Loading...
From Reconstruction to the present; witness America's transformation into a global superpower. Industrial revolution, world wars, civil rights, and the challenges of modern democracy.
Understand how America became the nation it is today
Written by the Flying Prep Team
Reviewed by Alex Stone, who earned 99 credits via CLEP & DSST
Anyone interested in modern American history can succeed. If you follow current events, you'll find that understanding this period provides crucial context for today's debates.
A score of 50 earns credit at most institutions
Scores of 60+ demonstrate excellent historical knowledge
CLEP scores are valid for 20 years
After the Civil War, everything changed - and much stayed the same. This section covers Reconstruction's promise and betrayal, the rise of Jim Crow, and the transformation of the South. You'll understand how the nation failed to fully realize emancipation's promise. These unfinished battles still shape America.
Industry booms while reformers fight back! This section covers industrialization, immigration, labor conflict, and progressive reform. You'll understand robber barons and muckrakers, populism and progressivism. This era created modern America - and its ongoing tensions.
America becomes a world power! This section covers overseas expansion, the Spanish-American War, and the Great War. You'll understand the debates over empire and intervention that still echo today. America's global role was forged in this era.
Roar and crash! This section covers the jazz age and its collapse - prohibition, cultural conflict, economic boom, and devastating bust. You'll understand how prosperity turned to crisis and how America responded. The Depression reshaped American politics for generations.
Arsenal of democracy and superpower showdown! This section covers WWII on home front and battlefield, and the Cold War that followed. You'll understand how war transformed America and the global conflict that defined decades of policy. These events shaped the world we inherited.
The movement changes America! This section covers civil rights struggles and the social movements they inspired - feminism, environmentalism, and more. You'll understand how grassroots activism transformed American society and law. The fight for equality continues.
Our recent past! This section covers late 20th and early 21st century America - from Vietnam to the digital age. You'll understand political realignments, cultural shifts, and ongoing challenges. This is history we lived - or just missed.
Preparing your assessment...
1 month
For history enthusiasts or those with strong background.
~12 hours/week
2 months
Recommended for most students.
~7 hours/week
3 months
Steady progress for busy schedules.
~4 hours/week
Two valid IDs, one government-issued with photo and signature. No study materials or electronics.
Retakes available after 3 months. Review your score report to identify weak areas.
The difficulty depends on your background with American history from 1865-present. Questions requiring memorization of specific dates or obscure facts are rare. The challenge lies in understanding connections between different eras and analyzing cause-and-effect relationships. Document analysis questions can be tricky if you haven't practiced interpreting primary sources. The broad time span means you need working knowledge of seven major eras, from Reconstruction through contemporary America. Students often struggle with connecting economic policies to social changes, or understanding how foreign policy evolved from isolationism to global engagement. Success requires understanding historical context more than memorizing specific details.
Most colleges accept a scaled score of 50 out of 80 for credit, following the American Council on Education recommendation. However, individual institutions set their own requirements - some accept 47, others require 55 or higher. Check with your target school's registrar or transfer credit office for their specific requirement. Military education offices and corporate tuition assistance programs typically follow ACE recommendations. The scaled score accounts for question difficulty, so your raw percentage doesn't directly translate to the final score. Plan to answer roughly 60-65% of questions correctly to comfortably reach passing thresholds. Competitive programs or honors colleges may require higher scores for credit.
Study time varies significantly based on your background. If you completed recent coursework in American history, 25-35 hours of focused review may suffice. Most test-takers need 45-65 hours to cover seven major eras comprehensively. Those starting without formal history education should plan 80-120 hours. Distribute study time according to exam weights - spend more time on Gilded Age/Progressive Era and World War II/Cold War topics since they comprise 40% of questions. Factor in time for practice questions and document analysis exercises. Previous exposure to American history through military service, government work, or personal interest can reduce preparation time. Consider your retention style - visual learners may need additional time creating timelines and concept maps.
Start by creating chronological frameworks for each era, focusing on cause-and-effect relationships rather than memorizing isolated facts. Practice analyzing primary sources, political cartoons, and historical documents since these question types challenge many test-takers. Use active recall techniques - test yourself on connections between different presidencies and their policies. Create comparison charts showing how different eras handled similar challenges like economic crises or foreign conflicts. Prioritize high-weight topics: Gilded Age industrialization, Progressive reforms, New Deal programs, and Cold War policies. Take multiple practice exams to identify knowledge gaps and improve timing. Study groups work well for this exam since discussing historical interpretations helps deepen understanding. Focus final review on presidential policies and major legislation from each era.
The Gilded Age and Progressive Era represents 20% of questions, making it the highest-weighted section. Expect multiple questions about industrialization, immigration, labor movements, trust-busting, and reform movements. World War II and the Cold War also accounts for 20%, covering wartime policies, post-war reconstruction, containment doctrine, and major Cold War events through the 1980s. Together, these two areas comprise 40% of the exam. The 1920s and Great Depression, plus Imperialism and World War I, each represent 15%. Reconstruction, Civil Rights, and Contemporary America are 10% each but often connect to other eras thematically. Understanding presidential policies and major legislation across all periods remains crucial for success.
While the exam doesn't require memorizing specific dates, questions often test your understanding of chronological sequences and which events occurred during which presidencies. Common traps include mixing up similar legislation from different eras or confusing the order of major events. For example, distinguishing between various Civil Rights acts or New Deal programs requires knowing approximate timeframes. Questions may present events out of chronological order in answer choices to test your knowledge. Focus on understanding which president implemented which policies rather than exact dates. Decade-level accuracy is usually sufficient - knowing the Sherman Antitrust Act was 1890s, not 1870s, matters more than memorizing 1890 exactly. Practice questions help identify these chronology patterns.
Start exploring modern America for free, then unlock comprehensive exam prep.
Get full access to flashcards, practice tests, and detailed explanations.