How To Write an A.P. How To Write an A.P. U.S. History Thesis U.S. History Thesis

StatementStatement

What is a thesis?What is a thesis?

A thesis statement is the A thesis statement is the positionposition a a student is going to take, the student is going to take, the argument that is going to be made argument that is going to be made and the guide to the rest of the and the guide to the rest of the essay.essay.

It is the answer to the question It is the answer to the question being asked. being asked.

It is a single sentence at the end of It is a single sentence at the end of the introductory paragraph. the introductory paragraph.

What is not a thesis?What is not a thesis?

The thesis statement is not a fact; it is The thesis statement is not a fact; it is an informed interpretation of the an informed interpretation of the facts.facts.

Neither is the thesis/argument just an Neither is the thesis/argument just an opinion.opinion.

Instead, the thesis is the Instead, the thesis is the reasoned reasoned judgment of the student. judgment of the student.

Don’t understand the Don’t understand the prompt?prompt?

Thesis will not be good = essay flopsThesis will not be good = essay flopsDon’t feel like answering the prompt?Don’t feel like answering the prompt? JUST DO IT!JUST DO IT!

Answering the prompt will ensure a fair Answering the prompt will ensure a fair scorescore

Answering the prompt with good/great Answering the prompt with good/great theses/arguments ensures a much theses/arguments ensures a much higher scorehigher score

The Importance of The Importance of Understanding the PromptUnderstanding the Prompt

Many students want to read the question Many students want to read the question quickly and move on to writing. However, quickly and move on to writing. However, APUSH essay prompts are challenging. They ask APUSH essay prompts are challenging. They ask students to perform specific writing tasks. The students to perform specific writing tasks. The questions also contain qualifiers that guide and questions also contain qualifiers that guide and restrict your answer. restrict your answer. Rather than taking 10 Rather than taking 10 seconds to read the question, you would be seconds to read the question, you would be better off spending 45 seconds reading, re-better off spending 45 seconds reading, re-reading, marking, and analyzing. Remember, a reading, marking, and analyzing. Remember, a mistake in understanding a question could mistake in understanding a question could make the rest of a student’s effort almost make the rest of a student’s effort almost worthless.worthless.

Break it down like so:Break it down like so:

Next, brainstorm (in whatever organic way makes Next, brainstorm (in whatever organic way makes sense to you) the information needed to answer the sense to you) the information needed to answer the prompt in full.prompt in full.

Write a thesis statement that demonstrates an Write a thesis statement that demonstrates an argument and the topics to come.argument and the topics to come.

Double check that your thesis answers all parts of the Double check that your thesis answers all parts of the prompt as you diagrammed it before you begin writing. prompt as you diagrammed it before you begin writing.

Try it!Try it!

““The South never The South never had a chance to had a chance to win the Civil win the Civil War.” To what War.” To what extent and why extent and why do you agree or do you agree or disagree with disagree with this statement?this statement?

  

Discuss the political, Discuss the political, economic and social economic and social reforms introduced reforms introduced in the South between in the South between 1864 and 1877. To 1864 and 1877. To what extent did what extent did these reforms these reforms survive the survive the Compromise of Compromise of 1877?1877?

Thesis ContinuumThesis Continuum Most good questions allow for a range of Most good questions allow for a range of

possible answers. possible answers. A A continuumcontinuum exists and students can exists and students can

generally feel free to choose a response generally feel free to choose a response along that continuum. along that continuum.

Students should avoid crafting an extreme Students should avoid crafting an extreme response at either end of the continuum. response at either end of the continuum.

Most questions require a response that is Most questions require a response that is not black or white but instead some not black or white but instead some shade shade of grayof gray. That does not mean, however, . That does not mean, however, that students should attempt to respond in that students should attempt to respond in the exact middle of the continuum. Such the exact middle of the continuum. Such an attempt usually results in a failure to an attempt usually results in a failure to articulate a clear position. articulate a clear position.

I’m extremely

pro!

I’m extremel

y con!

