Change and Continuity
Over Time Essay
Change and Continuity
 Show both in essay.
 You will usually see more change
than continuity.
 Examine all aspects of the civilization
or group you are discussing.
Read the Question
 Make sure you understand what the
question is asking.
 Are there specific aspects of the
civilization or group you are to
address? (social, political, economic)
 What are the time period parameters
given in the question?
Rubric
 Thesis that addresses issues and time period.
 Address all parts of the question.
 Back up your thesis with historical evidence.
This is the meat of your essay.
 Show the change or continuity by discussing
historical context. What happened in the
world to cause the change/continuity?
 Analyze the process of continuity and change.
Break it down into parts and explain. How do
you get from point A to Z? Explain B-Y.
CCOT Formula
 Paragraph one:
 Thesis
 Time period, region, global issue, continuities and
changes (based on SPRITEM, pick three)
 Could also include the World Historical Context
here – what are the big picture things happening
across the regions specified during that time
period?
 Paragraph Five:
 Conclusion
 Analysis of the process of the continuity and
change over time (why things changed and why
they stayed the same)
 If this hadn’t been done in previous two
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Categorical
Category #1 (Social)
Global Context
Changes, Continuities, and analysis RGC
Category #2 (Economic)
Global Context
Changes, Continuities, analysis vis á vis RGC
Category #3 (Political)
Global Context
Changes, Continuities, and analysis vis á vis
RGC
Essay Outline
 Introduction Paragraph
 Well written thesis that address all issues
discussed in the question and the time
period
 Be specific. What are the changes?
What are the continuities?
 Pick 3 issues/aspects to discuss if none
are provided in the question.
Essay Outline
 Second Paragraph
 Addresses first issue (change and
continuity) from beginning of time period
to the end of time period
 Topic sentence for the paragraph
 At least four other sentences in which
you give historical evidence to back up
the thesis, explain historical context and
analyze the process of change.
 Will show a change or continuity
Essay Outline
 Third Paragraph
 Addresses second issue (a change and
continuity) from beginning of time period
to the end of time period
 Topic Sentence
 At least four other sentences in which
you give historical evidence to back up
the thesis, explain historical context and
analyze the process of change
 Will show a change or continuity
Essay Outline
 Fourth Paragraph
 Addresses third issue (a change and
continuity) from beginning of time period
to the end of time period
 Topic Sentence
 At least four other sentences in which
you give historical evidence to back up
the thesis, explain historical context and
analyze the process of change
 Will show a change or continuity
Essay Outline
 Conclusion Paragraph
 Restates the thesis in a different way
 Sums up the change/continuity of the
issues addressed
 If the body of your essay is all change,
but you have one continuity, you can put
it in the conclusion. (and vice versa)
General Rules for Essays
 Never, never, never use first person!
 No I, Me, or We
 Do NOT write, “In this essay…”. Never
refer to your essay in your essay.
 Do NOT write, “I think” or “In my
opinion”. No one cares about your
opinion. State ideas as fact. You will be
providing evidence to back up what you
say.
•Analyze at least 1 reason for a change or continuity for each
country or time period the prompt specifies
•Don’t just describe the change, spend some time explaining
why the change/continuity occurred
 Most effective if you use a cause & effect chain
 “________ occurred because. ____ is significant
because….”
• Support the thesis with relevant historical facts
• Contrast change against either the starting point or something
that didn’t change
2007 CCOT: “Analyze major changes and continuities in the
formation of national identities in ONE of the regions listed
below from 1914 to the present. Be sure to include evidence
from specific countries in the region selected.
Middle East
Southeast Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
Use the time periods as your organizing principle
Thesis:
“There were many changes and continuities in the formation of
national identities in the Middle East from 1914 to the present.”
Just repeats ?; be more specific
“From 1914 to present day, the borders of Middle East nations
have stayed the same while the ideals with have changed until
national identities were formed.”
Has a chg & a cont but it is wrong; borders have changed.
“From 1914 to the present, there was a growth in national
identities in the region of Sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana is a key
example of the growth of Negritude in the region. A continuity
for discussion is that most of the region remained in a state of
poverty.” All true– cont is related to national identity = AP!