Questions. We will help our students this morning by going over the high School Advancement Placement u. S. History exam. With us this morning, Jason Stacy and matthew arlington, the coauthors of fabric of a nation. Gentlemen, good morning. Good morning jesse. Good morning jesse. So, this morning were going to have high School Students only calling in and were going to help them prepare for the ap u. S. History exam. I want to remind our students out there to tweet your questions using the Hashtag Ap u. S. , hate crime and these fine gentlemen here will help us go through the program. So first, lets talk a little bit about what the ap u. S. History exam will look like this year. Matt, can you tell us how if the pandemic will affected the exam again this year . It will affect the exam but much differently than it affected it last year. Last, year that was a shortened version of the exam that only had a Document Based question. Whats really new this year is that the College Board is going back to a full length, more normal exam. With multiple choice, Document Base thats a question and short answer questions and and at leak you. But there is a fundamental difference and the biggest difference is that College Board, because of the pandemic and because of the different situations that schools find themselves in, is offering both a digital and an inperson paper version. Both versions of the ap u. S. History exam will have the same basic opponents that were just on the slide that was up. Theyll have a 55 question stimulus based multiple choice. They will have three or more short answer questions, a Document Based as a question and for the paper version, a long as a question. For the digital version, they will have two additional short answer questions. So, regardless of the version that students take, the ap u. S. History exam will be the full exam, three hours and 15 minutes and it will test all of the same skills and concepts of the ap u. S. History exam normally tests. The one only difference between this year and the traditional here is that not only are there different formats, but there are three different tests. Most students will take the test may sixth, thats the traditional at School Paper and pencil test. The College Board is also offering to digital versions of the test, one on may 19th and then one on june 2nd. Now jason, what advice would you give to students to make sure that they use their time properly . Are there some good multi management tips you can give them . One of the most important things to do for time management is to take the time to read the question, think about the question and specifically what the question is asking you to do. So, if they are taking the multiple Choice Section of the test, an important part of that is to not only read the stimulus, every multiple Choice Question is going to have a stimulus attached to it. Redistill muellers carefully, take a look for dates, names that are mentioned and while you are reading it, think about the context around the stimulus itself. In might be a primary source, it might be a map, and might be a charge for a graph and while youre reading it, think about some of the time period around it because an important part of answering the multiple Choice Questions is that you not only interpret the stimulus, the part of the primary source, the secondary stores, the Chart Or Graph for, but you also have to bring to bear some of the historical information that you remember from class or from your textbook to answer the question. Now that also holds true for example, when theyre taking the D B Q. If youre looking at a Document Based question and youre reading through the documents, make sure that youve read the question first and you understand the question and then when youre reading the documents, to think about some of the historical information that you know about the time period around the document. This will bring to mind some of information that will be useful to you to answer that Dvd Queue Question itself. Now matthew, again, what is the best use of your time, if you are a student studying for this test in the days leading up to this test . My first advice is to make sure you study. There is still time for students to improve their performance versus if they were to take the test say this morning. I would encourage students, first, off to make a plan. Look at the time. Fog wrote how much time you can spend. And then make a plan for how you will effectively spend that time. One piece of advice is to take a Self Test or a quiz. Identify the areas that you are strongest in, and the areas that you are somewhat weaker in. And then look at how College Board has laid out the exam. Most of the exam is from 1754, which is the beginning of the french and indian war, to 1980, ronald reagans election. Students can find that 80 to 85 of the exam regardless of which they will take is there. Even if a student is relatively weak on the early colonial, or even the prejamestown american history, they would want to spend some time there but they wouldnt want to overweight that. So i encourage students to number one make a plan. Number two, look at how College Board has weighed the different versions of the exam. Number three, follow through with your plan. To the studying because it really does make a difference. The more you know the easier this test is. Students. These two gentlemen are here to help you with your ap u. S. History exam. We are opening up our phone lines to hustle students only. Those phone lines where it will break them up by region. That means that if you are a high School Student in the eastern or central time zones we want to hear from you act 202 748 8000 if you are a high School Student in the mountain or pacific time zones your number is going to be 202 748 8001 and if you have a question that you want to text us remember that you can always tweet your questions to us on twitter at Cspan W. Jay and make sure that you use the Hashtag Apus hcram. These gentlemen are here to help you figure out how to do your best on this test. So jason, let me ask you this question. What time periods will this Exam Cover . This is a u. S. History exam. What time periods will this Test Cover . The time periods