If you plan on enrolling in APUSH in the coming school year, it’s a good idea to get the books you need before school starts. Allow yourself some extra time to read AP history books, so you’re not overwhelmed when the semester starts. Because, the truth is you’re going to have a lot of reading to do this year.
The question you need to ask yourself is “which APUSH books should I get?” Check out these top 5 AP history books that can help you review the information you’ll need to pass the class and ace the exam.
The American Pageant
Written by David M. Kennedy and Lizabeth Cohen, The American Pageant is one of the most popular AP history textbooks. The book has thorough descriptions of each historical section.
However, unlike some textbooks, this book is actually enjoyable to read. I found that the writing read more like a novel than a textbook. And, with the amount of reading that you need to do in APUSH, this was really helpful.
On top of the engaging text, you’ll find that there are other things that are helpful to refer to as you study. For one thing, there are timelines at the end of each chapter to help you memorize dates. Also, there are primary sources to review for DBQs.
AMSCO- United States history: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination
The AMSCO review book is a popular choice for exam review. It’s very thorough. In fact, the book is about 700 pages long. Therefore, if you plan on using this book, start reading it ASAP. Give yourself time to get through all of the information.
The review book also contains a practice test for you to use. And, although it’s not the best book out there, it’s relatively inexpensive.
Barron’s APUSH
Barron’s books are highly rated. One of the reasons for this is because it offers detailed information. The book is formatted based on the Key Concepts laid out by the College Board for the APUSH exam. Therefore, it provides great info to help you feel better prepared.
As an added bonus, there are 2 practice tests at the end of the book. Use them to practice pacing and answering similar question types for the exam.
America’s History
Unlike other books that are written for general U.S. history courses, this book is specific to APUSH. The writers of America’s History updated the book for the 2014-2015 new objectives. They used these, as well as the chronological divisions for the exam. With these updates, the book does a great job providing concise information about each time period that you need to now.
Making America: A History of the United States
This book gives a chronological history of the United States. It has a lot of detail, and it’s written in a way that is easy to understand. It also makes it easy to connect historical themes as you study for the exam.
This book is a great tool to study on your own. So, if you feel that you’re not getting the information you’d like from your class, check out this book to help you.
These 5 AP history books offer information needed to prepare for the exam. Choose ones based on the level of review that you need. Consider getting these books during the summer, so you can fast track your studying and start preparing now to ace the exam in the spring.
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