides. Beijing is the last remaining global power that has amicable connections with Moscow, and pressure in any form from Beijing could aid in putting an end to the war. China also has massive economic leverage over Russia as the largest consumer of its oil and gas exports. The policy change may be surprising, but acting as a peacemaker has benefits. By posing itself as a force for global peace, other countries—and in the case of the Russo-Ukrainian War, Western European countries—would be prompted to engage with China. Through this engagement, China can improve ties with these countries, whether it be economic or political, and in turn, gain leverage.

The motivation for change certainly goes beyond the image of altruism. Where there are commercial interests, China is likely to mediate conflict. The Belt and Road Initiative has only increased this drive for creating safe environments to invest and do business abroad. This strategic shift, while enhancing its global stature, underscores a pragmatic alignment of diplomacy with economic imperatives. As China ascends to unparalleled economic heights, its investments across continents—from the sprawling infrastructures of Africa to the critical sea lanes of Southeast Asia—have grown exponentially. This vast economic footprint necessitates a stable international environment to safeguard its interests, compelling Beijing to adopt a more hands-on approach in global conflicts where its commercial stakes are high.

The transformation of China from a passive observer to a proactive mediator is not merely a bid for diplomatic goodwill but a calculated move to protect its global supply chains and investment ventures. By intervening in regional disputes and conflicts, China aims to secure the operational stability of its Belt and Road Initiative, as multiple trillions of dollars have already been investing in infrastructure spanning several continents. Furthermore, the Belt and Road Initiative is crucial to its long-term economic strategy, some even argue part of a grand strategy for China. This is especially apparent in regions like the Middle East and Africa. Its role in mediating the Saudi-Iran deal, for example, not only showcases its diplomatic capabilities but also protects its oil supplies and creates a more predictable regional security landscape.

Critically, this shift also allows China to project its influence in regions traditionally dominated by Western powers, positioning itself as a viable alternative to conflict resolution processes led by the United States.

In mid-2023, China successfully mediated a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran. This came after nearly a decade of tension between the countries. China has considerable economic interests in the Middle East, specifically in the Gulf. As the Gulf could help fulfill its energy needs, China needed to become the countries’ primary bilateral trade partners. Beijing funneled numerous investments into the Gulf. Simultaneously, Xi Jinping worked to paint China as a defender of sovereignty—in line with its non-inference policy. This bid to court both Iran and Saudi Arabia was successful, as the countries were likely attracted to the idea of conducting internal affairs without external influence. The Saudi-Iran Deal was solidified as a trilateral deal, achieving peaceful relations for the time being.

A particular case study of success has been China’s mediation in Mali. Chinese peacekeepers operate in Mali, which is under the control of the United Nations. Notably, following the Cold War, peacekeeping missions lost their military focus and veered into development. China’s peacekeeping presence in Mali has been as such—centered on development and stability. This union of development and stability has been at the forefront of China’s agenda in Africa. China has successfully helped Mali maintain its sovereignty and integrity through mediation.

The two examples markedly create a template for what China’s general strategy is for successful mediation. China emphasizes the importance of territorial sovereignty and non-interference, even when engaging in mediation. Mediation focuses on the development of economically viable regions to support commercial interests.

Obstacles in the Road

China’s approach to international mediation is hampered by its entrenched government-to-government modality, which constrains its diplomatic flexibility and effectiveness. This rigid framework restricts Beijing from engaging with a broader spectrum of stakeholders, such as non-governmental organizations, private institutions, and civil society, which are often crucial for conflict resolution in these regions. This limitation was starkly evident in China’s dealings on the global stage, where its state-centric diplomacy sometimes overlooks or undervalues the grassroots nuances and local realities of conflicts. Consequently, China’s efforts, while grand in declaration, frequently fall short in fostering sustainable resolutions, reflecting a gap between diplomatic intention and impact.

In some cases, an obstacle for China is its preference for bilateral modalities, casting aside multilateral solutions, which can be more effective for diplomacy. Bilateral frameworks likely give more leverage to China. Operating under this assumption, China benefits from being the only other one sitting at the table. However, mediation tends to require all groups sitting at the table.

Yet another obstacle is the inefficient approach that China takes in mediation. Due to the non-interference principle, China creates an environment to facilitate mediation, but does not push either side to resolve issues. China’s inefficiency in international mediation, particularly evident during the Russo-Ukrainian War, underscores the limitations of its approach. By prioritizing equal relations and avoiding deep involvement in the internal affairs of nations, China’s diplomacy often lacks the leverage necessary to effect substantive conflict resolution. In the case of Ukraine, while Beijing positioned itself as a neutral party offering to mediate, its hands-off stance and close ties with Russia meant it could not exert meaningful pressure or propose viable solutions. Although China had the power to pressure Russia, it could not, resulting in diplomatic ineffectiveness on a contentious issue.

