Writing a Historical Essay: The Thesis and Introduction

1. Writing a Historical Essay:The Thesisand Introduction A42 7.10.17

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.)

6. 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.”

7. 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)

8. 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)”

9. 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 ???

10. 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…

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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, don’t describe)

14. 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.”

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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?

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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