So...what is SBMCMQ, anyway...and why do I care?

As you probably know by now, AP classes all have their own unique acronyms. For APUSH, SBMC or SBMCMQ are the multiple-choice questions based on primary or secondary source stimuli. That sounds a bit complex, so let’s break it down, step-by-step. 

. This just means that you are given a small section of a document to help you think about the question. This does not mean that the answers you’re seeking are going to be inside the stimulus! The AP Exam is trying to test your historical thinking skills, not your reading skills. The stimulus is there to help you contextualize the question that is asked and to 

Multiple types of stimuli are provided on the exam. While they are often pulled from primary and secondary texts, they can also be images like propaganda posters or fine art. They might also be quantitative things, like charts and graphs, or even maps. 

Next, you need to know that the questions are 

. This can either be a great help or a great hindrance, depending on how you choose to tackle this section. We’ll talk about some strategies later in this guide. 

Now that you know what these questions are, let’s look at why they matter on the AP Exam. Check out this chart that breaks down the APUSH Exam. 

As you can see, the SBMC accounts for 40% of the exam score, and you’ll have 55 minutes to complete the section. That seems reasonable until you realize that you have to complete 55 SBMC in that time! 

For a lot of students, time-management is the hardest part of this section of the exam. In order to finish on time, you can only spend about a minute on each question. When you take into account the time spent on reading the stimulus, it definitely becomes a race against the clock.

For example, you might see something like this on an AP exam: 

“A statute which implies merely a legal distinction between the white and colored races -- a distinction which is founded in the color of the two races and which must always exist so long as white men are distinguished from the other race by color -- has no tendency to destroy the legal equality of the two races, or reestablish a state of involuntary servitude.” 

Did you look at that question, and feel a bit of panic? It’s okay if you did! There are strategies that can help you break down questions and select the best answers. As you practice SBMC questions, you can try out these strategies and see which ones are most useful for you. 

Let’s be realistic -- you’re probably not going to have enough time to thoroughly read and annotate each text-based stimulus. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to. Let’s look at our sample stimulus again: 

Like most legal rulings, the language here is 

. Reading this through might end up being a blow to your confidence, which is definitely what you 

 want on test day. For that reason, it’s better to start with the sourcing information. 

At the bottom of each stimulus, there is a notation that indicates where the document came from. In this case, jumping straight to the sourcing tells us that this document is an excerpt from the 

 case, there’s no reason to do more than skim through the stimulus for a quick refresher. Again, the answer you want isn’t going to be explicitly delivered in the stimulus, so there’s no reason to take a lot of time for it. 

2. Decide what the question is actually asking.

Remember, the APUSH Exam is testing your historical thinking skills. It would be helpful to identify some keywords in SBMC questions that highlight what skills the Exam is testing with particular questions. In our example question, 

Which later development is most directly a result of the 

The word “result” indicates that the question is looking for causation. In other words, which of the four options is most directly 

There are five historical thinking skills that are assessed through the SBMC section; argumentation is only assessed through the free-response sections.

For our sample question, you’ve been asked to make a connection between historical events. 

It is likely that there are multiple answers that 

 be correct for an SBMC. If you read the instructions for the section, however, you’ll see that you need to find the 

 answer. One way to get at the best answer is to eliminate the less likely options. Let’s look at our options for the sample question. 

Considering these options, and the skill being tested by the question, it’s helpful to know 

 these events occurred to help eliminate some options. 

With dates alone, we can reduce our likely answers from four to three. If nothing else, this increases our likelihood for a correct guess! 

Like most standardized tests, you’re on a time crunch! As you have probably heard for the ACT or other common standardized tests, guessing is not always a bad option, especially when you’re running out of time. 

If you encounter a set of questions that are stumping you, just guess something and move on. You might miss out on the opportunity to answer later questions that you’re more confident about by spending too much time on something you don’t actually know. 

Pick a favorite letter (A, B, C, or D) and use that letter for any questions for which you’re unsure of the best answer. 

You don’t want to leave empty bubbles at the end of the test. A lack of answers removes any possibility of your getting points. In the last minute of the 55 minute test time, fill in any remaining bubbles with your favorite guess letter. In this case, it’s better to have something than nothing. 

Let’s return to our sample question and finish answering it. 

, Supreme Court of the United States (163 U.S. 537), May 18, 1896

At this point, we need to think logically about causation, and what we know of American history to actually answer the question. We’ve used sourcing to decide we don’t need to spend time thoroughly reading the stimulus, and elimination to get rid of one of the answers. 

If you just said to yourself, “Wow, that’s a lot of effort for just one question,” you’re not wrong! This is the reason that SBMC questions are challenging. You have to apply both historical knowledge (a 

 of historical knowledge) and historical thinking skills. Practice is important for this section! While you’re practicing, try using a timer to simulate the timed experience of the real exam.

“I thank you, dear Sir, for the copy you have been so kind as to send me of the letter to your constituents on the Missouri question. It is a perfect justification to them. I had for a long time ceased to read newspapers, or pay any attention to public affairs, confident they were in good hands….[b]ut this momentous question, like a fire bell in the night, awakened and filled me with terror. I considered it at once as the knell of the Union. It is hushed, indeed, for the moment.”

AP US History Exam

2021 APUSH Exam Resources, Reviews & Study Guides | Fiveable

AP US History

Tom Richey

Free Reviews 2020

Thematic Guides

Document Based Questions (DBQ)

Unit 1: 1491-1607

Unit 2: 1607-1754

Unit 3: 1754-1800

Unit 4: 1800-1848

Unit 5: 1844-1877

Unit 6: 1865-1898

Unit 7: 1890-1945

Unit 8: 1945-1980

Unit 9: 1980-Present

Course Introductions