I don’t know

what’s going on…

A good thesis is narrow A good thesis is narrow but not too narrowbut not too narrow

A well-written thesis statement must be narrow A well-written thesis statement must be narrow enough to limit the writer to something that can enough to limit the writer to something that can be addressed in about thirty minutesbe addressed in about thirty minutes

but but not so narrow as to prevent them from writing not so narrow as to prevent them from writing

relevant things that help answer the question or relevant things that help answer the question or that ignore big evidence.that ignore big evidence.

A thesis that is too broad will cause the student A thesis that is too broad will cause the student to briefly mention a wide variety of information to briefly mention a wide variety of information that may seem unrelated to the reader. that may seem unrelated to the reader.

To what extent did Andrew To what extent did Andrew Jackson’s presidential policies Jackson’s presidential policies reveal him to be a man of the reveal him to be a man of the

people?people?Andrew Jackson was a great president. Andrew Jackson was a great president. Andrew Jackson's handling of the bank Andrew Jackson's handling of the bank

question proved him to be a man of the question proved him to be a man of the people. people.

Some of Jackson’s policies made him a Some of Jackson’s policies made him a man of the people, but some did not. man of the people, but some did not.

Andrew Jackson's policies concerning the Andrew Jackson's policies concerning the bank, Indian removal and rotation in office bank, Indian removal and rotation in office proved him to be a man of the people.proved him to be a man of the people.

Positive Response BiasPositive Response Bias

Students should also beware of the Students should also beware of the fallacy of “fallacy of “positive response bias.positive response bias.” ”

Many students are inclined to Many students are inclined to answer a question in the answer a question in the affirmative. affirmative.

Students always need to carefully Students always need to carefully weigh all of the historical evidence weigh all of the historical evidence and then craft a response that best and then craft a response that best articulates their understanding of articulates their understanding of the historical record. the historical record.

A good thesis shows analysisA good thesis shows analysis A strong thesis will go beyond a “Miss America” A strong thesis will go beyond a “Miss America”

answering of the question. answering of the question. Contestants in that pageant will often merely Contestants in that pageant will often merely

restate the question in the form of a statement restate the question in the form of a statement and add a couple of words. This rewording of and add a couple of words. This rewording of the question is overly simplistic and does not the question is overly simplistic and does not allow the writer to show analysis. allow the writer to show analysis.

Readers of the APUSH exam want to see a well-Readers of the APUSH exam want to see a well-developed thesis that goes beyond simply developed thesis that goes beyond simply stating facts or basic opinions about the stating facts or basic opinions about the question. The thesis should help the reader question. The thesis should help the reader understand why the position is held. understand why the position is held. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WALIARHHLII&feature=related

BADBAD

George Washington set precedents George Washington set precedents as presidentas president. .

This is a fact, not an This is a fact, not an argument. argument.

GOODGOOD

The precedents that Washington set The precedents that Washington set as America’s first president greatly as America’s first president greatly benefited the American political benefited the American political system.system.

This is a clear position that This is a clear position that can be supported or can be supported or

opposed. opposed.

““Although America perceived Although America perceived Manifest Destiny as a benevolent Manifest Destiny as a benevolent

movement, it was in fact an movement, it was in fact an aggressive imperialism pursued aggressive imperialism pursued

at the expense of others.”at the expense of others.”

Assess the validity of this Assess the validity of this statement with specific reference statement with specific reference to American expansionism in the to American expansionism in the

1840s.1840s.

WEAKWEAK

Manifest Destiny was a expansion of Manifest Destiny was a expansion of American superiority over the American superiority over the continent and affected many.continent and affected many.

BETTER!BETTER! During the mid 1800s, Manifest Destiny was During the mid 1800s, Manifest Destiny was

presented as a positive “benevolent presented as a positive “benevolent movement,” though in reality, it promoted movement,” though in reality, it promoted cultural superiority, aggressive foreign policy, cultural superiority, aggressive foreign policy, and extended the already existing sectional and extended the already existing sectional crisis.crisis. A belief in the racial and cultural superiority of white A belief in the racial and cultural superiority of white

Americans was a tenet of the Manifest Destiny movement.Americans was a tenet of the Manifest Destiny movement. Because it was widely accepted that it was America’s Because it was widely accepted that it was America’s

destiny, even duty to go west, many accepted aggressive destiny, even duty to go west, many accepted aggressive foreign policy as a means of fulfilling that duty.foreign policy as a means of fulfilling that duty.

