Understanding Contextualization in the AP® History Courses

Contextualization is an intriguing skill introduced in the redesigned AP History courses. It plays a crucial role in multiple aspects of the courses, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, and essays (such as the Document-Based Question and Long Essay Questions). Mastering contextualization brings various benefits to both teachers and students, such as earning points on essay rubrics and gaining a deeper understanding of the past, present, and future.

What is contextualization?

According to the College Board, contextualization involves analyzing the context of historical events, developments, or processes. The DBQ and LEQ rubrics further define it as describing a broader historical context relevant to the prompt. In the decision rules, it is stated that the response must establish connections between the prompt’s topic and broader historical events, developments, or processes that occurred before, during, or after the question’s time frame. To simplify the concept for teachers and students, I often refer to contextualization as understanding the “big picture.” It entails determining how events like the American Revolution fit into the broader narrative of U.S. History, which is crucial for comprehending historical connections and disconnections.

How should I teach contextualization? 

I like to approach contextualization in two ways. The first is the macro version, which is the more common interpretation of context within the broader skills. It involves considering how the American Revolution fits into the larger narrative of U.S. History. To facilitate understanding, I encourage teachers and students to adopt specific vocabulary. The concept of pre-contextualization is analogous to a “previously on...” segment in a TV show. It serves to provide viewers with context about how the upcoming episode aligns with the overall story arc. Similarly, a “next time on...” segment offers post-contextualization by demonstrating how the episode connects to the broader narrative going forward. Both pre-contextualization and post-contextualization help viewers see how each episode relates to the larger story.

However, when TV shows display contextualization clips, do they include scenes from every season? Most likely not, as earlier seasons may no longer be relevant due to new characters, storylines, and so on. The key to understanding both pre-contextualization and post-contextualization is relevance. The clips shown must be relevant to the episode being watched. Similarly, students should consider relevance to the topic and argument they are making in U.S. History. I suggest using fifty-year windows as a guideline. For instance, if the topic covers the period from 1800 to 1850, pre-contextualization should focus on 1750 to 1800, while post-contextualization should extend to 1850 to 1900. It’s important to note that this is not a rigid rule but rather a way to prioritize relevance. If a connection falls outside the fifty-year window but remains meaningful and relevant, students should embrace it. However, considering the time constraints of essay writing (approximately 30 to 40  minutes), going further back or forward in time requires more steps to establish meaningful connections.

Daily practice can help develop and reinforce contextualization skills. During class discussions, encourage students to think about pre- and post-contextualization and connections to periods outside the immediate topic. Consistent practice will make the process easier, enabling students to internalize contextualization and apply it effectively in formal essay writing.

There is also a micro-level approach to contextualization, specifically related to documents within the DBQ essay. While the DBQ primarily emphasizes macro contextualization (as it is a point on the DBQ rubric, shared with the LEQ), it also incorporates a micro view of contextualization. This micro view aligns with the HIPP point on row D of the DBQ rubric. HIPP is an acronym used to assess the use of documents in the DBQ. Students are required to explain how or why a document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience are relevant to their argument for at least three documents. Notably, the historical situation was previously referred to as historical context but was renamed to reduce confusion regarding the many instances of contextualization on the rubric. However, historical situation essentially refers to contextualization on a smaller scale—connecting individual documents to the essay’s broader argument.

Contextualization is a significant skill for both theoretical and practical purposes. Theoretically, it enhances understanding of how historical events relate to earlier and later periods, fostering historical awareness. Practically, it is linked to specific points on essay rubrics. By comprehending the distinctions between various aspects of this historical thinking skill, students can develop a deeper understanding of history and perform better on exams.