CLEP US History I vs II: Which Exam Should You Take?

CLEP History of the United States I covers early colonization through 1877, and CLEP History of the United States II covers 1865 to the present. They are two separate exams, each worth three semester hours, and together they form a standard two-semester US history survey. Take History I if your degree needs the first half of a survey or you know the colonial-through-Civil-War era better, and take History II if you need the modern half or you are stronger on the twentieth century. Many students take both to clear a full year of history credit. Each is about 120 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, scored 20 to 80, with 50 the commonly recommended credit score.

What is the difference between CLEP US History I and II?

The difference is the time period. History I runs from early European colonization to the end of Reconstruction in 1877, emphasizing the English colonies, the Revolution, the founding, westward expansion, sectional conflict and the Civil War. History II starts around 1865 and runs to the present, covering Reconstruction's aftermath, industrialization, the World Wars, the Cold War, the civil rights movement and modern America. There is a small overlap around 1865 to 1877 because both touch Reconstruction, but the bulk of each exam is squarely in its own era.

CLEP US History I vs II at a glance

How the questions are weighted

Both exams group questions into the same five topic areas: political institutions and public policy, social developments, cultural and intellectual developments, economic developments, and diplomacy and transnational interactions. On History I, political and social developments carry the most weight at about 25 percent each. Both exams are cause-and-effect heavy: they test not just what happened but why, and how developments in one region or period connected to another. That is worth knowing before you study, because memorizing a list of dates will not carry you as far as understanding the story behind them.

History I also weights its eras: roughly 30 percent of the questions cover 1500 to 1789, and about 70 percent cover 1790 to 1877. So if you are taking History I, the early republic through Reconstruction deserves the bulk of your attention, even though the colonial period tends to get more airtime in popular history.

Which one should you take?

Start with your degree requirement. Some programs want a specific half of the survey; others accept either for a general history or social-science credit. Check your college's CLEP policy first so you earn credit that actually counts. If either exam satisfies the requirement, pick the era you know better, since a passing score is a passing score regardless of which half you take. If you need a full year of history credit, take both; there is no rule that says you have to choose, and they do not overlap enough to make one redundant.

One practical note: because History II includes the last 60 years, it can feel more familiar if you grew up hearing about the World Wars, the Cold War and the civil rights era. History I asks you to hold older, less familiar material, which is why the 70 percent weighting toward 1790 to 1877 matters so much for your study plan.

How to prepare for whichever you choose

History is a story, and stories are easy to follow but hard to reproduce on a test. The efficient way to prepare is retrieval practice: pull facts and connections out of memory instead of rereading them. Read a chapter, then immediately test yourself on it, and keep testing as you move through the eras. Focus your reps where the exam is weighted, which for History I means the early republic through Reconstruction.

You can build that practice from material you already have. Take your notes or a textbook chapter and turn them into CLEP US History practice questions with an answer key and explanations, then drill the era that keeps slowing you down. Because dates and sequences matter, some students find it helps to pull the key events into a compact timeline you can present to yourself as slides and flip through in the last week before the exam, alongside timed practice.

Frequently asked questions

Can you take both CLEP US History exams?

Yes. History I and History II are separate exams, each worth three semester hours, and many students take both to clear a full year of US history credit. There is no requirement to choose one; they cover different eras with only a small overlap around Reconstruction, so both count as distinct credit at most colleges.

Which CLEP US History exam is easier?

It depends on the era you know better. History I leans on older, less familiar colonial and early-republic material, while History II covers the more familiar modern era of the World Wars, the Cold War and civil rights. Neither is objectively harder; both are about 120 multiple-choice questions and both reward cause-and-effect understanding. Pick the half you are stronger on.

What is a passing score on CLEP US History?

CLEP scores run 20 to 80, and the American Council on Education recommends a score of 50 for three semester hours of credit on each exam. But 50 is only a recommendation. Each college sets its own required score and credit policy, so confirm your school's policy before you register.

Where does History I end and History II begin?

History I ends in 1877 with the close of Reconstruction, and History II begins around 1865. The two overlap slightly across the Reconstruction years, but each exam concentrates on its own era: colonization through the Civil War for the first, and the modern industrial and postwar United States for the second.

How many colleges accept CLEP US History credit?

About 2,900 colleges and universities accept CLEP for credit. Acceptance and the required score vary by institution, and each school decides which requirement the credit satisfies, so always verify your specific college's CLEP policy before you test to make sure the credit will count.