How To Write the Compare and Contrast Essay

1. How To Write the Compare and Contrast Essay AP WORLD HISTORY

2. AP World History Test Format • Multiple Choice – 70 questions in 55 minutes • Writing: 2 hours, 10 minutes • Document Based Question (DBQ) – 10 minutes reading, 40 minutes writing • Change and Continuity Over Time – 40 minutes • Compare and Contrast – 40 minutes

3. Step One: Read the Question • Generally, you will be asked to analyze a broad historical issue or issues for two areas of the world • Identify the TASKS and TERMS of the question • TASKS: What is the question asking you to DO? • TERMS: What SUBJECT(S) do you need to TALK ABOUT in your essay?

4. Step 1.5: Make Your Selection when Possible • Most of the time, the question will dictate the topics, regions, and time periods you need to discuss. • BUT, if you do get a choice: • Pick the areas you know the most facts about • If the questions picks the region(s), but allows you to choose the topics, you should always choose THREE topics/categories of analysis (Think SPICE) • Be sure to read the question carefully, as it may provide you with all of the tasks and terms that you need to answer the question without making any choices.

5. Sample Question (No Choice) • For the period from 1500 to 1830, compare North American racial ideologies and their effects on society with Latin American/Caribbean racial ideologies and their effects on society.

6. Sample Questions With Choice (Categories AND Region): With Choice (Region) Compare demographic and environmental effects of the Columbian Exchange on the Americas with the Columbia Exchange’s demographic and environmental effects on ONE of the following regions between 1492 and 1750. Africa Asia Europe • Within the period from 1450 to 1900, compare the processes (e.g. political, social, economic) of empire building in the Spanish Empire with the empire-building processes in ONE of the following: • The Ottoman Empire • The Russian Empire

7. Practice Identifying TASKS and TERMS • Analyze similarities and differences in methods of political control in TWO of the following empires in the Classical Period. • Han China (206 BCE – 220 CE) • Mauryan/Gupta India (320 BCE – 550 CE) • Imperial Rome (31 BCE – 476 CE)

8. Step #2: Brainstorm Essential Ideas • Before writing your essay, try to list as much as you can about the terms/topics addressed in the question • Identify/Create categories of analysis from your list of facts (IF they give you a choice) • Your knowledge should dictate your choice of region(s) and/or topic(s) • You need to be able to identify at least THREE specific facts or pieces of evidence per category of analysis • Brainstorming should take no more than five-ten minutes

9. Step 3: Develop Thesis and Introduction Paragraph • Your thesis must respond to the question directly by telling the reader why/how you will complete the task by using the terms of the question • Can be more than one sentence • Make sure to address ALL parts of the questions • Your thesis must include SPECIFIC DETAILS

10. Step 3: Elements of Thesis • All Thesis Statements must include at least: • Time Period • Region(s) • Categories of Analysis (Did you include a similarity or difference for each category in your thesis?) • Topics (Did you address the question?) “methods of political control” NOT political similarities and differences. • Explanation of a SPECIFIC similarity AND a SPECIFIC difference

11. Sample Thesis Outline – Prompt Gives You Choices • When analyzing (thematic categories) in (region) and (region) during/between (time period), there are many similarities and differences. With regards to (thematic category #1), a (S/D) is (identify S/D), due to (brief explanation). Regarding (thematic category #2), a (S/D) is (identify S/D), due to (brief explanation). Finally, when examining (thematic category #3), (S/D) is (similar/different) because (brief explanation).

12. Sample Thesis Outline – NO CHOICES • When analyzing (topic)in (region) and (region) during/between (time period), there are many similarities and differences. (region) and (Region) are similar in that (identify similarity), due to (brief explanation). However, (region) and (region) are different in that (identify difference), due to (briefly explain why/how different).

13. Step 3: What Not to Do in a Thesis • DO NOT SIMPLY RESTATE THE QUESTION • Avoid Flowery Language or vague generalities – get right to the point in your thesis • Avoid giving historical background unless absolutely necessary

14. Practice: Identifying Strong, Blah, and Weak Thesis Statements

15. Analyze political, economic, and cultural similarities and differences between Egypt and Mesopotamia during the River Valley period. • Early River Valley civilizations have both similarities and differences. • Early River Valley civilizations have both similarities and differences. Both have rivers, however they differ in many aspects. • Egypt and Mesopotamia have both similarities and differences. Both early river valley civilizations have similar environmental origins, however aspects such as religion, economics, and politics developed differently in each civilization.

16. Analyze political, economic, and cultural similarities and differences between Egypt and Mesopotamia during the River Valley period. • During the period of river valley civilizations, Egypt and Mesopotamia shared many political, economic, and cultural similarities, while also remaining different in several ways. Economically, both relied on long-distance trade for essential items. Politically, however, Egypt was centralized and Mesopotamia decentralized due to differing geographic features. Finally, their cultural traditions differed in that Egypt had a more positive outlook on the afterlife, while Mesopotamians held a more negative outlook.