of this exam go all the way back to precolombian time. So 14 91 all through the president , or at least close to the president. As matt mentioned, the majority of the questions, about 80 of the questions are going to be from 1754, the start of the french and indian war up to 1981, which was the inauguration of ronald reagan. So that students should be cognizant and take a close look at the time period, before 1754, and after 1981. But the bulk of the exam is going to cover the time period between those two dates. And so that is really where they should focus a lot of their attention. And find if they have any holes in their knowledge. Sometime periods that are a little bit fuzzy to them. Some of this material that they covered way back in the fall. So it is important for them to look over those time periods that feel a little bit of big for them between 70 54 and 1981. Now this question will be for either one of you. Actually, i want to hear tips from both of you on what you should do on the day of the exam. Is a good breakfast necessary . Should you get up early early undo some lastminute cramming . Go ahead matt. Im going to say i encourage students to stick to a normal routine. If you normally eat breakfast this is in the morning to eat breakfast. If you dont normally have a big breakfast this isnt the morning to go to dennis and eat a huge breakfast. Stick to your routine. Make sure you get enough sleep. Make sure you do the things that make it the most comfortable. Eliminate all the stressors as well. I have everything you need. Have your student identification. Have your pens and your pencils, and youre lucky socks, and whatever else that you want for the exams so that you are not running around in the morning. You can relax and you can let it set. In terms of last minute cramming that really is student dependent. Some students feel better if they are working all the way up to the exam. Other students are going to be stressed out, and not perform as well if they dont kind of center their mind and relax, and take their mind off of things and let a process. So my advice to students is look at yourself. You are the expert. You know what will work for you and make that plan ahead of time so that you can stick to it. I will second what matt says. I think that an important good rule of thumb is to be your best self. What i mean by that is do what you normally can do if you can perform yourself. If youre used to having a breakfast of a certain kind and those are your good days, have that breakfast again. I think its important to have a good night sleep. I think its a part that you get at least six hours sleep. So think its important that you plan when you were to go to bed and that you stick to it. As matt said, have some breakfast, throw in, knock that exam out of the park. Do either of you have preference for students if they are given a choice to have a in person, in school, or take it at home, online . Its up to the student. If you feel like youll be more comfortable doing so online, i think that is great. If you are more comfortable thinking the exam in the traditional sense i think you should do that as well. The inperson exempts i believe its already a little bit too late to sign up for that but it is important for students to remember the exams are very, very similar, they test the exact same skills, they are weighted the same, regardless of the time period, so sign them up for they have the chance to do equally well and they shouldnt worry about that. Lets look at some of the things that we will help the students use to prepare for the test. Jason, i want you to tell us a little bit about this paragraph, this is lured doug Moores Proclamation in virginia. I do hear by further declare all indentured servants, negros, and others, belonging to rebels, free that are able and willing to bear arms, that they join his majestys troops as soon as maybe for the more speedily reducing this colony to its duty. What do you think of this jason . Thats important to start with their jesse. I think its important to remember that the older the document the more intimidating it is. Lord dunbars letter is intimidating, its a official document which is often difficult to interpret, a good way to start with a document like this is to look at the source. It is often tempting to skip the Source Line before you even read the document, like it is a Copyright Statement or some sort of introduction that you need to get past. But theres a lot of important information in that statement including the year 1775, which it immediately call to mind that we are talking about the era of the era of Revolution And Lord done more is likely a colonial administrator here in north america. With that in mind, you can begin to read into the document what exactly lord then more is saying here. This is a proclamation on done worst part in a attempt to squelch the revolution and its very early years, by offering those who are indentured servants, or enslaved african americans. If they leave the places where they are currently indentured or enslaved and come to the british minds. So it is in effect an attempt by more done, more to undermine the revolution by inspiring those who are enslaved or under a indentured Servitude Contract to leave the places of work and to come over to the british, as a way to help to undermine the american uprising. I want to remind our how School Students out there that they can also text us their questions. Keep in mind you can tweet us your question at Cspan W. Jay and you can also text us your question at 202 748 8003 because these gentlemen are here to help you with your questions about the ap usc History Exam. We have a student that has already texted us with a question. We heard jason give us his answer but the students want to know when they write their answer is that important to have good grammar on the d because. Good grammar is always helpful but when you look at the root, break the rubber does not have any points for good grammar. I tell my students one of the advantages of history versus say ap History Exam is that we are focused more on the content, and keep in mind that these are timed rights, so in essence these are rough drafts. So have as good and as long