Get Ready for the AP European History Exam

As the AP European exam approaches, make sure you are getting your cram on! Check out this guide, as well as other Fiveable resources to help you prepare. Keep in mind when your test date is: Either May 7th, May 19th, or June 2nd.

AP European History Cheat Sheet PDF & Review Chart

Make sure to use this review chart to learn all of the important concepts, dates, and vocab that you need to know for the AP European exam! 

AP European History

Review unit 1 in AP European history with our resources. Our resources analyze and contextualize the individual topics in this unit. This unit focuses on the renaissance and exploration.

Unit 1 – Renaissance & Exploration

Review unit 2 of AP European History with our guides which analyze and contextualize the most important topics and events within the unit! This unit is centered on the Age of Reformation.

Unit 2 – Reformation

Our AP European History unit 3 resources include an overview of the unit and an analysis of the most important concepts and terms. The unit focuses on absolutism and constitutionalism.

Unit 3 – Absolutism & Constitutionalism

Learn everything you need to know about unit 4 in AP European History with our resources! They include an overview and analysis of the important concepts and terms in the unit. This unit covers scientific, philosophical, and political developments. 

Unit 4 – Scientific, Philosophical, & Political Developments

Study for unit 5 in AP European History! This unit covers conflict, crisis, and reaction in the late 18th century. Review unit 5 with our guides which overview and contextualize topics such as the French Revolution or the Seven Years War.

Unit 5 – Conflict, Crisis, & Reaction in the Late 18th Century

Learn everything you need to know for the AP exam about unit 6 of AP European History. This unit covers Industrailization and its effects. Our unit 6 resources provide analysis and contextualization of the most important topics in the unit.

Unit 6 – Industrialization & Its Effects

Prepare for the AP European History exam with our unit 7 resources! Our resources include analysis of important events and themes, along with contextualization of the most important ideas, to help master this unit. This unit covers 19th century perspectives and political developments. 

Unit 7 – 19th Century Perspectives & Political Developments

Study unit 8 of AP European History, which covers 20th century global conflicts. Practice analyzing and contextualizing events such as World Wars I and II or the Russian Revolution!

Unit 8 – 20th Century Global Conflicts

Review for the AP European History exam by studying our unit 9 resources. These resources contextualize important events and analyze essential themes and topics to provide an in-depth understanding of the unit! This unit covers the Cold War and contemporary Europe.

Unit 9 – Cold War & Contemporary Europe

Frequently Asked Questions

Prepare for the AP European History exam by analyzing important guiding themes in the course! Our thematic guides analyze each guiding theme and give historical and contextual examples of each theme.

Thematic Guides

Study for the multiple choice question section of the AP European History exam with our resources! Our resources outline the point breakdown of the questions on the exam, provide tips on how to approach the questions, and give examples of actual questions for practicing this portion of the exam! 

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

Prepare for the short answer question section of the AP European History exam with our resources! We provide practice questions/prompts and feedback to help you score your best on the short answer question of the AP European History exam!

Short Answer Questions (SAQ)

Prepare for the long essay question on the AP European History exam with these resources! Our resources examine the rubric and the distribution of points of the LEQ, along with providing advice on how to pace yourself while writing the LEQ on the exam.

Long Essay Questions (LEQ)

Learn everything you need to know about the document based question on the AP European History exam! Review breakdown of points and get tips on how to approach and analyze the primary source documents with our resources. With plently of practice, you will be able to ace the document based question on the exam!

Document Based Questions (DBQ)

Exam Reviews 2020

Study for the AP European History exam with our question and answer sessions! These question and answer sessions are great way to review AP European History content before the AP exam or any important tests!

Q & A sessions

Prepare for the AP European History exam with our resources! We provide review of units, key concepts and topics, and exam strategies to help you do your best on exam day!

Big Reviews: Finals & Exam Prep

AP Cram Sessions 2021

Exam Skills (MC, SAQ, LEQ, DBQ)

Live Cram Sessions 2020

The Renaissance

New Monarchies

Overseas Expansion

Important Names

Unit 1 Overview: Renaissance and Exploration

What led to the beginning of the Renaissance? 

European Society at the time 👸

What led to the beginning of explorations? 

Words to Know

Context of the Renaissance

Economic Effects

Social Effects

The Commercial Revolution

Effects of the Renaissance & Age of Discovery

Effects of the Colombian Exchange

Causation in the Renaissance and Age of Discovery

Multiple Choice Practice for Renaissance and Exploration

Multiple Choice Questions

Answers and Review for Multiple Choice Practice on the Renaissance and Exploration

MC Answers and Review

The Italian Renaissance

What led to the emergence of the Italian Renaissance? 

