Demystifying the APUSH ‘Relative Importance’ Prompt

Strategies, Analysis, and Tips for Exam Success

According to the recently revised APUSH CED, students taking the exam in May will encounter only two types of LEQ and DBQ prompts: (1) The ‘relative importance’ prompt and (2) The ‘to what extent’ prompt. What appears below provides the answers to the most commonly asked questions about the ‘relative importance’ prompt.

Ten Good Examples of the ‘Relative Importance’ Prompt:

1. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of population movement to colonial British America in the period from 1607 to 1754 (Released-2022).
2. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of the rise of industrial capitalism in the United States in the period from 1865 to 1900 (Released–2022).
3. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of internal migration within the United States in the period from 1900 to 1970 (Released–2022).
4. Evaluate the relative importance of causes of reform activity in the United States in the period from 1800 to 1848. (Released-2022).
5. Evaluate the relative importance of different causes for the expanding role of the United States in the world in the period from 1865 to 1910. (Released-2018).
6. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of the Civil War in the period from 1830 to 1861.
7. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of the American Revolution in the period from 1763 to 1783.
8. Evaluate the relative importance of the outcomes of the New Deal in the United States in the period from 1929 to 1941.
9. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of westward expansion on the decline of the Great Plains Native American societies in the period from 1865 to 1890.
10. Evaluate the relative importance of different factors that led to the United States’ entry into World War I in the period from 1900 to 1917

Prompts 1–5 were either found in the 2024 CED, in a CED from a previous year, or on AP Classroom and designated as released. Prompts 6–13 were created on Class Companion using its Generate Assignment with AI Feature.

The ‘Relative Importance’ Prompt and the 2024 Exam

Recently, a small handful of APUSH teachers, without presenting any evidence, suggested that the College Board has decided to drop the ‘Relative Importance’ prompt from its exams. I haven’t heard anything of the sort, nor has anyone else I’ve touched base with. Can’t imagine that after all three LEQ prompts in the released 2022 exam used the ‘relative importance’ format, we’d now not see one. So I’m betting that one or more “relative importance” prompts will appear on the exam in May.

As for me personally, I am a big fan of the “relative importance” prompt and therefore wish to see it placed squarely before my students on the exam in May.

The Case for Continuing These Questions

These prompts require students to not only recall facts but also analyze and weigh the significance of different historical factors. These prompts also encourage a deeper engagement with history. All good stuff.

Arguments Against Continuation

These prompts might result in students oversimplifying complex historical events. They might also result in students inadvertently making broad generalizations, which can lead to a biased interpretation of history, where certain narratives are given undue importance over others. Other than that, these prompts often prove such a tough nut to crack, leaving one to wonder if the bar is being set too high.

Earning of the Contextualization Point

Here’s how I teach my students to earn the point:

1. Start with “Before” and insert the earliest date appearing in the prompt. For instance, if the prompt references a time period from 1840 to 1863, begin the attempt to earn the contextualization point with “Before 1840”.
2. Complete the sentence and add at least three more sentences to paint a picture of something relating to the prompt before this earliest mentioned-in-the prompt date.

Here’s how this can be applied to the “relative importance” prompts:

Prompt #1 Followed by an Attempt to Earn the Contextualization Point:
Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of population movement to colonial British America in the period from 1607 to 1754.

Before 1607, only the Spanish and French were heading to the Americas, but they weren’t coming in big crowds. The Spanish were chasing after gold and trying to spread their religion, setting up in places like South America and parts of what’s now the southern U.S. The French were more into trading stuff like fur and settled in areas that are now part of Canada and the northern U.S. In other words, there was no significant population movement to colonial British America in the period from 1607 to 1754, except for the failed attempt to establish a colony at Roanoke

Prompt #2 Followed by an Attempt to Earn the Contextualization Point:
Evaluate the relative importance of the outcomes of the New Deal in the United States in the period from 1929 to 1941.

Before 1929, the United States was riding high on the economic boom of the 1920s, a time often called the Roaring Twenties. This era was marked by major industrial growth, a surge in consumer spending, and a stock market that seemed to only go up. Therefore there was no need for a New Deal. Most felt as if they had been dealt a good deal, with those who felt that they had been dealt a bum deal not finding themselves in a position of forcing a new deal.

