ANSWERING ANSWERING APUSH ESSAY APUSH ESSAY QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

A41A417.9.207.9.20

Essay PromptEssay Prompt All college-level essay test All college-level essay test

answers are written in answers are written in response to an essay response to an essay “prompt.”“prompt.”

You You mustmust answer the question answer the question askedasked in order to score well. in order to score well.

Answering essays is a skill Answering essays is a skill that takes practice.that takes practice.

OverviewOverview 1.1. READ theREAD the entireentire prompt prompt!!

2.2. Reread & Mark the IMPORTANT Reread & Mark the IMPORTANT WORDSWORDS..

3.3. UnderstandUnderstand your TASK your TASK (question verb).(question verb).

4.4. Define any “loaded” TERMSDefine any “loaded” TERMS..

5.5. Make aMake a quick OUTLINEquick OUTLINE..

6.6. Cover theCover the entire TIME PERIODentire TIME PERIOD..

7.7. Determine your THESIS.Determine your THESIS.

8.8. Write your ESSAYWrite your ESSAY, using facts to , using facts to prove your thesis prove your thesis

1. 1. Read the ENTIRE Read the ENTIRE prompt.prompt.

The first mistake that many The first mistake that many students make is in reading and students make is in reading and answering only part of the answering only part of the prompt.prompt.

2.2. Carefully REREAD the Carefully REREAD the prompt & mark the prompt & mark the IMPORTANT WORDSIMPORTANT WORDS VerbsVerbs,, ConjunctionsConjunctions, and, and thethe time periodtime period

2. Mark the important 2. Mark the important wordswords

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

Compare and contrast United States foreign Compare and contrast United States foreign policy after the First World War and after the policy after the First World War and after the Second World War. Consider the periods Second World War. Consider the periods 1919-1928 and 1945-1950.1919-1928 and 1945-1950.

2. Mark the important 2. Mark the important wordswords

In what ways did the French and Indian In what ways did the French and Indian War (1754-1763) alter the political, War (1754-1763) alter the political, economic and ideological relations economic and ideological relations between Britain and its American between Britain and its American colonies? Use your knowledge of the colonies? Use your knowledge of the period 1740-1766 along with the period 1740-1766 along with the documents provided.documents provided.

3. 3. Understand the TASKUnderstand the TASKCommonly used verbs and explanations for Commonly used verbs and explanations for

the tasks they indicate:the tasks they indicate:

Analyze: Analyze: Explain Explain howhow AND AND whywhy something occurred. Any question that something occurred. Any question that uses “how” and/or “why” is an analysis uses “how” and/or “why” is an analysis question even if the word “analyze” is question even if the word “analyze” is not in the prompt. not in the prompt.

Discuss Discuss oror Explain: Explain: frequently frequently used in recent prompts. They used in recent prompts. They should be written as analysis essays, should be written as analysis essays, not merely a list of events or facts.not merely a list of events or facts.

3. Understanding the Task: 3. Understanding the Task: Commonly used verbs and verb Commonly used verbs and verb

phrasesphrases To what extent: To what extent: How true is some How true is some

development or description of development or description of history? AP essay questions will history? AP essay questions will invariably be about a complex topic invariably be about a complex topic that is that is notnot completely true or false. completely true or false.

Assess the validity: Assess the validity: How true How true is a given statement? is a given statement? (variant: (variant: “Evaluate the validity”)“Evaluate the validity”)

3. Understanding the Task: 3. Understanding the Task: Commonly used verbs and verb Commonly used verbs and verb

phrasesphrases (cont’d)(cont’d) Evaluate: Evaluate: Which factor was most Which factor was most

important? You usually need to rank important? You usually need to rank several events or factors and specify several events or factors and specify which is most and which is least which is most and which is least significant. significant.

Compare AND Compare AND contrast: contrast: Discuss Discuss BOTH similarities AND differences BOTH similarities AND differences between two events or periods. between two events or periods.

4.4. Define any “loaded” Define any “loaded” TERMS in the prompt that TERMS in the prompt that need clarificationneed clarification Examples: Examples: Assess the validity of the following statement: Assess the validity of the following statement:

“Reform movements in the United States sought “Reform movements in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals,” to expand democratic ideals,”

jot down some “democratic ideals” and be prepared to jot down some “democratic ideals” and be prepared to explain how they are explain how they are democraticdemocratic..

