Study Guide
What's on the exam, which units to prioritize, the best free resources, and a 3-minute check to know if you're ready.
Pass Rate
varies
Published exam data
Prep Time
15-25h
Typical for first attempt
Units
5
Covered on the exam
CLEP US History II covers Reconstruction through present (1865-present). Exam: 120 questions, 90 minutes. Passing earns 3 credits (~$1,200 savings). Content: political (35%), social (25%), economic (15%), cultural (15%), diplomacy (10%). Cognitive: 30-40% Recall, 40-50% Understanding, 20-30% Application.
Unit 1: Reconstruction and Gilded Age (1877-1900)
Jim Crow laws · industrialization · Populist movement
Unit 2: Progressive Era and Imperialism (1890-1920)
muckrakers and reform · Spanish-American War · Roosevelt progressivism
Unit 3: World Wars and Interwar (1914-1945)
US entry into WWI · Great Depression · New Deal programs
Unit 4: Cold War Era (1945-1980)
containment doctrine · McCarthyism · civil rights movement
Unit 5: Modern America (1980-Present)
Reagan conservatism · end of Cold War · globalization
Cognitive: 30-40% Recall, 40-50% Understanding, 20-30% Application.
Translation: rote memorization alone gets you about a third of the way. The rest comes from recognizing patterns and applying concepts.
These are the best free resources for CLEP History of the United States II. Use them, then come back here for exam-format practice and a readiness check.
Modern States: US History II
Modern States (College Board partner)
Free full video course. Earn the free CLEP voucher after 70% completion.
OpenStax: U.S. History (OpenStax, Vol. 17-32)
OpenStax (free, peer-reviewed)
Ch. 17–32 cover 1865 through today.
Khan Academy: US History (Gilded Age onward)
Khan Academy
1865–present covered in full.
YouTube: CrashCourse US History
YouTube
Episodes 23-47 cover 1877–present.
Before you study anything, know where you stand. You'll get a readiness signal, a weakest-unit callout, and an estimate of hours to ready. No signup.
Don't re-watch content you already know. Drill the 1-2 units flagged as weak. Exam-format flashcards + MCQs give you the question patterns, not just terms.
Simulate the real exam under time pressure. Miss it, and you'll know exactly which unit to revisit.
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