APUSH Summer Assignment 2026 - Enter the Year with Period 1 and 2 Preparation

Sep 20, 2026

APUSH summer work designed to build a strong foundation before Period 3 and the AP exam in May. Students complete an open-note assessment covering Periods 1 and 2 during the first week, using options such as Tom Richey video resources, Heimler’s History packets, or APUSH textbook guided notes. Students also record a family interview about September 11, 2001 and American identity, and begin reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin for a post-Thanksgiving LEQ.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Summer Assignment Overview

Open-Note Assessment: Periods 1 and 2

Recorded Family Interview: 9/11 and American Identity

Reading Requirement: Team of Rivals

Submission and Notes Requirements

APUSH Summer Assignment Welcome to AP U.S. History! This summer assignment will help you enter the year with a strong foundation so we can begin with Period 3 and save time for focused review before the AP Exam in May. Your summer work includes three parts: Prepare for an open-note assessment on Periods 1 and 2, the first week of school. Complete a recorded family interview about 9/11 and American identity (more detailed info and directions is founded in the Summer Assignment Schoology Course) Begin reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin To help you prepare for the year, you will complete an open-note assessment on Periods 1 and 2 during the first week of school. The content on this assessment is directly aligned with what appears on the APUSH Exam in May. You may use any combination of the following three study methods: ( 1) the Tom Richey APUSH Summer Assignment, which includes video lectures, timelines, and reading guides; (2) Heimler’s History video guide packets, which pair with his YouTube lessons; or (3) reading the APUSH textbook and completing guided notes. You may request early access to your textbook if you wish. You are encouraged to mix and match across these three options based on your learning style. All notes must be handwritten—typed or copied work will not be accepted. To guide your preparation, I’ve posted a document titled "Period 1 and 2 Guiding Questions and Terms" in the Summer Assignment Schoology course. This document includes essential questions, vocabulary, and key concepts aligned with the APUSH Course and Exam Description (CED) . Additional materials—including my notes, slide decks, and other review tools—are also posted in the same course. The join code for the OCAPUSH Summer Assignment Schoology course is: VTBJ-9W7T-RB23J. In addition to content review, you’ll complete a recorded interview with an adult about their experience on September 11 , 2001 and their views on American identity and values. You may interview any adult, but choosing someone who has been meaningful in your life will make the experience more impactful. You are required to record the conversation (audio or video) and submit the recording through Schoology as part of your summer assignment. No written response form is required. This interview will later serve as the foundation for your final post-AP exam project, which you can preview now in Schoology. I encourage you to keep this project in mind as the year progresses Finally, you are required to read Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. This in-depth biography of Abraham Lincoln and his leadership will be assessed through a Long Essay Question ( LEQ) after Thanksgiving. You are not required to submit anything over the summer related to this reading, but due to the book’s length and complexity, it is strongly recommended that you begin reading it now. If you have questions or need access to materials, don’t hesitate to reach out. I look forward to a great year ahead in APUSH!

FAQs

What are the three parts of the APUSH summer assignment?

Students prepare for an open-note assessment on Periods 1 and 2, complete a recorded family interview about 9/11 and American identity, and begin reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

How should students study for the Period 1 and 2 open-note assessment?

Students may use Tom Richey APUSH summer materials, Heimler’s History video guide packets, or the APUSH textbook with guided notes, and they are encouraged to mix methods.

What requirements apply to the 9/11 recorded interview?

Students must interview an adult, record the conversation (audio or video), and submit the recording through Schoology; no written response form is required.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Oliver Hayes