HOW TO WRITE A CHANGE AND
CONTINUITY OVER TIME ESSAY (CCOT)
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History is about change over time, so this essay gets at the heart of the discipline.
The essay is more than a comparison of two points in time however; it is a
description of the process of change. The focus is on large global issues.
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In constructing your essay, you should ask yourself:
*How were things different at the end of the time period from what
they were at the beginning?
*What were the processes of change and the causes of change within
time periods?
*To what extent has the distinctiveness over time been maintained?
*To what extent have things returned to an earlier form?
*Were there dead ends? Changes that began but stopped? Major
turning points?
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Examples of topics for a CCOT essay
might include:
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Technology: development, spread, acceptance, rejection, modification,
influence
European encounters with indigenous peoples(Hawaii, Australia, Americas
Agriculture, spread of crops
Communications and transportation
Culture: music, art, architecture, craftsmanship
Trade: development, spread, acceptance, rejection, modificaiton, influence
Raw materials
Type of economy (command, open, mixed)
Tax system, government influence
Influence of geography
Religion/belief systems
Migrations (forced or voluntary, seasonal or permanent, over a short or long period of time)
Social classes
Labor Systems
Climatic changes
Gender roles
Military
Population changes
Government
Biological developments
Disease
2012 CCOT Question:
Analyze continuities and changes
in trade networks between Africa
and Eurasia from circa 300 C.E.
to 1450 C.E.
For Practice:
Analyze continuities and
changes in religion from
500 C.E. to 1700 C.E
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CHANGE-AND-CONTINUITY-OVERTIME ESSAY
• THESIS: Write a thesis that addresses the global issues in the
question and covers the correct time period. Your thesis must
explicitly state the time period, and show a change and continuity.
• Address all parts of the question: You must answer all parts of the
question, even if your answer is not balanced. If you leave out
part of the question (a continuity for example), you can still get
partial credit for this section of the rubric.
• Supports your thesis with appropriate historical evidence: You
need to have at least 5 examples of evidence that help answer the
question; partial credit can be earned for this section.
CHANGE-AND-CONTINUITY-OVERTIME ESSAY con't.
• Show the change over time using relevant history:
Include the characteristics of historical periods to
explain the context of change. You should give
examples of at least 3 (one per paragraph).
• Analyze the process of change and continuity:
Describe what changed and how it changed, not just
what the results of change were. This is where you
show understanding of the process of change. You
should have at least 3 examples of analysis (one per
paragraph)
EXPANDED CORE:
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comprehensive, analytical and explicit thesis
addressed all parts of the issue (e.g., time,
continuity and change,
causes and effects, and a global scope)
addresses all parts of the question evenly
ample historical evidence to prove the thesis
connections to ideas, events, and other
issues in some imaginative way
HOW SHOULD YOUR CCOT ESSAY BE
ORGANIZED?
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First paragraph:
B - background (include the dates of the time period)
A - argument (thesis that shows a change and continuity AND
answers the question completely
R - roadmap - give the reader an idea of how you are going to support
your thesis (what your three body paragraphs will be about)
Paragraphs 2,3 and 4:
A general concept or feature that shows a change and/or continuity
(this might be a good place to show historical context)
specific change, with evidence to support it
specific continuity, with evidence to support it
Analysis that explains the process of change or why things stayed the same