as a reader can understand what is being said then you will get full credit. So focus on the crap content, and focused on what College Board calls the historic Thinking And Reasoning skills. Make sure as you answer a essay, he deeply q or a l. A. Q, that you are looking at the robert that is summarized for students in the bulleted to ructions and that you are using that as a checklist to attack that essay, and to accomplish all of those tasks. So dont worry about the grammar. Do your best. Youll be fine. Weve got another text question. This student wants to know what is most important to know about the progressive era for the exam. Thats a great question. The progressive era is a long time period in a very influential one. Its probably most important to know that the progressive movement was an attempt to overcome a lot of problems that americans saw in the economy, and in american society. So that regarding the economy, by the time that we get to the progressive era, starting in the late 19th century, the 19 eighties, running through to 1921, the end of the Wilson Administration it begins with us certainly fear that corporations were becoming too powerful, that they were monopolizing the economy. These would corporations like standard oil or steel, these corporations by monopolizing the economy were not only oppressing workers but they were undermining capitalism itself because they made it difficult to compete in the free market economy. But progressives were also very interested in social problems so that this is also a time period one american cities are going very quickly. There are large immigrant populations coming into american cities, starting in the late 19th century, and that these immigrant populations, many of them lived in poverty, worked in factories and often had what progressives saw as difficulty assimilating to american society. So that their concerns were also with helping this is a simulation process which they considered a good thing. A good example of this would be a progressive like jane adams in chicago, who at Hall House works to assist immigrants. Assist immigrants, survived the american city in the late 19th, early 20th century and also assimilate to american society. A final important part to remember about the progressive era is that woodrow wilson, the last progressive president saw the first World War and american entry into the first World War as a way to fight a war that would make the world safe for democracy. That was his idea about american entry into the first World War. And that itself is a very progressive video. The idea of reforming the world so that it would become a more democratic place. Now, this didnt really work out, the way that wilson had hoped. But i think its important to keep in mind that this long time period, starting in the late 19th century goes well into the 20th century and even becomes part of american international policy by the 19 teens of, the first World War. Starting when america entered in 1917. Id like to add to that as well, because jason did a fabulous job covering multiple aspects of the progressive era. And i can just imagine, there might be some students out there thinking, oh no. Im in trouble. I dont know a lot about that content. The great thing about the ap u. S. History exam is, you dont have to know everything. Students need to know essential content and its outlined in the Concept Outlined and the unit guards that are on the Ap Classroom Website and that many teachers have given to their students. And then students need to be able to bring to bear some examples. So if youre student out there and youre listening to jasons explanation, youre thinking this is a lot. Youre right. But as long as you know some examples of various elements, if you know a reformer or two. You understand a piece or two of progressive legislation that you can bring to bear, you understand some of the social conditions. If you can name a few of those and you have a good familiarity, youre going to be okay on the exam. Sometimes students overly stress about all of the details. The more you know, the easier it is but you dont have to know everything to be successful. And matthew, ill speak with you here. Lets look at one of the images that we have thats here to help our students. As the u. S. Government poster that talks about women in the war. We Cant Win without them. What do they take from this . Thats a great poster. So first off, again, as jason explained, always students need to look at the Source Line. So the Source Line says, u. S. Government poster, it also says the year, 1942. Between the year and the post or, it should be pretty clear that this is a poster referencing World War ii. And so, hopefully students have some background here and can make some connections. Maybe it reminds them of rosie the riveter and it should clearly indicate the students at the importance of women in the workforce. And so, when you see a document like this, its not going to be independent, its going to be within a question, whether its a D B Q or short answer questions. And so, students may be asked, for example, what led to this development. So then students with the need to correct what they see in the picture, this woman who is working in a Munitions Factory to build armaments for the war with their larger understanding of World War ii. And that should bring to mind that the men are being drafted and then companies are being forced to expand their pool of laborers, to reach out to women and to african americans and others who were oftentimes not as easily able to get these kinds of jobs. So the key for students is to examine the document, look at the source in line and then make connections between what they see and theyre bigger picture understanding. Of course, in the context of looking at what the question is asking. Now jason, were getting a lot of Students Texting us specific questions about specific time periods. And i want to bring this question to you. One of our students is texting us, how much of the time period of 1980 to present day should students know . Well, as matt said earlier, 80 of the exam is 1754 to 1981. Dont skip 1981 to the president. Its important for you to keep in mind that there are some different