Westward expansion during this era only deepened the Westward expansion during this era only deepened the debate between North and South: Would there be slavery debate between North and South: Would there be slavery in the new territories? in the new territories?

SIMPLE yet STRONGSIMPLE yet STRONG

Manifest Destiny was indeed aggressive Manifest Destiny was indeed aggressive in nature, but this position for expansion in nature, but this position for expansion was a necessary sentiment for was a necessary sentiment for congressmen and citizens alike, seeking congressmen and citizens alike, seeking territorial, financial, and social gain.territorial, financial, and social gain.

Because it resulted in a brutal Mexican Because it resulted in a brutal Mexican War in which many people lost their lives, War in which many people lost their lives, the philosophy of Manifest Destiny was the philosophy of Manifest Destiny was indeed an aggressive and selfish indeed an aggressive and selfish phenomenon of the 1840s.phenomenon of the 1840s.

A good thesis may A good thesis may acknowledge the opposing acknowledge the opposing

argumentargumentA good thesis allows the writer to show A good thesis allows the writer to show understanding of the complexity of the understanding of the complexity of the issue and knowledge of information on issue and knowledge of information on both sides of the issue. Most of the both sides of the issue. Most of the essay questions allow for an opinion on essay questions allow for an opinion on either side of the question. By either side of the question. By acknowledging another view in the acknowledging another view in the thesis, it becomes possible to add thesis, it becomes possible to add relevant information on that side of the relevant information on that side of the issue.issue.

““Thomas Jefferson is often thought of as Thomas Jefferson is often thought of as an idealist, but as president, he an idealist, but as president, he

demonstrated his conviction as a demonstrated his conviction as a pragmatist.” Assess the accuracy of this pragmatist.” Assess the accuracy of this

statement.statement. AlthoughAlthough Jefferson was idealistic in his Jefferson was idealistic in his

insistence on an embargo that cut off trade to insistence on an embargo that cut off trade to Europe, he showed himself to be predominantly a Europe, he showed himself to be predominantly a pragmatist in the way he handled the Louisiana pragmatist in the way he handled the Louisiana Purchase, the issue of the constitutionality of the Purchase, the issue of the constitutionality of the National Bank, and Federalist appointees. National Bank, and Federalist appointees.

Despite Despite his pragmatic decision to purchase his pragmatic decision to purchase Louisiana, Jefferson proved himself to be Louisiana, Jefferson proved himself to be primarily an idealist through his handling of the primarily an idealist through his handling of the Embargo Act and the national debt. Embargo Act and the national debt.

A good thesis is placed at the A good thesis is placed at the end of the introductory end of the introductory

paragraphparagraphA well-written thesis is well placed. Some students A well-written thesis is well placed. Some students want to save their thesis for the last paragraph. want to save their thesis for the last paragraph. Perhaps they think that the reader’s interest will be Perhaps they think that the reader’s interest will be held if they create suspense. In reality the reader is held if they create suspense. In reality the reader is more likely to be frustrated as he wonders what you are more likely to be frustrated as he wonders what you are trying to prove. Another mistake is to put the thesis as trying to prove. Another mistake is to put the thesis as the very first sentence of the essay. This placement will the very first sentence of the essay. This placement will not give the reader a chance to get his bearings. Since not give the reader a chance to get his bearings. Since one of the purposes of a thesis is to clearly lead the one of the purposes of a thesis is to clearly lead the reader through your paper, it makes sense to place the reader through your paper, it makes sense to place the thesis where the reader expects to find it. For this thesis where the reader expects to find it. For this reason the best placement is the last sentence of the reason the best placement is the last sentence of the first paragraph.first paragraph.

Want a formula?Want a formula?

Although………, Although………,

however……………however……………

because…………………….because…………………….

In spite of,In spite of,

As a result of,As a result of,

Instead of,Instead of,

As….As….

Along with….Along with….