Is it true he isn t curving the test grade? OF COURSE HE S CURVING IT! WHAT S WRONG WITH YOU?
The Semester Final
Critical Topics to Review PERIOD 1 (1450 to 1648) The Renaissance Upheavals of the 14 th century, Causes, Writers, Philosophers, Art, Printing Press, impact on women, Northern Renaissance The Reformation Causes, Luther(anism), Calvin(ism), Anabaptism, Jansenism, English Reformation, Social impacts, Catholic revival/response The Wars of Religion Philip II, Wars in France, Wars in Spain, 30 Years War Exploration and Economic Expansion Motives, technology, colonies, impact on Europe intellectually and culturally, commercial revolution, Social Life in the 17 th and 18 th Centuries Demographic changes, new agriculture, life in towns, family life, witchcraft persecution Scientific Revolution The old science; advances in astronomy, physics, anatomy, medicine; the Scientific Method (Bacon and Descartes), Women and Science, Religion and Skepticism, Political Theory (Hobbes, Locke), new technology, impact on society
Critical Topics to Review PERIOD 2 (1648 to 1815) Absolutism and Constitutionalism Political theories of Absolutism, Louis XIV and foundation of Absolutism in France, Versailles, Dutch Republic, English Civil War/Glorious Rev, Baroque, Austrian and Prussian absolutism, Russia and Peter the Great The Struggle for Wealth and Empire The Old Regime, Cottage industry, agricultural revolution, wars of the 18 th century (Spanish, Austrian, 7 Years), nature of war in 18 th c The Enlightenment Enlightenment thinkers and Philosophes (Rousseau, Montesquieu, de Gouge, Smith etc.), Social impacts, Enlightened Absolutism (Fred the G, Cat the G, Joseph II), Impact on England/America The French Revolution and Napoleon Causes (political, social, intellectual, economic), Phases, Thermidor, Rise of Napoleon, Warfare, Napoleon s domestic and foreign policy, Women and the Revolution
Long Essay Questions (LEQ) INTRODUCTION: Contextualization and Thesis BODY PARAGRAPHS: Two to Three ARGUMENTS supported with SPECIFIC and RELEVANT evidence that SUPPORTS your argument EXAMINE/ANALYZE: Multiple Variables or Multiple Perspectives Similarity and Difference, Both parts of CCOT, Cause & Effect Insightful connections within/across periods Considering diverse or alternative views CONCLUSION: BONUS material restate your thesis in different words, add more commentary if time
Developing a Good Thesis Most examples taken from the Writing Center at the University of Iowa (Their website is worth checking out for any writing questions you might have) https://clas.uiowa.edu/history/teaching-and-writing-center/guides/argumentation
What is an Argument? An argument takes a stand on an issue. It seeks to persuade an audience of a point of view in much the same way that a lawyer argues a case in a court of law. It is NOT a description or a summary. This is an argument: "This paper argues that the movie JFK is inaccurate in its portrayal of President Kennedy." This is not an argument: "In this paper, I will describe the portrayal of President Kennedy that is shown in the movie JFK."
What is a thesis? A thesis statement is a sentence in which you state an argument about a topic and then describe, briefly, how you will prove your argument. This is an argument, but not yet a thesis: "The movie JFK inaccurately portrays President Kennedy." This is a thesis: "The movie JFK inaccurately portrays President Kennedy because of the way it ignores Kennedy s youth, his relationship with his father, and the findings of the Warren Commission. A thesis makes a specific statement to the reader about what you will be trying to argue. Your thesis can be a few sentences long, but should not be longer than a paragraph. Do not begin to state evidence or use examples in your thesis paragraph.
Strategies for Developing a Thesis Idea 1. If your paper assignment asks you to answer a specific question, turn the question into an assertion and give reasons for your opinion. Idea 2. Write a sentence that summarizes the main idea of the essay you plan to write. Idea 3. Spend time "mulling over" your topic. Make a list of the ideas you want to include in the essay, then think about how to group them under several different headings. Often, you will see an organizational plan emerge from the sorting process. Idea 4. Use a formula to develop a working thesis statement (which you will need to revise later). Here are a few examples: Although most readers of have argued that, closer examination shows that. uses and to prove that. Phenomenon X is a result of the combination of,, and.