time periods that are weighted in different ways. However, it doesnt mean that those that are waited less wont be on the exam. So, its important to understand this time period, 1981 to the president. If you were to look at some of the big themes of this time period, i would say that they are the reagan presidency and the changes in the american economy, greater deregulation. I think its important also during this time period, at 1981 to the president to think about the significance of the end of the cold war. So that you can take a look at the time period roughly from about 1988, 1989 to about 1992 through the first gulf war. I think another important element of 1981 to the president is to think about the changes in communication technology. The rise of the internet of the social media, mobile phones and how those have affected the economy. Yeah, and if i may add to Jasons Response there. College board says that the time period in 1980 to the president is roughly 46 of the exam. Theyve also given us some information such as it will not be the focus on the document i say based question and most of the short answer questions will be and units three through eight. So, students can expect to see some multiple Choice Questions on that time period, perhaps at the back you will bleed into that time period, maybe if its rooted in unit eight and potentially one of the long essay questions if youre taking the Inperson Paper Exam for one of the short answer questions on the digital exam may cover that. But again, 95 of the exam will be outside of that time period. And speaking of the long as a question, matthew, we have a student who texted in a question about the long as a question and this Quote Student wants to know, whats the best way to ensure that i hit all of the points on the long as a question . Well, a great question. There are actually six rulebook points and several of those points overlap with the documents based as a question. We oftentimes joke at the ap reading, which is where the exams are scored that ap should stand for answer the prompt. Answer the question. So if the Student Construct a solid argument that answers the question right there, theyre going to be on a very good path. But those six points include having a thesis, having a controlling Argument Statement that lays out the argument that a student is going to make. Students also need to contextualize, situate their Argument And Kind of the broader middle of whats taking place. I encourage both of those to happen in the Opening Paragraph even be repeated is built locally. Thats two of the six ports are there. There are two more points for use of evidence. So students need to bring some examples and i always tease my students and tell them, proper nouns or your friends. If its a term, a name, an event that you can capitalize, the better. So theres two points for that, one point for having multiple examples. A second point for really connecting those to your argument. Theres 1. 4 frame in your argument, this also happens in the Opening Paragraph. If the question is asking you about effects, then you make sure that you are answer both in the thesis and then carried out throughout the essay its talking about affects. Or if its a question about, you know, similarities or differences that you are doing that, and then the last point is the hardest point of all and thats the Complexity Point. The Complexity Point is awarded for essays that really go above and beyond and show a much more sophisticated understanding. So thats not something thats easy for students to do, or to practice, there are some skills and strategies that we can talk about for complexity, but i also encourage students that if they dont feel comfortable with that, its okay. Because these are hard questions. And its hard to perform and as long as students get a majority of the points, there are on track to pass and get College Credit for the Ap Exam. Jason, heres another time Period Question for you. From another student. How much of the exam do you think will be about reconstruction . What should i know about that . Reconstruction is a very important time period and i would look at it closely. Its most important because its the time period when american sought to overcome the legacy of slavery from before the civil war. Its an important time period because frankly, reconstruction ultimately failed in that enslaved african americans who had been released from their bondage by the 13th amendment. We are not allowed to achieve the promises of the 13th two or four two or 50 throughout specifically, the right to vote, the right at their civil rights will be protected by the government. Those rights were protected early in reconstruction, starting immediately after the war and really after 1868. Those rights were enforced and in fact, african americans took part in voting. They elected representatives to congress. However, by the end of reconstruction, which historians usually argue ends in 1877, those rights had been squelched and they had been taken away from african americans. Both economically through share cropping contracts and the crop lean system and also those rights had been taken away because their right to vote had been reduced through legal measures or quasilegal measures, like a grandfather clauses and literacy tests and also frankly through organizations like the Ku Klux klan that sought to prevent african americans from taking advantage of the suffrage that they gained with the 15 amendment. However, its also important to keep in mind that the memory of reconstruction and the promises of the 14th and 15th amendment remain as part of the legacy of reconstruction. And in fact, in the 20th century are reawakened with their pursuit of civil rights on the part of african americans during the civil Rights Movement, starting really in the 19 fifties, though, some of its origins go back to the 1930s as well with a philip randolph. But really beginning with Martin Luther King and the civil Rights Movement in the 19 fifties. And i would just like to add briefly that, in terms of reconstruction, its part of the larger unit, unit five which is 1844, so including Polks Election in the mexican more all the way up to 1877, which Ice Jason