Merry Christmas – You Have Homework!!!!

For each prompt you must do these 6 things:

  1. You must fill out a T-chart to show you know how to plan – put stuff on it that would make sense for the essay – consider the balance of the chart to determine the stand you will take on the prompt.
  2. You must write an although thesis statement.
  3. You must write down some information that you would put in your although paragraph.
  4. You must write a “however statement.”
  5. You must write down some information that you would put in your other body paragraphs to support your argument.
  6. You must write down what you would use for synthesis – with explanation.

Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation with the U.S. Constitution.

Evaluate the extent to which the Mexican-American War (1846–1848) marked a turning point in the debate over slavery in the United States, analyzing what changed and what stayed the same from the period before the war to the period after it.

Evaluate the extent to which relations between the North and the South contributed to maintaining continuity as well as fostered change with regard to sectionalism between the time period 1800 to 1860.

In the early years of the United States, America was labeled the ugly duckling, yet by 1815 America had entered an Era of Good Feelings. Analyze the reasons for this change.

I have provided an example to give you some guidance. Be thorough in your answers.

Write a bunch of stuff down!

Only 40% of the AP exam is multiple choice – the rest is writing.

We have to get pretty good at this so please do your best!

Have a good break!

Evaluate the extent to which the Compromise of 1877 marked a turning point in the lives of African-Americans, analyzing what changed and what stayed the same from the period before 1877 to the period after it.

  1. You must fill out a T-chart to show you know how to plan

Stayed the samechanged

sharecroppingvoting opportunity

KKKJim Crow Laws

Migration out of the SouthAfrican-American Congressmen

Solid Southhope

  1. You must write an although thesis statement.

My t-chart is balanced at 4 so I could easily take a stand either way – it WAS a major turning point or it WAS NOT. You only have to pick one side and do your thesis, but I will go ahead and give you both examples.

Although some things changed after the compromise of 1877 like the implementation of the Jim Crow Laws, it was not much of a turning point due to the continuation of the sharecropping system and the continued presence of the Ku Klux Klan. (this one is arguing that it WAS NOT much of a turning point)

Although some thing stayed the same after the Compromise of 1877 in the lives of African-Americans like the continuation of the sharecropping system, it was a major turning point due to the implementation of the Jim Crow Laws and the loss of political participation. (this one is arguing that it WAS a major tuning point)

  1. You must write down some information that you would put in your although paragraph.

This is the first part of your thesis. It will also be your first body paragraph in your paper and will be your counter argument. I am going to pick my second thesis for this one since that seems a little easier to write. In that thesis I stated that the sharecropping system stayed the same.

So I just need to expand on what I would put in my paper:

Describe sharecropping, explain that it was happening before 1877 and will continue to happen after until about 1944 when the mechanical cotton picker is invented, economically the life of the African-American is unchanged

  1. You must write a “however statement.”

Just look at your thesis to figure out what to put here.

However, 1877 marked a major turningpoint in the lives of African-Americans due to the implementation of the Jim Crow Laws and the loss of political participation.

  1. You must write down some information that you would put in your other body paragraphs to support your argument.

Jim Crow Laws – say that before 1877 the federal troops were protecting their rights, but when they leave, these laws are put in place, I would describe a few of them, mention Plessy v Ferguson said they were OK as long as they were equal, designed to keep them as inferior citizens

Loss of political participation –say that before 1877 the 15th amendment was being honored, African-Americans were being elected to Congress – 14 of them – probably name drop Blanche Bruce here, after 1877 when the troops leave – the Redeemers take back over, voting barriers are put in place, lose the right to vote

And I would tie it to the prompt by using the words “major turning point” several times and make sure to talk about how it was BEFORE and AFTER.

  1. You must write down what you would use for synthesis – with explanation.

The synthesis for this prompt could be that the struggle for civil rights for African-Americans continued in the 1950s and 1960s. Talk about how the poll tax and literacy test were taken away. Name drop Martin Luther King, Jr.

Another synthesis could be comparing the struggle of African-Americans to the struggle for women to gain suffrage. Talk about the Seneca Falls Convention, name drop Susan B. Anthony, 19th amendment in 1920, how they were upset that they were left out when the 15th amendment was passed.