Course Description & Units of Study

AP US History focuses on developing understanding of American history from approximately 1491 to the present. In this course you will investigate the content of US history for significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in nine historical periods, and develop and use the same thinking skills and methods employed by historians when they study the past.
AP US History is a year-long course. A passing grade each semester will satisfy Bremerton High School’s US History graduation requirement.

In AP US History You Will:

• Investigate and develop an understanding of the key concepts, people, groups, and events in the College Board’s AP US History Concept Outline.

• Develop and apply historical thinking skills to the study of US History.

• Develop knowledge of historical content through application of thematic learning objectives.

• Explore and interpret a variety of primary sources and secondary texts related to US History.

• Prepare to pass the national AP US History Exam, which is on Friday, May 8, 2026.
  Every student enrolled in AP US History at BHS is expected to take the exam. The exam is 3 hours, 15 minutes long and consists of 55 multiple choice questions, 3 short-answer questions, and two essay questions. There is a fee of approximately $90 to take the exam BUT financial assistance is generally available for BHS students, and those who qualify for free/reduced lunch usually take the exam for free. (Most years, all other students pay approximately $15/exam.) Students who earn a qualifying score on the exam can earn college credit (as determined by each college/university). Exam registration and due dates for the fees, as well as fee waiver qualifications, will be announced in early October.