said, is considered at the end of reconstruction with a compromise that elects haze to the presidency. That time period is one of the time periods between units three and a that College Port gives a range to. Its as about ten to 17 . So theyve given themselves some flexibility. Some years of reconstruction will appear more heavily on the exam, other years it will be on the exam but it will be a little bit lighter. Regardless, i encourage students to use the resources that College Board has given us. Look at the unit guides, look at the Concept Outline and make sure, at the very least, you understand students, the specific terms that are listed. The College Board lists 13th to 14th and 15th amendment. They use the term radical reconstruction and they talk about the compromise of 1877. So those are key developments to make sure that you know so that youre ready for reconstruction on the ap u. S. History exam. Okay matthew, we have a student who texted you specifically about this question. This is a u. S. History exam, but they want to know how much they need to know outside of it. So the texacos, hi mr. Arlington, how much information do we need to know by the history of four nations . For example, the details causing the collapse of the soviet union. Thank you great question. Not much, when it comes to outside because theres so much within u. S. History. Now, there are benefits if you know outside u. S. Material, for sure, it makes it much easier to to contextualize your argument. It makes it easier for students to make connections and even easier to show that sophistication this necessary to earn the Complexity Point. But i would encourage all students, including the one that texted me to focus on u. S. History because this is our u. S. History exam, the College Board does have a you or pm course, they do have a world history course. And so, its really about american history. But having said that, understanding whats happening in the world is helpful because it helps explain how and why things transpire here and why leaders and people who do what they do. Jason, lets look at another paragraph from period for, which is 1800 to 1848. This one is the Seneca Falls declaration. Lets look at that and see what we can learn from it. But we are assembled to protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed to declare a right to be free as man is free, to be represented in the government. We now demand our right to vote according to the declaration of the government under which we live. Of 1848. This is the famous declaration of sentiments from the Seneca Falls convention of 1948. Once, again student should take a look at the Source Line, and it should be pretty apparent to them what some of the context is for that time period. So the 18 forties are a period of reform in many areas. Not only the rise of the womens Rights Movement during this period, but also the rise of babbling this movement in the decade before, as well as prison reform, as well as a large, religious Reform Movement that historians generally called the second away another big thing to take away from this document is that not only is it from that broader Reform Movement but notice how the Seneca Falls statement, the declaration of sentiment, situated its demands within the context of american revolution and the language of the revolution itself, that it is a demand for civil rights that are equal to others. And that those civil rights are rights as citizens, and most importantly, the right to vote. You will see that this is representative of civil Rights Movements throughout much of the 19th century, which really just calls for equality. There are arguments that say if these overwhelmingly white males have these civil rights, but civil rights are based in natural rights, why then isnt it natural for women to have these rights, and african americans to have these rights . This represents a significant document, as a beginning, or a good place to see the start of womens Rights Movements for those civil rights. But also within the broader context of expanding civil rights within the idea of natural rights for citizens, and for all people. Matthew, we have another question about the questions from you. So the student wants to know, what is the best way to go about answering a Continuity And Change overtime question. Great question. Continuity and change overtime as one of the three identified Reasoning Processes that College Board wants students to have facility with. Students who seek Continuity And Change in multiple different areas, they might see it on the multiple choice, they will definitely see that it is on the free response. They could see it on short answer, but definitely they will see it on dee be cute or l. A. Acutely some years with some qualms. So in answering Continuity And Change i encourage students to examine the time period, and the topic, and say ok, from the beginning of the time period to the end of the time period, whats significant factors for this topic, for this group, this region, this movement, which of these have changed . Which of these have stayed the same . One of the things that College Board likes to do with all of the Reasoning Processes, whether it is cause and effect, whether its similarity and difference or Continuity And Change as they like to cut that Reasoning Process in half and choose one of the two halves. Continuity or change. And insert that Word Or Synonym for that word into an essay prompt, asking students to evaluate the extent of change in the lives of african americans during reconstruction. So students would need to say ok, what has changed for this group of people. But one of the keys to being able to write a really strong essay, and even show that complexity is to remember that there is really two sides to that Reasoning Process. It is as a student just texted, its Continuity And Change, so even if the profitably asks for change, or only asks for continuity you want to make sure to address both sides of the Reasoning Process. It doesnt have to be equal. It might be a lot easier for students to think about some of the changes, at least during the time period, in terms of expanded voting rights for african americans, some african americans being