Historical thinking skills · AP U.S. History, AP World History: Modern
Causation
Causation: Explaining the causes and effects of historical developments, including their relative importance and short- and long-term consequences.
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What it means
Causal reasoning explains how a cause produced an effect, distinguishes between immediate triggers and long-term causes, and weighs which causes mattered most. Strong causal arguments also recognize unintended consequences.
Causation is one of the three reasoning processes used to structure AP history long essays.
Example
The firing on Fort Sumter in 1861 was the immediate trigger for the Civil War, but long-term causes included disputes over the expansion of slavery into western territories and the breakdown of the national party system in the 1850s.
On the exam
LEQ prompts often ask you to evaluate causes or effects. Using causation to frame the argument earns an analysis point.
Lessons and practice questions
Related terms
- ComparisonExplaining similarities and differences between historical developments, societies or time periods, and the reasons for them.
- Continuity and change over timeAnalyzing what changed and what stayed the same across a period, and explaining why.
- Complexity (AP history rubric)A sustained, nuanced understanding of a historical development, demonstrated through sophisticated argument or effective use of evidence.