What to Watch to Prep for AP US History
Looking for something that is fun to watch and that can also help you get ready for your AP US history course in the fall? Check out Circa’s guide below.
Brooklyn
This movie focuses on a young woman from Ireland who moves to New York City in the 1950s. It offers a glimpse into the difficulties of immigration—even in the modern world when transatlantic transportation was widely accessible—and into daily life in New York in the 1950s.
Dr. Strangelove
One of the great films to come out of the Cold War, Dr. Strangelove points out the absurdities of the showdown between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Flags of Our Fathers
This World War II movie focuses on the Pacific theater of battle, specifically on the Battle of Iwo Jima. It depicts not only the battle itself but also the lasting consequences for the soldiers who fought—including the questions surrounding the official story of events.
Frost/Nixon
This mesmerizing film focuses on what might otherwise have been a forgettable historical moment: a series of interviews between disgraced former president Richard Nixon and entertainer/journalist David Frost. This film gives a glimpse into Richard Nixon and more importantly into the public outrage surrounding his crimes and resignation.
Hamilton
This award-winning musical is popular with both the public and historians alike for the ways in which it has brought a historically-accurate story to life in a way that speaks to the concerns of the 21st century. Watch it to get familiar with the major names and events of the Revolutionary War, stay for the moving score and stunning choreography.
John Adams
A thrilling miniseries about the US Revolutionary War and the early years of US history, as seen through the eyes of John Adams—who was at the forefront of the fight for independence and would later become the second president of the United States.
Lincoln
This film focuses on the final 4 months of Abraham Lincoln’s life, including his efforts to pass the 13th Amendment and secure a Northern victory in the US Civil War. The film gives a great sense of Lincoln, the people around him, and the pressing questions facing the Union during the final days of the Civil War.
Little Women
This film gives a glimpse into the lives of women in the mid-19th century in the US. It shows what life was like in New England, outside of the big cities, and shows how the Civil War—even though its battles were far away from Massachusetts—affected daily life.
Mad Men
This series gives a glimpse into the world of the 1960s: its consumerism, popular culture, and gender norms, all set within the backdrop of the major events that happened in the US and around the world during that decade.
The Quiet American
This film takes place during the collapse of the French Empire in Vietnam—and what would become the start of US military involvement in the country. The films traces the actions and goals of many actors in Vietnam at this turbulent time, which would ultimately set up one of the most devastating military conflicts for the US.
Saving Private Ryan
One of the most famous World War II movies, this film follows a group of US army rangers in the immediate aftermath of the Normandy Invasions, who are searching for a single paratrooper, James Francis Ryan. The film provides a gritty portrayal of what World War II was like for those who fought in the war’s final months on the western front.
Thirteen Days
This films breaks down the Cuban Missile Crisis—during which the US and Soviet Union were nearly at nuclear war—day by day. Watch the events unfold and see how nuclear destruction was ultimately avoided.
The Trial of the Chicago 7
This film follows the story of the trial of seven Vietnam War protesters who were accused of inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The film offers insights into the protests against the Vietnam War, into the turbulent politics of the 1960s, and into attempts to suppress political dissent during the decade.
Twelve Years a Slave
This film is an adaptation of the memoir by Solomon Northup, a historical figure who was born free in New York but was kidnapped and forced to work on Louisiana plantations for 12 years. The film offers unflinching depictions of the horrors of slavery in the US South and also directly confronts the dangers that Black Americans faced in the North in the years before the Civil War.
Continue Your AP US History Test Prep
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