17. Analyze political, economic, and cultural similarities and differences between Egypt and Mesopotamia during the River Valley period. • Egypt and Mesopotamia developed both similarly and differently during the river valley period, particularly when examining their economic, political, and cultural traditions. In early history, Egypt and Mesopotamia shared similar polytheistic beliefs that were often connected to their surrounding geography, although differences in this geography led to varying interpretations on the nature of the gods and the afterlife. Economically, both civilizations traded with surrounding regions, not only for necessary goods, but also luxury goods, indicating both civilizations’ economic strength. Finally, while both employed monarchical governments, Mesopotamian government was decentralized, whereas Egyptian government was centralized. Just as geography determined religious beliefs, so too did it factor into the political decisions and organization of these early civilizations.

18. Step 4: Body Paragraphs • All parts of the question must be addressed in your body paragraphs • You need to address similarities AND differences for EACH category of analysis • You must ALWAYS explain WHY or HOW the regions are similar or different • Your essay may contain TWO, THREE, or FOUR body paragraphs depending on the question. • If you only have one category of analysis, you should have TWO body paragraphs – one for similarities, one for differences. • If you have TWO categories of analysis, you should have THREE or FOUR body paragraphs. • RULE OF THREE: • Each body paragraph should have at least THREE similarities/differences identified • Each body paragraph needs to have at least THREE pieces of specific evidence to support the similarities/differences

19. ALWAYS REMEMBER • EACH BODY PARAGRAPH NEEDS TO DISCUSS BOTH CIVILIZATIONS. • ESSAYS THAT DISCUSS EACH CIVILIZATION IN SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS WILL RECEIVE A ZERO

20. Step 4: Body Paragraphs • Each body paragraph MUST have a topic sentence • It should briefly restate (in different words) what you said in the thesis • Good Example of a Topic Sentence: • Egypt and Mesopotamia shared many political similarities, such as monarchies, but also many differences, such as centralized and decentralized governments. • Bad Example of a Topic Sentence: • Egypt and Mesopotamia had many political similarities and differences.

21. Step 4: Direct Comparisons in Body Paragraphs • You must have at least one direct comparison in each body paragraph. • The best essays have multiple direct comparisons in each body paragraph • Direct Comparison: referencing BOTH civilizations in one sentence, as related to a specific similarity or difference

22. Direct Comparison Examples • Poor Direct Comparison: • Egypt and Mesopotamia shared several political similarities. • Slightly Better Direct Comparison: • Egypt and Mesopotamia were similar because each civilization had monarchies. • Best Direct Comparison (Comparison + Specific Detail): • Egypt and Mesopotamia both had kings at the center of their government in order to provide central leadership and clear laws for both regions with Egypt having a Pharaoh and Mesopotamia their city-state Kings. • Egypt and Mesopotamia differed in their religious support for their kings because while Egypt believed their Pharaohs were gods, whereas people in Mesopotamia believed that gods only gave kings the right to rule.

23. Step 4: Analysis in Body Paragraphs • You must always explain WHY or HOW the regions are similar or different for every example that you provide. • If you cannot do this, do not include the example in your body paragraphs. • You can combine the identification and explanation into one sentence, or make it 2+ sentences.

24. Unacceptable Body Paragraph • Egypt and Mesopotamia were politically similar and different in many ways. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had kings. Egypt believed its king, known as a pharaoh, was a god. Egypt was centralized, but Mesopotamia was decentralized. Egypt was not invaded as often as Mesopotamia.

25. Better Body Paragraph • Egypt and Mesopotamia shared many political similarities, such as monarchies, but also many differences, such as centralized and decentralized governments. Egypt and Mesopotamia both had kings at the center of their government in order to provide central leadership and clear laws for both regions. However, while Egypt believed their Pharaohs were gods, people in Mesopotamia believed that gods only gave kings the right to rule. This was due to the more positive beliefs attributed to Egyptian gods, as compared to Mesopotamia’s more negative views on religion. Egypt and Mesopotamia’s governments employed bureaucracies to implement the laws the king, making it easier to maintain control. Finally, while they shared many political features, one major difference was that Egypt had a more centralized government, whereas Mesopotamia was more decentralized as city-states. Egypt’s centralization is because of its isolation and protection provided by the Sahara Desert and Nile River cataracts. However, Mesopotamia has no such geographical features, thus leaving them more vulnerable to outside attack and in greater need of smaller, more spread out governments that can respond at any time.

26. Step 5: Conclusion • Every essay MUST have a conclusion paragraph – you will lose points in my class if you do not have a conclusion paragraph that includes at least: • Restatement of thesis in new words • Brief explanation of an example from each category to demonstrate similarities and differences

27. General Tips • All essays are worth 100 points • After the first in-class essay, you will not know the topic of the essay in advance. • You will, on most occasions, not get to choose your essay topic.