AP European History

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About the Course

Have you ever wondered how events during the Renaissance impact your life today? Or how Napoleon changed politics forever? In AP European History, you’ll study the rich history of countries such as France, England, Spain, and many others from c. 1450 to the present. You’ll cover key events and uncover the political, social, economic, cultural, and intellectual developments that shaped Europe and subsequently the world.

Skills You'll Learn

Evaluating primary and secondary sources
Analyzing the claims, evidence, and reasoning you find in sources
Putting historical developments in context and making connections between them
Coming up with a claim or thesis and explaining and supporting it in writing

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College Course Equivalent

An introductory college survey of modern European history

Recommended Prerequisites

None

Exam Date

Mon, May 5, 2025

12 PM Local

AP European History Exam

This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP European History Exam.

Details Add to Calendar

About the Units

The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.

Course Content

Unit 1: Renaissance and Exploration

You’ll explore the rapid changes sparked in the Renaissance and trace their legacy through colonialism and a commercial revolution that changed the shape of European society.

Topics may include:

Classical revival and Renaissance developments
New monarchies and the foundations of the centralized modern state
Technological advances and exploration driven by mercantilism
Colonial expansion and development of the slave trade
The Columbian Exchange and European commercial revolution

On The Exam

10%–15% of Score

Unit 2: Age of Reformation

You’ll chart the evolving strains of Christianity in Europe and the far-reaching effects of the Reformation on daily and political life.

Unit 3: Absolutism and Constitutionalism

You’ll study developments in political power and how they affected the relationships among states and between states and individuals. You’ll also learn about the social, political, and cultural conditions resulting from economic developments in Europe.

Topics may include:

The rise of absolutism and challenges to it
English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution and the development of market economies
The balance of power in Europe, shifting alliances, and new forms of warfare

On The Exam

10%–15% of Score

Unit 4: Scientific, Philosophical, and Political Developments

You’ll study how scientific thinking and new strains of political thought combined with technological advances transformed much of 18th-century life in Europe.

Unit 5: Conflict, Crisis, and Reaction in the Late 18th Century

You’ll chart England’s increasing role in European matters and the reverberations of the French Revolution across Europe.

Unit 6: Industrialization and Its Effects

You’ll learn about the transformational effects of the Industrial Revolution, technology, and urbanization on European society and political thought.

Topics may include:

The Industrial Revolution and societal changes
Developments in communication, transportation, and manufacturing
The Concert of Europe and conservatism
The revolutions of 1848
Reform movements, critiques of capitalism, and the emergence of political parties

On The Exam

10%–15% of Score

Unit 7: 19th-Century Perspectives and Political Developments

You’ll explore how the political forces of nationalism and shifting alliances set the stage for World War I.

Topics may include:

National unification movements
Popular nationalism and Zionism
Realpolitik and Bismarck’s reshaping of European alliances
Darwinism and Social Darwinism
The influence of modernism in intellectual and cultural life
New Imperialism in Asia and Africa

On The Exam

10%–15% of Score

Unit 8: 20th-Century Global Conflicts

You’ll learn about the great upheavals of the 20th century, as well as cultural developments and changing political structures.

Unit 9: Cold War and Contemporary Europe

You’ll study how competing ideologies and global superpowers came to define much of the latter half of the 20th century.

Topics may include:

The Marshall Plan and the Iron Curtain
The Cold War
Nationalist and separatist movements fueled by ethnic conflict
The shape of contemporary western democracies
The fall of communism and the formation of the European Union
20th-century feminism
Decolonization, globalization, and immigration
Existentialism, postmodernism, and groundbreaking forms of art

On The Exam

10%–15% of Score

Course Resources

Link

AP Classroom Resources

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AP European History Course and Exam Description

This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and describes the exam and AP Program in general.

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4.42 KB

Not a Student?

AP European History

About the Course

Skills You'll Learn

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College Course Equivalent

Recommended Prerequisites

Exam Date

AP European History Exam

About the Units

Course Content

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

Search AP Credit Policies

Course Resources

AP Classroom Resources

AP European History Course and Exam Description

Additional Information

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AP European History

Not a Student?

AP European History

About the Course

Skills You'll Learn

Equivalency and Prerequisites

College Course Equivalent

Recommended Prerequisites

Exam Date

AP European History Exam

About the Units

Course Content

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

Search AP Credit Policies

Course Resources

AP Classroom Resources

AP European History Course and Exam Description

See Where AP Can Take You

Additional Information