AP European History · Exam guide
AP European History Multiple-Choice Guide: 55 Questions in 55 Minutes
The multiple-choice section is 40 percent of the AP European History score. Its sources include texts, images, maps, and data about Europe from about 1450 to the present. This guide shows the format, the question types, a routine that fits one minute per question, and a worked example.
What the section is
- 55 multiple-choice questions in 55 minutes, which is about one minute per question.
- The section is 40 percent of the exam score. Every question counts the same, and there is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave one blank.
- Questions come in short sets. Each set is built on a stimulus: a passage, a document excerpt, an image, a map, a chart or a graph.
- The questions test historical thinking as much as facts: reading a source, placing it in context, and reasoning about causes, comparisons, and change over time.
A routine for every set
A worked example
Document A. Martin Luther, Ninety-Five Theses, 1517, thesis 27
They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks in the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory.
Translations of the Theses vary slightly.
Question: Luther most likely wrote the statement above to
| Option | Verdict and reason |
|---|---|
| A. challenge a Church fundraising practice by arguing that it misled believers | Correct. The statement is aimed at the sale of indulgences, which preachers promoted as shortening time in purgatory in exchange for money. |
| B. defend the pope's authority over the Church | Wrong. Luther is criticizing the practices done in the pope's name. |
| C. encourage princes to take Church lands | Wrong. This statement is about doctrine and money, and the seizure of Church lands came later, after rulers saw a political opportunity. |
| D. call for the Bible to be translated into German | Wrong. Luther's German Bible came later and is not the subject of this thesis. |
The route to the answer: the date is 1517 and the topic is money and purgatory. That is the indulgence controversy. The other options concern authority, politics, and translation, which are not in the source.
- Read the source line first: who wrote it, when, and for whom. That already answers many questions about point of view, purpose, and context.
- Read the stimulus once, then read the first question. Cross out two options you can prove wrong before you choose between the last two.
- Answer from the source and your knowledge together. A correct option fits both the text and the time period.
- Watch absolute words such as always, never, only, and all. They are usually wrong in history.
- If you are stuck after about 90 seconds, mark your best guess and move on. Return only if time remains.
The question types
| Type | What it asks | How to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Context | Which development best explains the source? | Match the date to a period and pick the cause or setting that was true then. |
| Point of view and purpose | Why did the author write this, or what does the author assume? | Use the author, the audience, and the occasion, not just the topic. |
| Comparison | What did two sources or two places share or differ on? | Name the similarity or difference in your own words first, then find it among the options. |
| Cause and effect | Which was a result of this development? | Choose an effect that fits the period. Beware effects that came much later. |
| Continuity and change | What remained the same, or what changed, over the period? | Place one anchor date before and one after, then decide which statement the dates support. |
Common mistakes
- Picking an option because it is true in general but does not fit the source or the date.
- Choosing the answer that sounds important, instead of the one the stimulus supports.
- Using outside knowledge to argue with the source. The source is real evidence even when you disagree with it.
- Spending three minutes on one hard question and rushing the last ten.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a penalty for guessing?
No. A wrong answer costs nothing, so answer every question.
How much of the score is the multiple-choice section?
The multiple-choice section is 40 percent of the exam score. The written questions make up the other 60 percent.
Should I read the stimulus or the questions first?
Read the source line and the stimulus quickly, then the questions, then return to the stimulus for the details a question names.
How do I study for the European History multiple-choice section?
Practice reading short sources and explaining, in a sentence, why each wrong option is wrong. That habit trains the reasoning the section rewards.
Where can I find the official format?
Exam formats change a little from year to year, so check the current course and exam description on the College Board site before test day.
Keep practicing
The AP European History course has five practice prompts for the DBQ and LEQ, plus short-answer sets, with a writing space that scores your response against the 7-point and 6-point rubrics. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:
- Free lesson 1.9: causation, why the Renaissance and exploration happened
- Free lesson 1.1: Renaissance humanism and the Italian city-states
See the AP European History course Free lessons and lesson list
More AP European History guides (7)
Start here
- AP European History DBQ Rubric Explained: How the 7 Points Are Scored
- AP European History LEQ Rubric Explained: How the 6 Points Are Scored
- AP European History SAQ Explained: How the Short-Answer Questions Are Scored
Free-response and writing
- AP European History Thesis and Contextualization: Two Points You Can Plan Before You Write
- AP European History Sourcing and Complexity: How to Earn the Last Analysis Points
- AP European History Mini-DBQ: Limits on Royal Power, 1650 to 1790
- AP European History Evidence Bank: Specific Examples by Unit for the LEQ and DBQ
AP is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with and does not endorse this site. This guide is our own explanation of the question types and scoring. For the official scoring guidelines, see the College Board.