AP ART HISTORY RESOURCES

Helping teachers and students prepare for the AP Art History exam

Ancient Chinese tomb banner with mythical creatures, horses, and abstract designs on a dark background.

The current Art History exam covers 10 Units and a total of 250 objects from around the world (really, more like 400).

We recognize the need for more resources, especially for areas outside of Europe and Anglo-U.S. art and history.

*Please note: we are not affiliated with the College Board in any way. These are resources created by educators for other educators!

UNIT 1: Global Prehistory

30,000–500 BCE

jade cong from ancient China
Sculpture of an abstract fish on display

Key Terms and Ideas

Ancient anthropomorphic stone statue with carved face and body decorations
Ancient artifacts with text "BC vs. AD, BCE vs. CE" overlay
Collage featuring a wooden sculpture, a painting of a seated woman, and an ornate carved stone pattern with text "CLOSE LOOKING" overlaid.
dense decoration covers a surface, making it hard to make out what is happening

UNIT 2: Ancient Mediterranean

3500 BCE–300 CE

Illustration with text "COMING SOON" featuring an ancient-style face, column, and pottery on a blue and green background.

Key Terms and Ideas

Interior view of a domed ceiling with a central oculus.

UNIT 3: Early Europe and Colonial Americas

200–1750 CE

bird fibula walters

Key terms and ideas

Historic stone building with arched windows and detailed architectural elements in a narrow street.
A framed painting in a museum, featuring a dramatic scene with two women, one holding a sword and the other holding a decapitated head, on a red wall.
Painting depicting a haloed knight in armor with curly hair, set against a landscape with a distant city and cloudy sky.
Renaissance painting depicting religious figures, possibly the Madonna and Child, surrounded by saints with halos in an ornate setting.
an ivory box with a conical lid is covered in decorations
Religious painting of Virgin of Guadalupe with angels and decorative frame
an image of an ideal city includes columns and arches that are mathematically precise
leonardo da vinci annunciation
Rogier van der Weyden's portrait of a lady shows a woman in a sheer veil who looks off to the side
Rachel Ruysch's Vase of Flowers
Interior view of a Gothic church with intricate stained glass windows and ornate chandeliers.
Garden Party on the Terrace of a Country Home, c. 1720–30 CE, folding screen, oil paint on canvas with gold, Mexico. Denver Art Museum.
Chartres north window made of brilliantly colored stained glass
An angel kneels before a woman wearing a blue cloak

UNIT 4: Later Europe and Americas

1750–1980 CE

Portrait of a nun seated at a desk, surrounded by books, with a quill and open book, wearing a rosary and religious attire, in a detailed wooden frame.

UNIT 5: Indigenous Americas

1000 BCE–1980 CE

Aztec Sun Stone otherwise known as the Aztec calendar stone

Key terms and ideas

Ancient stone structure partially covered by vegetation under a blue sky.
The archaeological remains of a structure are set before modern-day buildings in Mexico City
Aztec feather headdress with vibrant green plumes displayed against a red background.
A tall vessel is painted in turquoise and has a mask attached to it. The figure has large round eyes and fangs
stone buildings are set within a cliff face
https://www.artsq.org/symbols-subject-matter/v/who-are-the-aztec-amanteca-featherworkers
A vertical stone slab shows a woman seeing a large serpent loom above her
a hammered gold plaque shows a complex figure holding staffs

UNIT 6: Africa

1100–1980 CE

"In the Works" banner with classical design elements, including column and statue outlines on a blue background.

UNIT 7: West and Central Asia

500 BCE–1980 CE

"In the Works" graphic banner with line art of classical architectural elements and statues, blue and green theme.

UNIT 8: South, East, and Southeast Asia

1300 BCE–1980 CE

Terracotta Army statues in rows, part of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum, Xi'an, China.

Key terms and ideas

Japanese woodblock print, depicting a large wave with boats, known as "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai. Mount Fuji in the background.
Traditional Japanese woodblock print of a large wave in the ocean with Mount Fuji in the background; boats struggle against the wave.
Colorful traditional Chinese architecture with ornate designs and roof details against a cloudy sky.
Zen rock garden with stones and gravel
Ancient Chinese textile with intricate design featuring mythical creatures and symbols.
Horyu-ji Temple in Japan with traditional wooden architecture and tiled roof, visitors walking nearby.
Stone sculpture of a male figure with a serene expression and a halo, wearing ornate attire and jewelry, reflecting ancient art styles.
Traditional Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print depicting a cherry blossom scene with silhouetted tree branches and pink-orange sky.
a relief sculpture of figures surrounding a wheel
a person walks in front of a large rounded mound
Ancient stone relief featuring a central seated Buddha figure surrounded by followers or attendants in a detailed, intricate carving. Buddhist sculpture art.

College Board Resources about AP Art History

NEW!

Looking for short, accessible overviews for world history topics?

Check out our new introductory readings—perfect as textbook replacements or for individual learning!

Informational poster featuring a bone inscribed with ancient Chinese characters, titled 'An Introduction to Shang Dynasty China.'
Illustration of the Aztec Sun Stone, featuring a circular carved stone with intricate designs, displayed on a promotional poster for an informational text about the Aztecs from ArtsQ.

What you get

Yellow abstract sunburst design with rays on a white background

15-question quiz + key

Beautifully illustrated PDF

Yellow sunburst pattern on white background

Curated links to relevant videos

Abstract yellow sunburst pattern on white background

Short answer questions + key

Yellow sunburst graphic on white background

Discussion questions

Yellow sunburst star shape on white background

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