How To Write a Great Thesis
APUSH
Writing a Good Thesis
• Explain why entirely different economic and social
systems evolved within the three colonial regions of
British North America even though the
preponderance of settlers was of English origin.
• Use two of the following as evidence in your essay
– Massachusetts's Bay
– Virginia
– Pennsylvania
• SUGGESTION
– Note time frame
– Note task demanded
• Analyze: determine their component parts; examine their
relationship.
• Compare: Examine to note similarities and differences.
• Contrast: examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of
difference
• Describe: to give an account of; to tell about
• Explain: make clear the causes or reasons for; detail; tell the
meaning of
• Assess / Evaluate: judge the value of something; evaluate the
positive points and the negative ones; give an opinion regarding
the value of; discuss the advantages and disadvantages of.
• Discuss: consider or examine by argument or from various
points of view; debate; present the different sides of.
Organizing the Essay
• Sometimes an essay prompt will have sub topics
• Sometimes no subtopics are specified
• Useful tool for analysis?
B = political
A = America in the world
G = geography/environment
P = politics
I= identity
P = peopling/ movements
E = economic/technology
S= social
Slavery Short Ans
• How did the economic, geographic, and
social factors encourage the growth of
slavery as an important part of the
economy of the southern colonies
between 1607 and 1775?
– Provide 2 economic, 2 geographic and 2
social factors
– Make sure to analyze. How did these
factors promote slavery?
– You may bullet your answers
– Work alone or with a partner
Plan Your Essay
• Make your colonial selections
• Brainstorm about the two colonies economic and social systems
• Then, brainstorm why they might have been different (Use
BAGPIPE)
– Side note: If this was a compare and contrast essay, you
would need to find a point of comparison. And saying that
they both had economic and social systems doesn’t cut it!!!!
• How will you analyze? (REMEMBER you are contrasting to use
what you've learned to construct an argument or evaluation).
– By colony?
– By topic?
• YOU ALWAYS WRITE BY TOPIC!!!!
• YOUR THESIS must state an opinion and contain categories (3)
you plan to use to prove it
Explain why entirely different economic and social systems evolved within the three colonial
regions of British North America even though the preponderance of settlers was of English
origin. Use 2 of the following as evidence in your essay: Massachusetts Bay, Virginia,
Pennsylvania.
“Located in warm-weather, moist, fertile areas, colonists in Virginia could grow
just about any crop, but settlers in Massachusetts Bay faced long, cold
winters and rocky soil if they wished to support themselves with farming.
Virginia and Massachusetts Bay were both settled by English colonists, but
because of their different religious beliefs and the kinds of environment
that enveloped the settlers, the economic and social structures of each
colony were radically different.”
1. Is this a strong, adequate, or weak thesis?
2. What are its strengths and/or shortcomings?
Explain why entirely different economic and social systems evolved within the three colonial
regions of British North America even though the preponderance of settlers was of English
origin. Use 2 of the following as evidence in your essay: Massachusetts Bay, Virginia,
Pennsylvania.
“Most people are different from each other. Virginia and Pennsylvania were
also very different from each other. Different kinds of people and ways of
life were found in each colony. Even though both Virginia and Pennsylvania
were settled by Englishmen, they had different economic and social
systems.”
1. Is this a strong, adequate, or weak thesis?
2. What are its strengths and/or shortcomings?
SEE HOW THIS HIGHLIGHTS WHAT I
SAID IN THE SIDE NOTE OF SLIDE #5
Explain why entirely different economic and social systems evolved within the three colonial
regions of British North America even though the preponderance of settlers was of English
origin. Use 2 of the following as evidence in your essay: Massachusetts Bay, Virginia,
Pennsylvania.
“Even though English settlers colonized both Massachusetts Bay and Virginia,
the unique economic and social systems that evolved in each colony took
on regional differences. The kinds of settlers who arrived in Virginia were
significantly different in their religious orientation from those who settled
Massachusetts. The environment in which each group of settlers found
themselves forced differences in how each colony found economic
prosperity. Finally, the personal purposes for which each group of settlers
immigrated to the New world would have a profound impact upon the
kinds of societies which evolved in each colony. Religion, environment,
and the individual goals of each settler would create different economic
and social systems within each colonial region represented by
Massachusetts and Virginia.”
1. Is this a strong, adequate, or weak thesis?
2. What are its strengths and/or shortcomings?