History of the United States II
3 free practice tests · 120 questions each · 1h 30min · U.S. history from 1865 to present
About This Exam
The CLEP History of the United States II exam measures college-level understanding of united States history from 1865 to the present, with emphasis on the 20th century. Questions are written to reflect the official College Board blueprint and mix direct knowledge, application, interpretation, and scenario-based reasoning.
What's Covered
- Political history — party realignments, reform movements, constitutional change, and public policy
- Social and cultural history — immigration, race, gender, urbanization, reform, protest, and cultural life
- Economic change — industrialization, labor, depression, prosperity, regulation, and the federal role in the economy
- Foreign policy — expansion, war, diplomacy, the Cold War, and global engagement
For the official exam description, see the College Board CLEP History of the United States II page.
Study Tips
- Anchor events within the two official periods: 1865-1914 and 1915-present.
- Link social developments to political and economic change instead of studying them separately.
- Practice cause-and-effect questions for wars, reform eras, and federal policy shifts.
- Expect major Supreme Court cases and constitutional amendments to appear in historical context.
- Use chronology to eliminate plausible but misdated answers.
How to Register
Register at clep.collegeboard.org. The exam costs $97 and can be taken at a testing center or remotely. Check with your college for its CLEP credit policy and minimum score requirements before registering. Military service members, their spouses, and eligible veterans may be able to take the exam at no cost through DANTES funding.
About Our Practice Tests
All questions are original and written to match the difficulty, format, and topic coverage of the real exam based on official exam descriptions. We offer two modes: Practice Mode gives you instant feedback and explanations after each question, and Test Mode simulates the real exam with a timer and no feedback until you submit. Both modes are completely free with no account required.
Sample Practice Questions
Review these sample questions to get a feel for the exam. For the full interactive experience, use the Practice Tests above.
Which term best matches the description below?
The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, which ended slavery and redefined citizenship and voting rights after the Civil War.
- A) New Deal
- B) Reconstruction amendments
- C) Great Society
- D) Civil Rights Act of 1964
- E) Watergate
View Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer:
B) Reconstruction amendments
Reconstruction amendments is the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, which ended slavery and redefined citizenship and voting rights after the Civil War. In context, a history question asks how constitutional change after the Civil War altered legal equality and federal responsibility for civil rights.
Which term best matches the description below?
The civil service reform law that reduced the spoils system by requiring merit-based hiring for many federal jobs.
- A) Great Society
- B) Civil Rights Act of 1964
- C) Pendleton Act
- D) Watergate
- E) Reagan conservatism
View Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer:
C) Pendleton Act
Pendleton Act is the civil service reform law that reduced the spoils system by requiring merit-based hiring for many federal jobs. In context, a government history item asks why federal employment rules changed after repeated concerns about patronage and corruption.
Which term best matches the description below?
The movement that sought to address urban, political, and corporate problems through regulation and democratic change.
- A) Civil Rights Act of 1964
- B) Watergate
- C) Reagan conservatism
- D) Progressive reform
- E) New Federalism
View Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer:
D) Progressive reform
Progressive reform is the movement that sought to address urban, political, and corporate problems through regulation and democratic change. In context, an early twentieth-century question asks why reformers pushed for direct primaries, regulation, and anti-corruption measures.
Which term best matches the description below?
The late nineteenth-century political movement that demanded reforms such as monetary change and regulation of railroads.
- A) Watergate
- B) Reagan conservatism
- C) New Federalism
- D) rights revolution
- E) Populist movement
View Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer:
E) Populist movement
Populist movement is the late nineteenth-century political movement that demanded reforms such as monetary change and regulation of railroads. In context, a question asks why farmers and debtors supported a political movement challenging entrenched economic power.
Which term best matches the description below?
The programs and reforms introduced during the Great Depression to provide relief, recovery, and reform.
- A) New Deal
- B) Reagan conservatism
- C) New Federalism
- D) rights revolution
- E) Homeland Security era
View Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer:
A) New Deal
New Deal is the programs and reforms introduced during the Great Depression to provide relief, recovery, and reform. In context, a question asks why federal policy expanded dramatically in response to economic crisis during the 1930s.