AP Euro 2020 Renaissance DBQ with Sample Responses

Last week, the College Board announced that the 2020 AP European History exam will consist of a DBQ with five documents that will be scored based on a ten point rubric.

On Monday, I shared a five document DBQ on the Renaissance with teachers so that students can get acquainted with the new format while studying the Renaissance (typically, AP Euro DBQs cover content starting at 1600 but the period from 1450 to 1600 is fair game this year).

In order to clarify the expectations for scoring the points on this year's rubric, I am sharing a set of four sample responses that would score between five and ten points. Although we have no way of knowing, I would predict that five would be a likely passing score, six would be a certain passing score, and any essay scoring seven or more points is likely to yield a 4 or 5 on the exam.

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​sAMPLE RESPONSES

Although I have included one full-credit sample essay, I have intentionally placed it at the bottom of the set, as very few students will be able to write a full-credit essay within the limited 45 minute time limit. I am generally recommended that students aiming for a 3 try to score 6/10 points and those aiming for a 4 or higher try to score 8/10 points. Students trying to score all ten points should do so after repeated successful attempts practicing under exam conditions.