elected to congress, the state political offices no longer being enslaved, educational improvements, of course, you always want to include at least some or one example of continuity, something that doesnt change, whether its racial discrimination, whatever the case might be, so my advice to the student is to look at the time period, identified that continuity, the key changes, make sure you use both sides of that Reasoning Process. He has a question about how they wrap up these long answers. They want to know how important is a conclusion to any writing based question. Estei think a conclusion is probably the least important part of your essay. I am interested in Bats Opinion on this as well, but my rule of thumb for and conclusion in what matt said is a first draft for an essay, you cant be expected to write something that is going to be published when you are being timed, and youve never seen the question before. Since this really is a rough draft, its important, i would say most important that your conclusion do no damage. And what i mean by that is that you do not want to introduce a new argument in your conclusion. So that when you have a conclusion to your essay i think an important thing to do is if you are at a loss as to how to conclude it in a complicated way to maybe try to get that Complexity Point, it is important then to just summarize the thesis that you have made, and maybe, if you like, do a little bit of a look into the future. So for example, if youre finishing a essay into reconstruction you can do, in your conclusion you can say however, though reconstruction ultimately failed to achieve for african americans all the civil rights that they deserve, the ideals of the 14th and 15th amendments were useful to civil rights activists in the 20th century during the civil Rights Movement, when they would pursue and achieve those rights. Something along those lines. This gives you a little bit of a look forward. And also could perhaps get to that Complexity Point. And wont create the possibility of ukraine in a new thesis on the subject that you are writing about, which would then confuse the reader as to what your argument actually is. Matt, im interested on your take on this. Jason is absolutely right. Having been a Ap Exam reader more times than i can remember, now the conclusion is a important place for students to summarize your argument, restate your thesis, theres a whole Route Brick Point out of six or seven for that one or two Sentence Statement in the introduction and because students are pressed, they are building this essay on the fly. They dont have time to outline this and think ahead of time, they are writing as they go, i have read i read the Opening Paragraph in the Thesis Isnt quite there. It is a little bit confused. It is off focus, but as students begin to build out their essay and their body paragraphs they figure it out and they get the conclusion. They restate their thesis and they get that point. So if time allows, i definitely encourage a conclusion so that students can restate a thesis, and then as jason, suggested also maybe make a connection to the different time period, again, if time allows. Jason just brought this up and it just happened to be the next text. So its all working at perfectly. So matthew, i bring this question to you. Can you describe the Complexity Point is in the essays, and how to get it . Yeah, i can describe the Complexity Point. The Complexity Point is College Boards attempt to reward really sophisticated and good writing. They have tried to standardize this be which is a really hard thing to do and sometimes frustrates teachers and students. College board has identified different examples of complexity. Jason and i have mentioned a couple of these such as making a connection across, time or bringing in potentially historic events outside of the u. S. And our textbook, fabric of a nation, we developed a three Point Plan to help maximize the chances of students getting that Complexity Point. We call it the Gem Strategy because you want to write a gem of an essay. Gem stands for generate nuance. You sophisticated language. But be careful. Oftentimes students want to overstate and use words like always or completely or never, and i encourage students, use sophisticated language like substantially or rarely, and look very carefully at the limitations of an argument. And say yes, but, for this group, but not in this way. The second part of that strategy is the e, explain both sides. Whenever you get a prompt from the College Board youre likely to see half of the reasoning change, it says similarities, but it doesnt say reason. It will say cause but not affect. So make sure to address both sides. Finally the atmosphere making a connection. Make a connection to a different time period. Make a connection outside of the box but a connection that propels the as a forward. This is the kind of thing that is hard to focus on at the moment, if students are worried about complexity, its by heard the hardest point to get, its hard to pass the Ap Exam even if you dont get the Complexity Point. We have a question about a time period that a soft warm suit to help him figure out. The question says how much of the new Deal Program do i need to know . The person adds and i am so nervous for the exam. First of all, dont be nervous about the exam in terms of trying to memorize all of the facts. The facts in the Ap Exam should serve a purpose. That purpose is to prove your arguments. Its not a matter of you having all the facts so that you can just say them. It is so that you can have some facts that you can use to prove what do you want to say. Look at the new deal this way. The new deal is an attempt by the Roosevelt Administration to alleviate some of the facts of the depression. There are all sorts of new Deal Programs that try to do this. And this regard, the fact that there are a lot of new Deal Programs is to your advantage because you only need to know a few of them that help to prove your argument regarding how those programs try to help alleviate the suffering during the great depression. For example you might remember the civilian Conservation Corps which was an attempt to help young people, many of them living in the