Examples: Unspecific thesis: "Eleanor Roosevelt was a strong leader as First Lady." This thesis lacks an argument. Why was Eleanor Roosevelt a strong leader? Specific thesis: "Eleanor Roosevelt recreated the role of the First Lady by her active political leadership in the Democratic Party, by lobbying for national legislation, and by fostering women s leadership in the Democratic Party." The second thesis has an argument: Eleanor Roosevelt "recreated" the position of First Lady, and a three-part structure with which to demonstrate just how she remade the job.
Examples: Unspecific thesis: "At the end of the nineteenth century French women lawyers experienced difficulty when they attempted to enter the legal profession." No historian could argue with this general statement and uninteresting thesis. Specific thesis: "At the end of the nineteenth century French women lawyers experienced misogynist attacks from male lawyers when they attempted to enter the legal profession because male lawyers wanted to keep women out of judgeships." This thesis statement asserts that French male lawyers attacked French women lawyers because they feared women as judges, an intriguing and controversial point.
To Earn the AP Thesis Point: Your thesis must satisfy all the following conditions Make a historically defensible claim. Address all parts of the question (including the HTS). Do more than just re-state the prompt. Appear in one place in the introduction or conclusion.
Prompts from the Exam PROMPT: Compare various Protestant views of the relationship between church and state in the period circa 1500-1650. (Skill: comparison) PROMPT: How and to what extent did methods and ideals of Renaissance humanism contribute to the Protestant Reformation? (Skill: causation) PROMPT: Analyze the ways in which the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Reformation affected the culture of Europe in the period 1500-1650. (Skill: causation)
Multiple Choice Questions (MC) 1. Read the source carefully and entirely before you determine its perspective. Look for nuances and subtleties, as these often make appealing sources for the questions sets. 2. Consider glancing briefly at the stem of each item, so that you ll know the topics of the question before you engage the source 3. Before even looking at the choices quickly survey what you know about he topic of them. This will become more intuitive as you practice. 4. Pick the BEST answer. All of the choice may appeal, since they are likely based on actual history, but go with the one that reflects BOTH the perspective of the source AND you content knowledge. 5. Don t worry about getting 100%; this expectation will only create anxiety and derail your intuitive thinking process for the test as a whole. 6. TRUST YOUR GUT! Changing answers often lead to wrong choices. 7. Study the CONCEPT OUTLINE of the course description. Every right answer MUST come from this section. 8. Get a study guide and practice MC questions
SAMPLE MC 1. The event depicted best reflects which of the following features of early modern Europe? A. Belief in a social hierarchy based on the Great Chain of Being B. Persistence of folk beliefs in supernatural causation C. Spread of the Bible due to the printing press D. Revival of classical texts that emphasized civic humanism. Answer: B
SAMPLE MC 2. All of the following social and economic developments contributed to the phenomenon portrayed above EXCEPT: A. The price revolution, which disrupted traditional patterns of economic activity B. A significant increase in poverty and the associated problem of begging C. Leisure activities oriented around the agricultural cycle and church calendar D. Migration to cities that strained resources and challenged traditional elites Answer: C
SAMPLE MC 3. An historian would most likely use the source above to make conclusions regarding: A. Early modern attitudes toward women and magic B. The impact of the religious wars on social stability C. How artistic styles developed among the lower classes D. The effect of centralized monarchies on the legal system Answer: A
Short Answer Questions (SAQ) Do NOT write an essay No need for an introduction, thesis statement or conclusion Responses are BRIEF! Answer the question being asked (ATQ) Each answer can earn 3 points, one point per task. The point per task is either a 0 or a 1
Short Answer Questions Sample
Short Answer Questions Scoring Guide
Short Answer Questions Sample Answer Score: 0 Pts
Short Answer Questions Sample Answer Rationale from AP
Short Answer Questions Sample Answer Score: 3 Pts
Short Answer Questions Sample Answer Rationale from AP