Free AP US History Tests
APUSH Short Answer Question Example 1
After answering question 1 from our APUSH Short Answer Questions, scroll down to read a sample response. Our APUSH SAQ examples will show you exactly what a great answer looks like. We have also included a detailed explanation of the scoring.
1. Read the excerpts provided and then respond to parts a, b, and c.
FDR’s major banking “reform,” the second Glass-Steagall Act, actually weakened the banking system by breaking up the strongest banks to separate commercial banking from investment banking. … Almost every historian has praised FDR’s other major financial “reform,” establishing the Securities and Exchange Commission to supervise the registration of new securities and the operation of securities of markets, but in terms of rate of return, investors were not better off than they were in the 1920s. … High unemployment lasted as long as it did because of all the New Deal policies that took money out of people’s pockets, disrupted the money supply, restricted production, harassed employers, destroyed jobs, discouraged investment, and subverted economic liberty needed for sustained business recovery.
— Jim Powell, FDR’s Folly: How Roosevelt and His New Deal Prolonged the Great Depression, 2003.
“Although New Deal economic policies came up short in the 1930s, they implanted several “stabilizers” that have been successful in averting another such depression. The Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 established government supervision of the stock market. … The Glass-Steagall Banking Act forced the separation of commercial and investment banking and broadened the powers of the Federal Reserve Board to change interest rates and limit loans for speculation … The creation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) increased government supervision of state banks and significantly lowered the number of bank failures. Such safeguards restored confidence in the discredited banking system and established a firm economic foundation that performed well for decades thereafter.”
— Roger Biles, A New Deal for the American People, 1991.
a. Briefly explain the difference between Powell’s and Biles’ views on Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation.
b. Briefly explain how one historical event or development from 1932 to 1945 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Powell’s view.
c. Briefly explain how one historical event or development from 1932 to 1945 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts could be used to support Biles’ view.
Sample Perfect Answer
a. Powell argues that Roosevelt’s New Deal programs actually prolonged the Great Depression instead of working to end it. For example, he argues that the second Glass-Steagall Act weakened the banking system by forcing banks to choose between commercial banking and investment banking. He believes that this forced banks to be smaller and less able to manage the economic challenges caused by the Great Depression. He further argues that the Securities and Exchange Commission was not effective in increasing the rates of return that investors earned in the 1930s. Biles, on the other hand, argues that Roosevelt’s New Deal programs restored confidence in the U.S. economy and established the regulatory structure that endured in the decades after the Great Depression. He argues that the Glass-Steagall Act was beneficial for the economy by not allowing commercial banks to engage in riskier investment banking. Finally, Biles argues that the Securities and Exchange Commission was effective at restoring confidence in investing and in the financial system.
b. One development from 1932 to 1945 that can be used to support Powell’s view is that the New Deal reforms failed to end the Great Depression. It was not until the vast amount of spending by the U.S. government during World War II that we decreased unemployment and helped the economy fully recover from the Great Depression. Unemployment was still very high in 1939 when World War II began, at around 17% despite seven years of New Deal policies.
c. One development from 1932 to 1945 that can be used to support Bile’s view is the fact that the economy did stabilize after Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal policies were implemented starting in 1932. America did not experience a socialist revolution or the rise of a fascist leader like many countries in the world did. Unemployment came down from its peak of around 25% or more to near 15%. The Glass-Steagall reforms remained in place throughout this time period and beyond. The SEC remained in place and the stock market began to recover through the 1930s.
How SAQ Example 1 Earns a Perfect Score
The sample response earns all three points. In part (a), it clearly contrasts Powell’s and Biles’ views on the New Deal, explaining that Powell saw it as prolonging the Great Depression by weakening banks, while Biles believed it restored confidence through long-term regulation. The response effectively references both historians’ arguments, earning 1 point.
For part (b), the response supports Powell’s argument by noting that unemployment remained high (around 17% in 1939) and that World War II spending, not the New Deal, ultimately ended the depression. This historically accurate explanation directly supports Powell’s claim, earning 1 point.
In part (c), the response backs Biles’ perspective by showing how the New Deal stabilized the economy, with unemployment dropping from 25% to 15% and long-term reforms like the Glass-Steagall Act and the SEC remaining in place. This connection to lasting economic regulation earns 1 point.
Overall, the response earns a perfect 3/3 score by fully addressing the prompt with relevant historical evidence and clear explanations.
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