Writing a Historical Essay: The Thesis and Introduction

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Writing a Historical EssayThe Thesis and
Introduction
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The Thesis

• The thesis is the sentence in the first paragraph
  that clearly states your answer to the prompt.
• It is the most important part of any essay. By
  writing a good thesis, you will go a long way
  toward writing a good essay.

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1 Formulating a Thesis

• After reading the whole prompt, marking the
  important words, and sketching out how you intend
  to proceed. . .
• Answer the prompt in a single sentence before
  writing the essay.
• Multiple sentence theses tend to be too
  unfocused.
• Essays written without a clear thesis in mind
  tend to be unfocused.

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1. Formulating a Thesis (continued)

• Consider this prompt
• To what extent was the U.S. Constitution a
  radical departure from the Articles of
  Confederation?
• What do you think about this prompt?
• Was the Constitution a radical departure from the
  Articles of Confederation?
• Did it represent only a slight alteration?
• Or something in between?
• You must take a clear position.

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1. Formulating a Thesis (continued)

• Avoid merely restating the wording of the prompt.
  
• For example The Constitution was a radical
  departure from the Articles of Confederation, is
  a very weak thesis.
• Although it may be accurate and it is better than
  no thesis at all, it shows little depth of
  understanding. It explains very little and does
  not give your essay much direction.
• A good sophisticated thesis will reflect analysis
  of the question or real insight into the issue.
  (In other words, it shows the grader you know
  your stuff.)

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1. Formulating a Thesis (continued)

• If you think that the Constitution was a major
  change from the Articles, you could write
  something like the following
• The Constitution was a major change from the
  Articles because it replaced a weak confederation
  with a strong central government.
• OR The Constitution significantly improved upon
  the Articles of Confederation by creating a
  strong and effective central government that
  unified the formerly sovereign states.

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2. Dealing with Complexity

• APUSH essay questions always involve complex
  issues that historians debate, not simple
  questions that virtually everyone agrees on.
  Nevertheless . . .
• You must take a clear position in the thesis.
• It should provide an explanation or insight
  (explain how or why) not merely describe that
  things happened (who, what where).
• Other ways to take a clear position
• Geographic differences (Ex colonial settlement)
• Change over time (Ex compromises over slavery)

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2. Dealing with Complexity

• However, although your essay must take a clear
  position . . .
• Avoid going to extremes show that you
  understand complexity.
• One side is usually more true than another, but
  not completely true. (History is complex)
• AP grading rubrics award high scores only to
  essays that analyze the entire question.
• To ensure that you address the complexity of
  questions, I also specifically require your
  essays to (4) be balanced (you cannot prove
  your thesis merely by ignoring the major evidence
  that could logically be cited by someone who
  might challenge your thesis)

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2. Dealing with Complexity

• But how can one reconcile taking a clear position
  with also showing an understanding that the issue
  is complicated?

QUESTION ON COMPLICATED ISSUE
TAKE A CLEAR POSITION
ACKNOWLEDGE COMPLEXITY
???
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2. Dealing with Complexity

• One way to handle complexity is to begin your
  thesis sentence with the word although.
• Your clear opinion, your answer to the prompt,
  goes in the second half of the thesis sentence.
• Although both the Constitution and the Articles
  reflected the goals of the Revolution, the
  Constitution . . . OR
• Although the Constitution did not solve all of
  the problems of the young republic, it did
  establish

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3. The Introductory Paragraph

• A good introductory paragraph has
• An introductory sentence or two that sets the
  stage.
• The thesis sentence
• An organizing sentence that states the topics
  or categories that will be used in the essay to
  support the thesis.
• The essay would then have a paragraph devoted to
  each of the topics or categories
• Thus, for most AP U. S. History essays, an
  introduction may be 3-4 sentences.

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3. The Introductory Paragraph

• The thesis can be anywhere in the first
  paragraph, but it is usually better to first
  introduce the topic with a sentence or two that
  sets the stage.
• Adopted in 1781, the Articles of Confederation
  were a friendship of sovereign states. Reflecting
  their experience with George III, the states did
  not give the central government much authority
  and it therefore lacked an executive, could not
  regulate commerce, lacked the power to tax and
  could make amendments only with unanimous
  approval.

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3. The Introductory Paragraph

• A good introductory paragraph should enable the
  reader to know exactly where the essay will
  proceed.
• In general, save all of the specific details
  (evidence/facts) that will support the thesis for
  the body paragraphs.
• The thesis should guide the essay throughout.
  That is, each part of the body of the essay
  should in some way clearly support the thesis.
  The purpose of the body paragraphs is to prove
  your thesis with specific evidence, not merely
  describe what happened. (Make an argument
  analyze, dont describe)

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SUMMARY

• A thesis is a sentence that answers the prompt
  with your opinion.
• A good thesis avoids merely restating the
  question.
• The thesis should take a clear position.
• The thesis must address the complexity in any
  prompt. One way of accomplishing all of this is
  to begin your thesis with the word although.
• A good introduction includes an introductory
  sentence, the thesis, and an organizing sentence
• AP essay rubrics award high scores to essays that
  have a clear, well-developed thesis that is
  focused on the prompt, addresses the entire
  question and guides the essay throughout.

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Practice Question 1

• In what ways did the French and Indian War
  (1754-63) alter the political, economic and
  ideological relations between Britain and its
  American colonies? Use your knowledge of the
  period 1740-1766 along with the documents
  provided to answer the question.

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Practice Question 2

• Analyze the impact of the American Revolution on
  both slavery and the status of women in the
  period from 1775 to 1800.

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Practice Question 3

• Evaluate the relative importance of the following
  as factors promoting Americans to rebel
  parliamentary taxation, restriction of civil
  liberties, British military measures and the
  legacy of colonial religious and political ideas.

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Practice Question 4

• The United States Constitution of 1787
  represented an economic and ideological victory
  for the traditional American political elite.
  Assess the validity of that statement for the
  period 1781 to 1789.

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Practice Question 5

• How did economic, geographic, and social factors
  encourage the growth of slavery as an important
  part of the economy of the southern colonies
  between 1607-1775?

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Practice Question 6

• To what extent was the election of 1800 aptly
  named the Revolution of 1800? Respond with
  reference to TWO of the following areas
• Economics
• Judiciary
• Foreign policy
• Politics

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Practice Question 7

• Although historically represented as distinct
  parties, the Federalists and the Whigs in fact
  shared a common political ideology, represented
  many of the same interest groups, and proposed
  similar programs and policies. Assess the
  validity of this statement.

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Practice Question 8

• Analyze the extent to which TWO of the following
  influenced the development of democracy between
  1820 and 1840
• Jacksonian economic policy
• Changes in electoral politics
• Second Great Awakening
• Westward movement