Free AP US History Tests
APUSH Short Answer Question Example 3
After answering question 3 from our APUSH Short Answer Questions, scroll down to read a sample response. Our APUSH SAQ example will show you exactly what a great answer looks like. We have also included a detailed explanation of the scoring.
3. Respond to parts a, b, and c.
a. Briefly describe one way in which the British governed America from 1607 to 1754 that led the United States of America to declare independence from Great Britain.
b. Briefly describe one similarity or one difference between how the British governed America from 1607 to 1754 and how they governed America from 1754 to 1776.
c. Briefly describe one similarity or one difference between United States government policy from 1776 to 1848 and the previous British government policy in the American colonies.
Sample Perfect Answer
a. From 1607, the British Crown gave a lot of freedom to the American colonies to govern themselves in a situation known as salutary neglect. This allowed the American colonies to develop their own self-government structure through town halls and local governance. American colonists developed a culture separate and different from the British, which led to greater political and sociocultural differences over time and thus a desire to separate themselves permanently.
b. After the portion of the Seven Years’ War known as the French and Indian War ended, the British government was looking to the American colonies as a source of revenue to help pay back the debt from the war. As a result, the British government became more actively involved in regulating the economy of the American colonies. The Crown passed a series of acts that involved internal taxes on American goods for the sole purpose of earning more revenue from the colonies to direct towards their war debt. Thus, they were not simply regulating foreign trade nor engaging in salutary neglect as they were before.
c. After the American colonies declared independence from Great Britain, they created a government without a King and with more decentralized power. Initially, power to govern was given to the Confederation Congress, which had limited power and was democratically run. After the U.S. Constitution became operational in 1789, the U.S. government did not have a nobility and created a republican-style government that was more democratic than Great Britain’s at the time.
How SAQ Example 3 Earns a Perfect Score
The sample response effectively earns all three points. In part (a), it explains that salutary neglect allowed American colonies self-governance, leading to a unique political culture distinct from Britain. Over time, this autonomy created growing differences that contributed to the colonies’ eventual push for independence. This clear and historically accurate explanation earns 1 point.
In part (b), the response highlights the shift in British policy after the Seven Years’ War, when Britain, in debt, increased taxation and economic control over the colonies through internal taxes aimed at raising revenue. This contrasts with the earlier period, when regulations mainly focused on foreign trade and which employed salutary neglect, effectively describing a key difference and earning 1 point.
In part (c), the response explains how, after independence, the U.S. moved away from monarchical rule, first under the weak Confederation Congress and later under the U.S. Constitution (1789), which established a more democratic, republican system than Britain’s. This accurate comparison earns 1 point.
Overall, the response earns a perfect 3/3 score by directly addressing the prompt with precise historical examples and clear explanations.
When you are done reviewing this APUSH SAQ example, you can use the button below to proceed to our Short Answer example 4.