World War I Essay
How did the Great War change the world?
This prompt seems simple, but its answers are endless. To fully answer the question for our purposes in class, you must address these sub-topics:
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Culture
Military
Balance of Power
International Relations
Imperialism
While the United States was indeed involved in the war, its role should play a minor part in this paper. The bulk of the information should be with regard to
Europe and its colonial areas in Africa and Southeast Asia, as well as the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans.
Furthermore, the essay should cite at least 3 primary or secondary sources; many of these will be given in class, but you can conduct further research if
needed.
Sample Outline
A. Introduction
a. Explain causes of WWI
b. Describe WWI
c. Preview structure & topics of paper
d. THESIS
B. Cultural Changes
C. Military Changes
D. Balance of Power Changes
E. International Relations Changes
F. Imperialism Changes
G. Conclusion
a. Summarize topics of paper
b. Rephrase thesis
World War I Essay Rubric
Requirement
Introduction &
Conclusion
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5 Points
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Thesis
Statement
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5 Points
Culture
Changes
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10 Points
Military
Changes
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10 Points
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Balance of
Power Changes
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10 Points
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International
Relations
Changes
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10 Points
Imperialism
Changes
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10 Points
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Primary
Sources
10 Points
Mechanics
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10 Points
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Beyond Expectation
Length – 1 paragraph each
Previews & summarizes topics of the
paper
Explains causes & effects of WWI
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Meets Expectation
Length – 1 short paragraph each
Previews information of the paper in
intro
Summarizes information in
conclusion
1 clear sentence
Addresses all 5 topics
Partially Meets Expectation
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Length – a few
sentences
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Introduces some
information of the
paper
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Just rephrases the
prompt
1 clear sentence
Addresses all 5 topics
Explains why or how the world
changed
Explains and analyzes how culture
changed in at least 3 geographic
areas
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Explains and analyzes how culture
changed in at least 2 geographic
areas
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Explains how military technology
and tactics evolved in WWI in at
least 3 ways
Analyzes the effects of these
advancements
Analyzes how the pre-war balance of
power caused WWI
Identifies which countries emerged
more powerful and less powerful
Analyzes how the new balance of
power changed the world
Explains the causes and effects of
the League of Nations and Treaty of
Versailles
Fully explains how these two were
different from pre-war international
relations
Explains and analyzes how WWI
prompted nationalism in colonies of
2 different European powers
Explains and analyzes changes to the
Ottoman Empire
Describes the primary sources
Explains how the sources support
the topic sentence and thesis
No errors in spelling, grammar, or
word usage
Effectively uses new or challenging
vocabulary
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Explains how military technology
and tactics evolved in WWI in at
least 2 ways
Analyzes the effects of these
advancements
Describes pre-war balance of power
Identifies which countries emerged
more powerful and less powerful
Analyzes how the new balance of
power changed the world
Defines the League of Nations and
Treaty of Versailles
Analyzes the effect of the two
Explains how the League of Nations
was revolutionary in its time
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Explains and analyzes how WWI
prompted nationalism in colonies
Explains the changes to the Ottoman
Empire
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Describes the primary sources
Explains how the sources show what
changed the world
Few errors in spelling, grammar, or
word usage
Uses some new vocabulary or
challenging words
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Minimal Credit
Missing
Introductory
paragraph
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Missing thesis
statement
Explains how culture
changed in at least 2
geographic areas
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Explains how military
technology and/or
tactics evolved in WWI
in at least 2 ways
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Defines which countries
emerged more and less
powerful
Explains how this
change is different from
pre-war conditions
Defines the League of
Nations and Treaty of
Versailles
Explains their effects
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Describes how
culture changed
in 2 geographic
areas
Describes how
military tech. or
tactics evolved
in at least 2
ways
Defines which
countries
emerged more
or less powerful
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Defines League
of Nations
and/or Treaty of
Versailles
Explains nationalism
arose in colonies
Describes the breakup
of the Ottoman Empire
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Explains
nationalism s or
breakup of
Ottoman Empire
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Describes at least 3
primary sources
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Distracting errors in
spelling, grammar,
word usage, or word
choice
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Describes at
least 2 primary
sources
Excessive errors
in spelling,
grammar, or
word usage
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Score
Total _____/70