AP United States History Short-Answer Question 1 from the 2017 Administration

2017

AP United States

History

Sample Student Responses

and Scoring Commentary

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Inside:

R Short Answer Question 1

R Scoring Guideline

R Student Samples

R Scoring Commentary

UNITED STATES HISTORY

2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

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Short Answer Question 1

Answer (a), (b), and (c).

a) Briefly explain how ONE specific historical development represents an accomplishment of the national

government under the Articles of Confederation.

b) Briefly explain ONE specific argument critics used in the 1780s to support revising the Articles of

Confederation.

c) Briefly explain ONE specific way in which the United States Constitution addresses a criticism of the

Articles of Confederation.

Scoring Guide

0–3 points

Score 3

Response accomplishes all three tasks set by the question.

Score 2

Response accomplishes two of the tasks set by the question.

Score 1

Response accomplishes one of the tasks set by the question.

Score 0

Response accomplishes none of the tasks set by the question.

Score NR

No response. Response is completely blank.

Scoring Notes

a) Response briefly explains how ONE specific historical development represents an accomplishment of

the national government under the Articles of Confederation.

NOTE: responses may address either the Articles of Confederation or the actions of the national

government under the Articles.

Examples of responses to (a) that would earn the point:

• The Articles created a confederation government for the former British colonies after declaring

independence from the crown.

• The Articles prevented states from forming their own republics.

• The Articles allowed states to maintain the governments and elected bodies they had already

formed.

• The national government coordinated the actions of the new states in the former British colonies,

especially defense.

• The national government passed Northwest Ordinances in 1785 and 1787, establishing orderly

procedures for settling the Northwest Territory and admitting new states from it.

UNITED STATES HISTORY

2017 SCORING GUIDELINES

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Short Answer Question 1 (continued)

b) Briefly explains ONE specific argument critics used in the 1780s to support revising the Articles of

Confederation.

Examples of responses to (b) that would earn the point:

• The national government under the Articles of Confederation was weak and often unable to

conduct routine business.

• The national government had no authority to tax directly. Instead states had the authority to tax.

• The national government had no authority to regulate interstate commerce.

• Money lost value because both state and national governments had the power to coin money and

many states wantonly printed debt instruments.

• Some states wanted independence from the Confederation.

• Some leaders called for stronger national government, a stronger executive office, and/or a

Constitutional Convention.

• Shays’ Rebellion demonstrated the weaknesses of the government.

• The government under the Articles lacked a national court system.

c) Briefly explains ONE specific way in which the United States Constitution addresses a criticism of the

Articles of Confederation.

Examples of responses to (c) that would earn the point:

• The Constitution gave the federal government the power to tax.

• Printing and coining money became a power reserved only for the federal government under the

Constitution.

• The creation of a bicameral legislature under the Constitution, especially the House of

Representatives, allowed people to express a voice in government while still maintaining a strong

central authority.

• The Constitution granted specific powers to the federal government and reserved other powers for

the states.

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UNITED STATES HISTORY

2017 SCORING COMMENTARY

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Short Answer Question 1

Overview

Responses were expected to briefly explain how one specific historical development represents an

accomplishment of the national government under the Articles of Confederation, briefly explain one

specific argument critics used in the 1780s to support revising the Articles of Confederation, and briefly

explain one specific way in which the United States Constitution addresses a criticism of the Articles of

Confederation.

This question assessed the skill of Continuity and Change over Time.

The Learning Objective assessed in this question focuses on politics and power (explaining how and why

political ideas, beliefs, institutions, party systems, and alignments developed and changed).

Sample: 1A

Score: 3

a) The response earned 1 point because it accurately describes the Northwest Ordinance relating to the

economy as an accomplishment of the government under the Articles.

b) The response earned 1 point because of the discussion of Shays' Rebellion and decentralization as a

reason for revising the Articles.

c) The response earned 1 point because of the discussion of the authority to regulate commerce under the

Constitution as addressing a weakness of the Articles.

Sample: 1B

Score: 2

a) The response earned 1 point because of the discussion of a "weak" national government. References to

"federal" government are considered minor errors.

b) The response earned 1 point because of the discussion of the lack of national control over the states

under the Articles. While the confederation government had a military, it was ineffective in countering

Shays' Rebellion.

c) The response did not earn the point because the discussion of the Ninth Amendment and the federal

versus state powers does not address a weakness of the Articles.

Sample: 1C

Score: 1

a) The response did not earn the point because the discussion of a president under the Articles is

incorrect.

b) The response did not earn the point because the discussion of the Bill of Rights is not relevant to the

Articles of Confederation but rather to the Constitution.

c) The response earned 1 point with a discussion of the Constitution's correction of the Articles as a weak

governing document, despite the incorrect reference to individual and states’ rights.