The U.S. History portion of the GED Social Studies test makes up about 20% of the exam. The questions are not about memorizing specific dates or facts, but rather about your ability to analyze historical texts, charts, and graphs to draw conclusions and interpret information.

Key Historical Periods and Topics

The U.S. History content on the test covers a wide range of periods and themes, including:

Revolutionary and Early Republic Periods: This includes major events like the American Revolution and the drafting of key documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Civil War and Reconstruction: You should be familiar with the causes, key events, and outcomes of the Civil War, as well as the Reconstruction era that followed.
Civil Rights: Questions will cover the major events, leaders, and legislative milestones of the Civil Rights Movement.
Expansion and Foreign Policy: Topics include European settlement of the Americas, westward expansion, and modern American foreign policy, including the World Wars and the Cold War.

In addition to historical content, you'll need to apply social studies practices, such as analyzing cause-and-effect relationships and understanding different points of view.

This video offers a general overview of the GED Social Studies test, including a breakdown of the history topics.

What's on GED Social Studies