APUSH: Writing Prompts
Writing Prompts & Their Meaning
Below you will find common essay prompts used in social studies. This guide will help
you understand how you should respond to the question.
Prompt What You Should Example Question AP Example Question
Do US AP Euro
Analyze To explain or give “Analyze to which the Analyze the way in
reasons for the Article of which society was
cause of an event; Confederation changed as a result
to show provided an effective of the ideas
relationships form of government contained in the
between events. with respects to any Communist
To examine two of the following: Manifesto
critically. foreign relations,
economic conditions,
western lands .”
Assess/Evaluate To judge the “Evaluate the role Assess the validity
validity of a played by the of this statement:
statement; to Republican Party Democracy
determine the during developed in
advantages and Reconstruction.” England through
disadvantages of a evolution, while in
generalization. France democracy
developed through
revolution. Include
facts in your
evaluation to
support your
argument.
Compare/Contrast To identify “Compare and Compare and
similarities and contrast the religious contrast the
differences beliefs of the Quakers totalitarian regime of
between two or & Puritans.” Adolf Hitler in
more things Germany with that
of Joseph Stalin in
Russia.
Criticize Make judgments “Criticize the Alien &
as to merits & Sedition Acts.”
faults; criticism
may approve &
disapprove, or
both.
K. Roderick; Fall 2009
APUSH: Writing Prompts
Describe To tell about or to “Describe the events Describe the
draw a picture that led the US political, economical,
about a particular entrance into WWII.” and social
event consequences of the
Protestant
Reformation.
Discuss To examine “Discuss the policy of Discuss the extent to
various points of internment of which the Versailles
view or present Japanese Americans Treaty influenced
different sides of during WWII.” the use of
the subject. Write nationalism and
about a topic. totalitarianism in
Italy and Germany.
Explain To make clear or “Explain how the Explain how
plain; to give „Peggy Eaton Affair‟ political, economic,
greater detail or to influenced the and social factors
tell the meaning of political development contributed to the
something. of John Calhoun” French Revolution of
1789.
Illustrate Make clear or “Illustrate the
intelligible as by influence of the
examples. „border states‟ on
Lincoln‟s political
policies during the
Civil War.”
Interpret Explain the “Interpret the process
meaning of; by which the
present your Federalist Party met
thinking about. its demise”
Justify Show good “Justify US
reasons for, isolationism during
present your the 1930‟s.”
evidence, offer
facts to support
your position
Prove Establish the truth “Prove that the
or genuineness of Industrial Revolution
something by was or was not a
citing factual benefit to humanity.”
evidence or logical
reasoning.
Summarize State or express in “Summarize the
K. Roderick; Fall 2009
APUSH: Writing Prompts
concise from, give major causes of the
the main points Spanish-American
briefly. War.”
Trace Follow the course “Trace the course of
of, give a 19th Century Anglo-
description of; American relations"
ascertain by
investigation.
K. Roderick; Fall 2009