Lastly, inconsistent expectations between parties create another obstacle for China in fulfilling its role as an international mediator. An example is the Israel-Palestine conflict, where it struggles to reconcile the inconsistent expectations of both parties. Despite Beijing stepping outside its typical neutral rhetoric and demonstrating support for Palestine, the two parties have vastly different goals. Israel seeks unwavering support against Hamas, no matter the actions taken, while the Palestinians demand an end to the occupation. China, while decisive in its position, is unable to bridge this entrenched divide as the two groups are firm in their demands.

China’s track record of international mediation was rather weak, as it upheld the non-interference principle and maintained neutrality. Following Xi Jinping’s coming to power, Beijing began to engage more in international mediation. With the advent of the Belt and Road Initiative, mediation was now a way to exert influence and power. This influence and power came through channeling China’s economic interests and improving diplomatic relations. Many would argue that a turning point for China as a mediator was the Saudi-Iran Deal, positioning China as a peacemaker. This deal aligned with China’s commercial interests. China has been successful as a mediator in various situations, with a multilateral example being the Saudi-Iran Deal, and a bilateral example being its interventions in Mali. 

Beijing is attractive to many countries as a mediator because of its dedication to preserving sovereignty. However, there are some obstacles in the way of China acting as a mediator. China tends to be inefficient as a mediator. Rather than engaging with private institutions or NGOs, the Chinese government generally only interacts with other governments when mediating, ignoring whole segments of stakeholders. There is also a preference for bilateral mediation, rather than multilateral mediation, which benefits China, but is inefficient. The horizontal approach taken to international mediation aligns with China’s non-interference principle, but again, creates inefficiencies and can make China ineffective at times. And although not related to China’s inefficiency in mediation, the obstacle of inconsistent expectations between parties exists. With the weaknesses that exist in current international mediation for Beijing, the latter obstacle becomes a greater challenge.

References:

Ali, Z. (2023, June 23). Saudi-Iran deal: A test case of China’s role as an international mediator. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2023/06/23/saudi-iran-deal-a-test-case-of-chinas-role-as-an-international-mediator/

Caliskan, S. (2023, December 15). Understanding China’s position on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2023/12/understanding-chinas-position-on-the-israel-palestine-conflict/

China’s position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. (2023, February 24). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202302/t20230224_11030713.html

Matamis, J. (2024, January 29). China’s conflict resolution and mediation approach in Mali. Stimson Center. https://www.stimson.org/2024/china-conflict-resolution-and-mediation-in-mali/

McDonald, J. (2023, May 4). Why China is trying to mediate in Russia’s war with Ukraine. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/china-russia-ukraine-2970bea530e821a4ed2155a8bcc23980

Schultz, K. (2019). Great power mediation: Opportunities and challenges for China (J. Li, Ed.). Stimson Center. https://www.stimson.org/wp-content/files/file-attachments/Great-Power-Mediation_2019_R5_English_0.pdf

Shinji, Y. (2023). China’s role in conflict mediation in the Middle East: Normalization of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the 2023 Israel-Hamas war. Asia-Pacific Review, 30(3), 99–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/13439006.2023.2295705

The six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program. (2013, September 30). Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved May 3, 2024, from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/six-party-talks-north-koreas-nuclear-program

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• Kingdom in the Middle: China as an International Mediator — 2024 China Focus Essay Contest Runner Up - August 15, 2024

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Britain’s Violent Riots: What We Know

Officials had braced for more unrest on Wednesday, but the night’s anti-immigration protests were smaller, with counterprotesters dominating the streets instead.

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By Lynsey Chutel

After days of violent rioting set off by disinformation around a deadly stabbing rampage, the authorities in Britain had been bracing for more unrest on Wednesday. But by nightfall, large-scale anti-immigration demonstrations had not materialized, and only a few arrests had been made nationwide.

Instead, streets in cities across the country were filled with thousands of antiracism protesters, including in Liverpool, where by late evening, the counterdemonstration had taken on an almost celebratory tone.

Over the weekend, the anti-immigration protests, organized by far-right groups, had devolved into violence in more than a dozen towns and cities. And with messages on social media calling for wider protests and counterprotests on Wednesday, the British authorities were on high alert.

With tensions running high, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet held emergency meetings to discuss what has become the first crisis of his recently elected government. Some 6,000 specialist public-order police officers were mobilized nationwide to respond to any disorder, and the authorities in several cities and towns stepped up patrols.

Wednesday was not trouble-free, however.

In Bristol, the police said there was one arrest after a brick was thrown at a police vehicle and a bottle was thrown. In the southern city of Portsmouth, police officers dispersed a small group of anti-immigration protesters who had blocked a roadway. And in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where there have been at least four nights of unrest, disorder continued, and the police service said it would bring in additional officers.

But overall, many expressed relief that the fears of wide-scale violence had not been realized.

Here’s what we know about the turmoil in Britain.