cities and unemployed to have some work in the national and state parks, and to have not only some work to do but somebody to send home. Or you might remember the agricultural Adjustment Act to help farmers. Or the national Recovery Act to help small businesses, but it is not a matter for you to necessarily have all of the new deal in your mind to fill in the blank, because there are no fill in the blank questions on the Ap Exam. Instead, find a few key new Deal Programs that you want to keep in mind to help you prove how the new deal sought to help some of those who were suffering during the depression. And if i could build on that advice. Thats excellent advice from date jason. Students are oftentimes overwhelmed for certain time periods like the new deal or the great society where there are just all of these laws to know. As jason, said just know if, you and i would encourage students, as youre starting make a graphic organizer. Organize it, economic political, social, organized in the new deal based on the first and second new deal based on chronology. Or go by the, relief reform, approach that many textbooks use. As long as students no one or two examples per category, just a handful overall, and no any specific examples that College Word uses as their unit guides students will be just fine. As jason said, theres no full and the like, even as a multiple choice, youll have something about the new deal, you will have a stimulus there to help you out. Matthew lets stick with you and look at another image and do a little bit of Research And Figure out what students need to know about this. This comes from period eight which is the 1945 to 1980. Its a cartoon by the great her blood coming out of the Washington Post. When they see the switch they take from it . This is one of my favorite part is from this time period. As jason and i have already stated the very first thing to do of course is to look at the Source Line. Students probably wont know who he is. The Washington Post is a newspaper. Then theres the. Year the year is 1949. Students should be able to think of that year. 1949 is just after World War ii. This is that era of containment. This is that era of containment. And then, when you have a political cartoon, you want to make sure that you understand the different elements there. So, weve got two different elements. We have a person on the ladder who is climbing up and then of Course Weve got the torch. Its pretty obvious that the torch is a reference to the statue of liberty. And the person who is kind of madly dashing up the platter is tearing a bucket of Water Yelling Fire so the implication is theres danger, theres a fire, they need to put that out. That person is labeled hysteria. So people should really key in on that and ask, what do i remember about hysteria during this time period . And thats a call to connect this to this second red scare, the fear of communism and communist influence. And looking back at that cartoon, you can see kind of the irony there that this of fear is going to lead this person to extinguish the flame, but that flame is actually representative of our liberties. And so students should ask themselves, what is happening during this time period. This is the time period where churchill announces that the Iron Curtain has descended across europe, this is only a couple of years after the blockade of a berlin, that greatly increase tensions. This is right after the formation of nato. This is technically a little bit before Senator Mccarthy launches his campaign to root out communists. But as long as students can connect to those, they can connect to the truman a loyalty review program, or the activities of the house, on american Activities Committee and their interrogating hollywood stars and producers and the blacklist that resulted. Ultimately, this is a reminder about this climate of fear that is gripping the nation as we find ourselves in this cold war because the soviet union is a superpower that communists, they want to export their ideology, theyre in control of eastern europe, theyre not giving that up. And theres a fear that there could be subversion taking place here at home. So those are the kinds of connections that students need to be able to make when this here Quote Tonight this. And if i could just add to that. An important thing to remember, when youre looking at an image, especially a political cartoon, is that they have an argument. Its easy when we read a text like the declaration of sentiments from Seneca Falls, to see that theres an argument. But when we look at a picture, its often hard for us to remember that theres a point of view here. And so, theres a point of view in this political cartoon that clearly says, this hysteria his undermining american freedom. And so, theres an argument there against that hysteria. And so, i think its useful for students that when you see a political cartoon, after youve looked over the image and youve looked over the Source Line, task yourself, what is the Cartoons Argument . But is it trying to convince me of with this image and the way in which the images are positioned . And so, that will help you achieve a more complex interpretation when you understand that an image like this as an intention, as a point of view and that if you can explain that point of view when you use that document, its really going to be more impressive to the readers of your response. And jason, ill take this next to you and i had to make sure i read this text because we finally give a teacher shout out. So, shout out to mr. Gayle and his third Period Class but, what amendments are most important to know . Well, i think certainly, from the bill of rights, the first five amendments are very important. I think also the tenth amendment and the potential for later states rights arguments in the tenth amendment is important to know. I think the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments, the reconstruction amendments are important. Now, dont try to memorize these amendments, but just keep in mind that what exactly to entail. So the end of enslavement, the guarantee of civil rights for individuals by federal government. And the 15th amendment, the right to vote. I think the progressive amendments are also important to remember, that immediately come to mind. So, the 16th amendment, the income tax, the 17th amendment, the direct election of senators, the 18th amendment, which is prohibition, which of course will be repealed in the 1930s. And the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote. That, do you have any favors amendments . All of those amendments but of course, im thinking as a student, jason just said ten and then he went from 13 to 19, thats a lot of amendments. So i would encourage students to focus on the bill of rights as a package, because thats how its described in the material from College Board. But i agree with jason that the reconstruction amendments, 13, 14th and 15th or crucial. 