APUSH-SYNTHESIS

The place it is most relevant in the course is as one potential point students can earn on both the
Document Based Question (DBQ) and Long Essay Question (LEQ). In order to earn the
synthesis point, students must extend the argument. This means that in addition to making an
argument with a thesis and supported by evidence, students must do something beyond
answering the specific prompt. There are two different ways that the College Board has defined
that students can extend the argument:

A. Make connections between a given historical issue and related developments in a different
historical context, geographical area, period, or era, including the present. (College Board AP
Course and Exam Description, AP US History, Fall 2015)
The first way to earn the synthesis point is to take a part of the essay and compare it to something
else that was covered in the course. This could be something from another one of the nine time
periods, another region or part of America, or a similar event.
B. Make connections between different course themes and/or approaches to history (such as
political, economic, social, cultural, or intellectual) for a given historical issue. (College Board
AP Course and Exam Description, AP US History, Fall 2015)
The second way essentially gives students the ability to add an additional category of analysis: If
the question asks for political and economic factors, students could additionally discuss social
factors for a particular issue or even
***you have to develop your points when you synthesize.you have to go PAST
merely making a statement or two

See https://www.albert.io/blog/how-to-earn-the-synthesis-point-on-the-dbq-and-leq/
for more