Earning of the Thesis Point

When teaching my students to earn the thesis point for a ‘relative importance’ prompt, I encourage them to use ‘the two-sentence strategy described below:

• The First Sentence — Listing Factors or Outcomes: Begin by concisely listing the different factors or outcomes that are pertinent to the prompt. This sentence should cover all key elements that you plan to discuss in your essay, directly relating to the prompt.
• The Second Sentence — Establishing the Most Critical Factor or Outcome: State which of these factors or outcomes is the most significant, and briefly indicate why. This sentence provides a clear point of view and sets the stage for your essay’s argumentative focus.

Here’s how the two-sentence formula can be applied to the “relative importance” prompts:

Prompt #1 Followed by an Attempt to Earn the Thesis Point:
Evaluate the relative importance of different causes behind rapid industrialization in the United States in the period from 1865 to 1890.

In the period from 1865 to 1890, rapid industrialization in the United States was caused by the rise of influential industrialists like Rockefeller and Carnegie, the availability of large numbers of immigrants willing to work for little pay, and the implementation of laissez-faire government policies. Of these, the most important was the rise of influential industrialists like Rockefeller and Carnegie, as their leadership revolutionized production methods and industry management and also significantly influenced the shaping of government policies and labor practices.

Prompt #2 Followed by an Attempt to Earn the Thesis Point:
Evaluate the relative importance of different causes for the expanding role of the United States in the world in the period from 1865 to 1910.

In the period from 1865 to 1910, the expanding role of the United States in the world was caused by its willingness to industrialize, to go into the world in search of political and economic gain, and to use its military when either challenged or threatened. Of these, its willingness to industrialize was the most important, as it led to economic growth, technological advancements, and military might.

Note: Both attempts contained two or more lines of reasoning. Only one line of reasoning is required to earn the thesis point.

Earning of the Complexity Point

When teaching my students to earn the complexity point for a ‘relative importance’ prompt, I encourage them to utilize the tack-it-ono-approach.

The term ‘tack-it-on approach’ refers to any attempt to earn the APUSH LEQ/DBQ complexity point by attaching a paragraph of 3–7 sentences to the end of an LEQ/DBQ essay, with this paragraph seeking to do one or more of the following:

• Explain multiple themes or perspectives to explore complexity or nuance;
• Explain multiple causes or effects, multiple similarities or differences, or multiple continuities or changes;
• Explain both cause and effect, both similarity and difference, or both continuity and change:
• Explain relevant and insightful connections within and across periods or geographical areas. These connections should clearly relate to an argument that responds to the prompt.”

The essay appearing below not only utilizes the tack-it-on approach but also a very specific kind of tacked-on paragraph, the Mod/Qual, with this paragraph:

• Seeking to modify or qualify the main argument in the essay.
• Starting with ‘While it is true that…’, and then including at least two instances of ‘it also needs to be noted that…’

Prompt #1 Followed by an Attempt to Earn the Complexity Point Utilizing the Tack-it-on-Approach:
Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of population movement to colonial British America in the period from 1607 to 1754.

Before 1607, only the Spanish and French were heading to the Americas, but they weren’t coming in big crowds. The Spanish were chasing after gold and trying to spread their religion, setting up in places like South America and parts of what’s now the southern U.S. The French were more into trading stuff like fur and settled in areas that are now part of Canada and the northern U.S. In other words, there was no significant population movement to colonial British America in the period from 1607 to 1754, except for the failed attempt to establish a colony at Roanoke,

In the period from 1607 to 1754, the movement of populations to colonial British America was caused by the allure of economic opportunities, the quest for religious freedom, and the availability of slave labor. Of these the allure of economic opportunity was a primary driver. The promise of land ownership and wealth from agricultural pursuits, particularly tobacco cultivation in the Chesapeake colonies, lured many. Indentured servitude became a common means for poorer individuals to migrate, offering labor in exchange for eventual freedom and land.