13th and explain, very 14th Granting Citizenship to all people born in this country and to process. And of course, the 15th, the black having the right to vote. Those ones are probably the most essential but i also like knowing the progressive amendments as well. So, Matthew And Weve had several versions of this question so this carries on a lot of students minds this morning. So ill read the tweet. How much important is placed on the gilded age and what should i primarily know from the gilded age . Okay, well the gilded age is unit six, so the gilded age is 1865 to 1898. Now, sometime students are confused because unit five goes all the way to 1877. So when were talking about the gilded age, were talking about the basically half century after the civil war, excluding reconstruction. This time period is pretty much equally weighted with the other time periods, three, four, five, seven and eight. Anywhere between ten and 17 of the exam. And many textbooks, this is oftentimes multiple chapters or in our textbook, its one large unit there. So there are a lot of things to know for the gilded age. Probably the area that would be at least important would be the political era area. I wouldnt encourage to spend too much time on the president s, though they should know some of the political movements at the end of the era, the populist movement, how that gregorian based on what they want and how that feeds into the progressive movement, which really takes hold in the 19 hundreds. In terms of things that they do need to know, i would say youd be more economic in terms of the rise of these large corporations that are really dominating the economy. Its a second industrial revolution build on steel and manufacturing. So students should know some highlights there, whether its some of the industrialists like andrew carnegie, Rockefeller Or Morgan or some of those companies like standard oil. And some of the technologies. They should also understand some of the social changes that are taking place, as well as some of the things that are not changing. Theres a lot to know. So, i encourage students to think about time periods like this thematically, think about where are some of the highlights economically and some of the highlights socially, some of the highlights culturally and a couple of other things to know. This is an area with the rise of cities. We are seeing larger and larger metropolises, New York is over 1 million i believe during this time. Immigration is coming in, record numbers and the late 1800s and early 1900s. And of course, theres a backlash to that as well. Jason also mentioned some of the other things such as whole house and now leading up to the progressive movement. So i know theres a lot to know with a gilded age. So i recommend thinking about it thematically and not stressing because as weve said before, you dont have to know everything, as long as you know some key examples and you can kind of put them together in a framework, hell be fined on the Ap Exam. Jason, lets see if we can get one more quick answer from you in on this time period. One student wants to know, what are the differences between the first Grader Awakening and the second great awakening . Thats a great question and a tough one to do quicker, jesse. First grade awakening, generally historians say that starts in the 17 forties and the 17 fifties. Second grade awakening, probably beginning in the 18 twenties and thirties. Reaching height in the 18 fifties. I would look at both of them for their significance in placing emphasis on the Individuals Relationship with god. That Revelation And Rebirth come through an emotional turning over to the spiritual. And that the significance of this is that especially before the american revolution, it gives many british north americans a sense that an established church, in this case the anglican church or even the congregation additional churches up in the Northeast Arent able to necessarily serve as an intermediary between the individual and the divine. And then during the second grade awakening, this personal relationship with the divine inspires many of these reformed movements that we see during this time period. So that is possible for the individual to reform, and him or herself and that society itself can be perfected to create, not only a better social order but a better moral order. Yeah, i would just add that real quick. That link between the second great awakening and Reform Movements is a link that you regularly see on the ap u. S. History exam. Good to know that. Well wed like to thank Jason Stacy and matthew arlington, coauthors of fabric of a nation for being here here with us this morning and helping our students with the high school advanced placement u. S. History exam. Gentlemen, thank you. Thank you jesse, but like everybody good luck. Weeknights this month, were featuring american History Tv programs as a preview of whats available every weekend on cspan 3. Tonight, we begin a night of Vietnam War oral histories with robert certain. A u. S. Air force b52 navigator. While on a Bombing Mission over hanoi, his plane was shot down and he was captured by the north vietnamese. He discusses his 100 days in captivity and later, his career as a chaplain. And the therapy he received to deal with the trauma of his captivity. Hes followed by his wife, robbie certain who describes the harrowing days that followed his capture. Watch tonight, beginning at 8 pm eastern. And watch american History Tv every weekend on cspan 3