Period 3 · 1754–1800 · 10–17% OF THE EXAM

APUSH Unit 3 Practice Questions

Unit 3 spans the French and Indian War through the election of 1800: imperial taxation and colonial resistance, the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution. This is one of the most heavily tested units on the APUSH exam.

Unit 3 quick facts

Time period
1754–1800
Exam weight
10–17% of the APUSH exam
Unit practice
24+ Unit 3 questions
Adaptive bank
140+ questions in Periods III, IV, & V
Start Unit 3 Practice ☞

140+ adaptive questions · free · no sign-up required

How to study APUSH Unit 3

  1. Review the time period first: 1754–1800 is the boundary for most Unit 3 questions.
  2. Connect each fact to a larger APUSH theme, especially causation, continuity and change, comparison, and historical argument.
  3. Practice multiple-choice questions until you can explain why the correct answer is right and why each distractor is wrong.

What Unit 3 covers

Sample Unit 3 questions

“A woodcut cartoon shows a snake severed into eight segments, each labeled with the initials of a colony or region — from tail to head: S.C., N.C., V., M., P., N.J., N.Y., and N.E. — above the caption “JOIN, or DIE.””
— Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette, 1754

1. The cartoon was originally published to urge the British colonies to cooperate in response to which of the following?

  1. A.Parliament’s decision to impose new revenue taxes on colonial trade
  2. B.The military threat posed by France and its American Indian allies
  3. C.Royal restrictions on colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains
  4. D.The growth of smuggling networks that evaded the Navigation Acts
Show answer

Correct answer: B. The military threat posed by France and its American Indian allies

“A woodcut cartoon shows a snake severed into eight segments, each labeled with the initials of a colony or region — from tail to head: S.C., N.C., V., M., P., N.J., N.Y., and N.E. — above the caption “JOIN, or DIE.””
— Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette, 1754

2. At the time of its publication, the cartoon was most directly associated with which of the following proposals?

  1. A.The Declaration of Rights and Grievances adopted by the Stamp Act Congress
  2. B.The Galloway Plan presented to the First Continental Congress
  3. C.The creation of a unified Dominion of New England under a royal governor
  4. D.The Albany Plan of Union calling for a colonial council to manage common defense
Show answer

Correct answer: D. The Albany Plan of Union calling for a colonial council to manage common defense

“A woodcut cartoon shows a snake severed into eight segments, each labeled with the initials of a colony or region — from tail to head: S.C., N.C., V., M., P., N.J., N.Y., and N.E. — above the caption “JOIN, or DIE.””
— Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette, 1754

3. The failure of the intercolonial plan associated with the cartoon best illustrates which of the following about the British colonies in the 1750s?

  1. A.Colonial assemblies were unwilling to surrender control over taxation and defense to a central body
  2. B.Most colonists had concluded that independence from Great Britain was inevitable
  3. C.The colonies lacked any tradition of self-government on which a union could be built
  4. D.British officials refused to permit any form of cooperation among the colonies
Show answer

Correct answer: A. Colonial assemblies were unwilling to surrender control over taxation and defense to a central body

Practice all Period 3 questions →

Unit 3 FAQ

What does APUSH Unit 3 cover?▾
APUSH Unit 3 covers 1754–1800. Key topics include the french and indian war and its consequences, taxation, resistance, and the road to revolution, the american revolution and the declaration of independence, the articles of confederation and the constitution, and related historical developments from Period 3.
How much of the APUSH exam is Unit 3?▾
College Board lists APUSH Unit 3 as 10–17% of the APUSH exam. Students should study it in proportion to that weight while still reviewing the full course.
How many APUSH Unit 3 questions are on apush.app?▾
This unit page includes 24+ Unit 3 practice questions, and the adaptive practice session pulls from a broader 140+ question bank for Periods III, IV, & V.

Study every APUSH unit

Unit 11491–1607Unit 21607–1754Unit 31754–1800Unit 41800–1848Unit 51844–1877Unit 61865–1898Unit 71890–1945Unit 81945–1980Unit 91980–Present

Source alignment

Unit ranges and exam weights follow the public AP United States History course framework. For the official course outline, see the College Board APUSH course page and the APUSH Course and Exam Description.

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