““From 1781 to 1789, the Articles of From 1781 to 1789, the Articles of Confederation provided the United States with Confederation provided the United States with an effective government.” Using . . . your an effective government.” Using . . . your knowledge of the period, evaluate this statement.knowledge of the period, evaluate this statement.

5.5. BRAINSTORM: BRAINSTORM: sketch out a quick, sketch out a quick, informal OUTLINEinformal OUTLINE

This is This is crucialcrucial in helping you to: in helping you to: Cover the entire question asked,Cover the entire question asked, Organize your response, andOrganize your response, and Include as many important details Include as many important details

as as possible.possible.

Outlines do not have to be Outlines do not have to be formal, just sketch or a formal, just sketch or a

structurestructure

Political Economic Social

How did the American Revolution affect American society? Be sure to explain the political, social and economic effects during the period 1775-1800.

66: Outline: Outline

Alternatively:Alternatively: Compare Compare andand

contrast United contrast United States foreign States foreign policy after the policy after the First World War First World War and after the and after the Second World War. Second World War. Consider the Consider the periods 1919-1928 periods 1919-1928 andand 1945-1950. 1945-1950.

1919-19281919-1928

similaritiessimilarities

1945-19501945-1950

differencesdifferences

6.6. Cover the TIME Cover the TIME PERIOD in the promptPERIOD in the prompt

If the prompt asks you to discuss reform between 1865 and 1900, you must include information for the ENTIRE time period.

Dates included in prompts are not random: test writers put a lot of thought into them

7. 7. Develop your thesisDevelop your thesis Historical essays require that you Historical essays require that you

take a clear positiontake a clear position that responds that responds to the promptto the prompt (state a (state a thesisthesis) and ) and

defend your thesis defend your thesis with facts.with facts.

ThesisThesis: : sentence that states a clear sentence that states a clear position in response to the promptposition in response to the prompt Better theses also tell the reader what Better theses also tell the reader what

evidence the essay will prove the evidence the essay will prove the thesis is true – they give a brief thesis is true – they give a brief overview of the essay. overview of the essay.

[[We will discuss developing a thesis in our We will discuss developing a thesis in our next session on answering essays.]next session on answering essays.]

8. 8. Write your essay Write your essay 4 -7 well-organized paragraphs4 -7 well-organized paragraphs, , incl’g intro & incl’g intro &

conclusionconclusion 2-3 lined pages in 35-40 minutes2-3 lined pages in 35-40 minutes

Write with a goal: Prove and support your thesisWrite with a goal: Prove and support your thesis using evidence (facts) and explanation (analysis)using evidence (facts) and explanation (analysis) Discuss/analyze Discuss/analyze as many relevant facts as as many relevant facts as

possiblepossible Analysis, analysis, analysis - don’t just list

facts/events. You must explain why they are significant and/or how they support your thesis.

Don’t ignore important facts that don’t support your thesis. Acknowledge them & show why they don’t undermine your thesis

In-class essays are a rough draftIn-class essays are a rough draft

SummarySummary 1.1. READ theREAD the ENTIRE promptENTIRE prompt!! 2.2. Mark the IMPORTANT WORDS Mark the IMPORTANT WORDS – verbs, – verbs,

conjunctions, time period conjunctions, time period 3.3. UnderstandUnderstand your TASKyour TASK. . What exactly what What exactly what

you are being asked to you are being asked to do?do?.. Consider the Consider the entireentire prompt. prompt.

4.4. Define any important “loaded” TERM(s)Define any important “loaded” TERM(s)..5.5. Make aMake a quickquick OUTLINEOUTLINE.. Organize your Organize your

thinking thinking beforebefore you begin writing. you begin writing.

6.6. Cover theCover the entire TIME PERIODentire TIME PERIOD..7.7. Determine your THESIS.Determine your THESIS.8.8. Write your essayWrite your essay, using facts to support your , using facts to support your

thesis thesis

Practice Question 1Practice Question 1

Analyze the impact of the Analyze the impact of the American Revolution on American Revolution on both slavery and the status both slavery and the status of women in the period from of women in the period from 1775 to 1800.1775 to 1800.

Practice Question 2Practice Question 2

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

Practice Question 3Practice Question 3

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

Practice Question 4Practice Question 4

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

An Actual ExampleAn Actual Example

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

SourcesSources

Originally based on a presentation Originally based on a presentation by Mr. Keith Wood, Murray H.S., by Mr. Keith Wood, Murray H.S., Utah, Utah, http://www.mury.k12.ut.us/mhs/apushttp://www.mury.k12.ut.us/mhs/apus/essays/default.htm/essays/default.htm