Where arrests have been reported

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• Ukraine surprises with a high-stakes raid into Russia

The second battle of Kursk is raging

T HREE DAYS in, Ukraine’s unexpected cross-border raid into Russia’s Kursk region to the north-east shows no signs of abating. Since the start of the operation on the morning of August 6th, Russia has lost full control of at least 350 sq km of its territory. Scores of its soldiers have been killed or captured. A race is on to halt the advance—and prevent the Ukrainians from digging in.

By August 8th, Ukrainian forces had progressed towards Sudzha, 10km from the border, and Korenevo, 15km inside Russia. Fierce fighting continues in both areas. Reports suggest that smaller Ukrainian units have broken away and are fighting even deeper in. Social-media footage shows the results of the fighting: destroyed buildings and dead soldiers, scattered across pockmarked roads. Videos released on the first day showed a large group of Russian prisoners being marched away under armed guard.

Much is still unclear, not least the scale of the operation. On August 7th, Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s top general, claimed that a force of approximately 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been stopped. Neither aspect of that statement appears particularly accurate. Ukraine has committed units from at least four elite brigades, meaning that the strike force is probably much greater. Ukraine has mined the main road leading south-east to Belgorod, and has significant air defences in the area. Given its successful start, Ukraine may well bring in more reserves, despite its own thin lines in Donetsk province to the south.

Even by the foggy standards of war, the Kursk raid has been shrouded in a cloud of secrecy. Western governments were taken by surprise. A Ukrainian general-staff source near the border admitted he didn’t know the full picture. “We were told to pack our bags on August 4th,” he says. “The bosses didn’t say where we were headed, and we still only see part of it.” The shock, surprise and silence is reminiscent of that achieved by Ukraine prior to another lightning offensive , in Kharkiv province, in late 2022.

An intelligence source says that Ukraine has been reassured by the early successes of the operation, which, he claims, has thrown Russia into paralysis. Russia is now using elite soldiers in dangerous ways to stem the advance, he says. Ukraine on the other hand is only advancing where it made sense. “The Russians are making very stupid errors and it’s all down to their corrupt top-down management which prioritises good news over the truth.” The Kursk incursion, which follows reverses in Kyiv, Kharkiv region and Kherson, represents the “fourth big failure” of Russia’s generals in mechanised, manoeuvre warfare. “We’ve now got options and the Russians know it.”

Previous cross-border raids were mostly led by Ukraine’s military intelligence. On this occasion, the operation is more closely associated with Ukraine’s much-criticised new commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky, with regular army units joining these raids for the first time. With stakes this high, General Syrsky’s career may well be riding on it. Reports from frontline Ukrainian hospitals suggest that casualty figures are already mounting. People may still question whether it was wise to devote so many troops to the incursion while critical frontlines are thin. The answer will depend on the operation’s success.

On that, it is still too early to speculate. The general-staff source compares it to a game of chess. Ukraine’s next moves will be determined by Russia’s response. Will Russia move reserves from the nearby Kharkiv theatre, where there has been a noticeable buildup in recent days? Or from the bloody offensive in the Donbas , where Ukraine’s under-strength forces are struggling to hold the logistically important town of Pokrovsk? Releasing pressure elsewhere would be an end in itself. “Either they react and transfer more forces here, or they don’t react and we can move further.”

A larger strategic goal is likely also in play. An immediate focus is the Sudzha gas-transfer station, the only operational entry point for Russian gas on the Progress pipeline to Europe. But it is not immediately clear what control of that station could bring Ukraine. Both Ukraine and Russia have interests in its continued uninterrupted operation given transmission fees paid to Ukraine and the financial difficulties of Russia’s Gazprom, which is struggling under the weight of sanctions.

Russian pro-war social media suggest Ukrainians are aiming to capture the Kursk atomic station, 60km from the border, as a tit-for-tat move against Russia’s occupation of its Zaporizhia nuclear plant. The Ukrainian general-staff source suggests this is unlikely, as it would require an 80km march from the border and a larger force. “Without a properly organised force, you’ll repeat the mistakes the Russians made north of Kyiv in 2022. We cut off their lines and they were easy prey.” The fact that Ukraine has committed mechanised forces, including tanks, will compound its logistical challenge: armoured vehicles need lots of fuel and maintenance.

A more feasible aim might be to create an embarrassing “buffer zone” on the border, similar to Russia’s own attempts to create one in nearby Kharkiv over the past three months. It could even become a bargaining chip in some future negotiation. “Russia was trying to prepare a solid position,” says the intelligence source, “but now they are fucked because they can’t protect their own terrain.” Any new Ukrainian line in Russian territory would be extremely difficult to hold. But it would represent a very public slap in the face to Vladimir Putin. And for a nation longing for good news for much of the last year, that would already be something. ■

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Europe august 10th 2024.

• Russia’s bloody summer offensive is hurting Ukraine
• How much of a difference will Ukraine’s new F-16s make?
• Can anything rouse Germany from its economic slumber?
• Turkey’s president refuses to let sleeping dogs lie
• The siesta is still a serious business in Europe’s south

From the August 10th 2024 edition

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