Frequently Asked Questions
What is the U.S. History and Government Regents?
When do I take the U.S. History and Government Regents?
How is the U.S. History and Government Regents structured?
The U.S. History and Government Regents is divided into three parts, which must be completed in three hours.
Part I: 50 multiple-choice questions with four answer choices. The time for completion of Part I is 50 minutes. A separate answer sheet for Part I is provided and should be located at the back of the question booklet.
Part II: One thematic essay question. Your essay must be well organized and include an introduction, several paragraphs addressing a given task, and a conclusion.
Part III A: A varied number of short-answer document-based questions. You are required to answer all of the questions using the information supplied in the accompanying document.
Part III B: One document-based essay. Your essay must be well organized and include an introduction, several paragraphs addressing a given task, and a conclusion. You must use evidence from at least four of the accompanying documents to support your response.
How is the U.S. History and Government Regents scored?
The weight of each part is as follows:
| Part | Weight of Total Score |
| I | 55% |
| II | 15% |
| III A | 15% |
| III B | 15% |
What topics are covered on the U.S. History and Government Regents?
Constitutional Foundations
Unit 1: The Foundation of American Society—A study of the historical foundations, the Constitutional Convention, the Bill of Rights, basic democratic structure, and constitutional principles
Unit 2: The Constitution Tested—A study on the impact on sectional differences, states' rights vs. slavery, the Abolitionist Movement, and the Civil War
Industrialization
Unit 3: The Reconstructed Nation—A study of the Reconstruction plans, industrialization of the North, the New South, the end of Reconstruction, and political realignment after the war
Unit 4: Rise of Industry, Business, and Labor—A study of the changes in business organization, major areas of growth in the economy, major entrepreneurs, business and government practices, and the unionization of labor
Unit 5: Adjusting Society to Industrialism—A study of urban growth and problems, Social Darwinism, arts and literature, the changing patterns of immigration, the Last Frontier, and the Agrarian Protest
The Progressive Movement
Unit 6: Reform in America—A study on the progress of social and economic reform, Progressivism and government action, Woodrow Wilson and "New Freedom," and the Women's Suffrage Amendment
Unit 7: Foreign Policy—A study of emerging global involvement, the Spanish-American War, acquisition of the Philippines, interventions in Latin America, WWI, wartime Constitutional issues, and the search for peace
Prosperity and Depression
Unit 8: War and Prosperity (1917 to 1929)—A study on the return to "normalcy"/ laissez faire, business boom of the 1920s, problems on the farm, mass consumption/changing values, and the literary scene
Unit 9: The Great Depression—A study on the onset of the Depression, Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, controversial aspects of the New Deal, and the culture of the Depression
Age of Global Crisis
Unit 10: Peace in Peril (1933 to 1950)—A study on the aggression of Japan, Italy, and Germany; U.S. isolation and neutrality; the beginning of WWII; the atomic bomb; and Korematsu vs. U.S. (1944)
Unit 11: Problems with Peace—A study of Truman's "Fair Deal," two-term presidential limit, the UN and human rights, European containment policy, U.S. policy in Asia and Latin America, and McCarthyism
The World in Uncertain Times (1950 to present)
Unit 12:A Post-Industrial World and a Global Age—A study of the changes within the United States
Unit 13: The late 1940s and 1950s—A study of the Eisenhower years, civil rights, and the people of the United States
Unit 14: Decade of Change (the 1960s)—A study of Kennedy's New Frontier and foreign policy, the Civil Rights Movement, the rights of the handicapped, Johnson's Great Society, women's rights/fight for equality, and expanding the rights of the accused
Unit 15: Limits of Power: Turmoil (1965 to 1972)—A study on the Vietnam War and impact on American society and the War Powers Act of 1973
Unit 16: Trend Toward Conservatism (1972 to 1985)—A study on Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and the "New Federalism", new immigration policy; exercising power in the Caribbean; U.S. and Soviet relations; and Iran-Contra
Unit 17: Approaching the Next Century (1986 to present)—A study of domestic issues, foreign policy, and economic and political issues