The Impact of the Italian Renaissance

Italian Renaissance

The Northern Renaissance

The impact of the Northern Renaissance

Italian Renaissance vs. Northern Renaissance 

Italian Renaissance:

Northern Renaissance:

Naturalism 

Northern Renaissance

Effects of the Printing Press

Printing

The Development of New Political Institutions

Beginning of New Monarchies 

Important Terms: 

New Monarchies from 1450 to 1648

Factors That Aided European Exploration & Expansion

Political Economy and the exploration

The Effects of European exploration and expansion

Age of Exploration

Effects of European Expansion

Spain & Portugal

Dutch

France

The Conflicts 

Colonial Rivals

Economic Effects of European Colonialism

Social and Cultural Effects

Columbian Exchange

Development of the Slave Trade

Triangular Trade

The Middle Passage 

The Slave Trade

Protestant Reformation

Catholic Reformation

The Reformation and Politics

Major Religious Conflicts, 1450 to 1648

European Society, c. 1450 to c. 1648

European Art, c. 1450 to c. 1648

Unit 2 Overview: Age of Reformation

Pre-Luther Reformers and Reform Movements

Critiques of the Catholic Church

Economic Developments in the Age of Reformations

Political Developments in the Age of Reformations

Contextualizing 16th and 17th-Century Challenges and Developments

Answers and Review for Multiple Choice Practice on the Age of Reformation

Martin Luther

John Calvin 

Responses to Luther and Calvin 

Protestant Beliefs

Compare and Contrast: Age of Reformation Religious Beliefs

Luther and the Protestant Reformation

The Printing Press 

What was the Printing Press?

What Role Did the Printing Press Play? 

State Over Church?

Protestant Reform Continues

German Religious Conflicts

German Peasants' War (1524–25) 

Schmalkaldic Wars (1546-47) and the Peace of Augsburg (1555)

French Religious Conflicts

French Wars of Religion (1562 - 1598)

“Paris is worth a mass.”

The Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648) 


The Thirty Years' War In Detail

Manipulative States

Spain: The Spanish Inquisition

England: Henry VIII Changes The Church

Rulers and Consorts of England

The End of an Era

Wars of Religion

Introduction

Vocabulary

Anathema

Jesuit Order

Index of Prohibited Books

Continuity and Change During This Period

Continuity

Change

Ignatius of Loyola

Baroque Art

Timeline

The Catholic Reformation

The Social Ladder

Women Are…?

Morality Above All Else

Community and Leisure

Key Vocabulary

Continuities and Changes

16th-Century Society & Politics in Europe

Remains of the Renaissance

Mannerism

Baroque 

Characteristics of Baroque Art and Architecture

Baroque Music

Architecture

Key Names and People

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Schönbrunn

Winter Palace

Peter Paul Rubens, Diego Velázquez, and Artemesia Gentileschi

J.S. Bach & George Frideric Handel

Caravaggio

Mannerism and Baroque Art

No More Unity

Tradition and Change

Struggling with Power

Key Concept

Explain how the religious, political, and cultural developments of the 16th and 17th centuries affected European society from 1450 to 1648.

Impact on Social Structure

Causation in the Age of Reformation and the Wars of Religion

Multiple Choice Practice for the Age of Reformation

States and Politics

Development of Constitutionalism in England

Absolutism

Balance of Power

Commercial and Economic Developments

Unit 3 Overview: Absolutism and Constitutionalism

Unit 3 Overview: Absolutism & Constitutionalism

Contextual Causes

The different levels of sovereignty 

Rise of Absolutism and Challenges to Order

Context of State Building from 1648-1815

Answers and Review for Multiple Choice Practice on Absolutism and Constitutionalism 

Causes of the English Civil War

James I

Charles I

Oliver Cromwell

The Glorious Revolution

The English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution

The Agricultural and Commercial Revolutions

The Agricultural Revolution 🌾

Continuities and Changes to Economic Practice and Development from 1648-1815

Mercantilism

Consumer Culture 

Economic Development and Mercantilism

The Dutch Republic

Calvinism in the Dutch Republic

The Dutch Golden Age

Download AP European History Cheat Sheet PDF Cram Chart

Download AP European History Cheat Sheet PDF Cram Chart

AP European History 🇪🇺

Get Ready for the AP European History Exam

Multiple Choice Section

Short Answer Section

Free Response Section

AP European History Cheat Sheet PDF & Review Chart

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