Another significant piece of evidence supporting the claim that the allure of economic opportunities was a primary driver of population movement to colonial British America is the development of the fur trade, particularly in the northern colonies. The fur trade became a highly lucrative endeavor, attracting not only European settlers but also engaging Native American tribes. This industry spurred exploration and settlement in regions like New York and the Great Lakes, with Europeans establishing trading posts and forming alliances with Indigenous peoples to secure a steady supply of furs. The economic prospects of the fur trade not only drew settlers seeking wealth but also played a pivotal role in the expansion of colonial territories and the establishment of key trading networks, further underscoring the importance of economic incentives in the colonization of North America.

While it is true that in the period from 1607 to 1754, the movement of populations to colonial British America was primarily caused by the allure of economic opportunities, it also needs to be noted that the economic prosperity of the colonies was inextricably linked not only to the labor provided by both indentured servants but also by enslaved Africans. Without the availability of slave labor, one has to wonder just how strong the allure of economic prosperity was and whether it would have been strong enough to keep various populations from moving to British North America. In other words, it’s easy to say people came to British North America for economic opportunities, but would they have if they hadn’t had access to slave labor? It also needs to be noted that religious motivations, though not as widespread, were deeply influential in shaping the cultural and social landscapes of places like New England.
— 429 words

The Call to Rank and the ‘Relative Importance Prompt’

Some teachers I know think that a student must rank the causes, outcomes, factors, reasons, etc., to score well. Not true. Nowhere in the rubric does it say or suggest anything of the sort. Therefore, a student can earn full points on both the DBQ and the LEQ without ranking. However, for those aiming to earn the complexity point, ranking might indeed be a useful strategy. By thoughtfully prioritizing certain causes, outcomes, factors, reasons, etc, students can demonstrate a deeper understanding and analysis of the historical complexities, which is what the complexity point seeks to recognize. So going this route could work, though, as said previously, it isn’t mandatory.

A student who goes like this might end up with a tacked-on paragraph that looks something like this for the essay appearing above:

While it is true that the allure of economic opportunities was the most important cause for the population movement to colonial British America between 1607 and 1754, it also needs to be noted that religious freedom and slave labor were significant factors, ranking not far behind. Religious groups, facing persecution in Europe, migrated to regions like New England to establish communities based on their faith. This quest for religious autonomy significantly shaped the social and political landscape of these colonies. Concurrently, the availability of slave labor, especially in southern colonies, was vital for the economic viability of cash crop agriculture. This labor force underpinned the colonial economy, making the profitable cultivation of tobacco and cotton feasible. Thus, while economic prospects can be credited for having caused many people to move to colonial British America in the period from 1607 to 1754, it’s questionable whether as many would have moved if slave labor had not been available. It’s also doubtful that as many would have moved to British America if the governments of various European countries and their populations had been more accepting of religious diversity.

Your Turn

1. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of the demise of the Great Plains Native Americans.
2. Evaluate the relative importance of different outcomes from the amendments to the US Constitution, 1860–1890.
3. Evaluate the relative importance of different outcomes from the development of a more interventionist United States foreign policy, 1914–1918.
4. Evaluate the relative importance of the factors that contributed to the growth and spread of the Progressive Movement in the United States in the period from 1890 to 1920.
5. Evaluate the relative importance of different factors that contributed to the rise of industrial capitalism in the United States in the period from 1865 to 1900.
6. Evaluate the relative importance of different factors contributing to the expansion of the suffrage movement in the United States in the period from 1914 to 1928.
7. Evaluate the relative importance of different factors contributing to the amendments made to the US Constitution in the period from 1890 to 1921.
8. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of the United States’ entry into World War I in the period from 1914 to 1917
9. Evaluate the relative importance of different factors contributing to the development of the American abolitionist movement in the period from 1800 to 1860
10. Evaluate the relative importance of the causes of the Mexican-American War (1846–1848).

Sidenote #1:

If you’re a teacher, consider uploading one or more of the prompts appearing above to Class Companion. By assigning these prompts either in class or as homework, you’ll be encouraging students to engage with key historical themes and concepts, enhancing their understanding and retention of the material.

Sidenote #2:

If you’re a student, ask your teacher to upload to Class Companion questions like the ones appearing above to help deepen your understanding of various historical topics and themes and to facilitate a more interactive and engaging learning experience.

Sidenote #3:

To learn more about Class Companion, you can check out each of the short videos provided below.