Essay Prep
Introduction
(5 Sentence Minimum)
• Needs:
• Attention Grabber
•
•
•
•
Quote (make sure you explain what it has to do with the Revolution)
Statistic
Rhetorical Question
Analogy
• Explanation of the American Revolution
• Thesis
• The purpose of your paper
• The American Revolution was caused by _____(Big Topic)___ as
shown by ____Topic/Paragraph 1___, Topic/Paragraph 2_ and
Topic/Paragraph 3.
Introduction
• Thesis Statement: The sentence that captures your
position on the main idea or message of your essay
while also providing a road map for the set-up of your
paper.
• Strong, not waffling
• Direct and to the point
• The American Revolution was caused by _____(Big
Topic)___ as shown by ____Topic/Paragraph 1___,
Topic/Paragraph 2_ and Topic/Paragraph 3.
• It really is that easy, put it as the last sentence of your
introduction
Introduction
The Great
Good:
The
The
Bad
“Like
an these
adolescent
fighting
with
theirare
parent
““We hold
truthes teenager
to be self-evident,
that
all men
createdover
equal,
that they
endowedwere
by their
with
certain
the rules,
theare
Colonists
fedcreator
up with
the
lawsunalienable,
passed by
“Taxes,
violations
of
rights
and
complaints.
that
theseCountry”
are life, liberty
and theAfter
pursuit
of happiness.”
theamong
“Mother
of Britain.
years
of being With
the
flick of
his
quill,
founding
father
and
futurethe
president
Thomas
allowed
to do
whatever
they
wanted,
colonists
were
These
were
things
in
the
American
Revolution.
Jefferson made the case for American separation from Britain in this
rudelystatement
put in their
place
by the British
and askedHaving
to follow
opening
ofRevolution
the
Declaration
of Independence.
The
American
was
a
war.
The
Boston
rules
they
did
not
want
to
follow
and
pay
taxes
they
did not
suffered through many abuses handed down by the British ranging
want
to pay.
Asviolations
time
went
on, therights
Colonists
from
unfair
taxes,
ofpeople
colonists
and
thebecame
continued
Massacre
was
when
died.
The
causetired
of of
silence
thethe
KingBritish
towardsaid
colonial
complaints,
thedecided
colonies realized
doingfrom
what
all the
time and
to leave
the
American
revolution
the
tax.”
that
onlyindependence.
one
thing left towas
do; fight
forTea
independence.
has
andthere
seekwas
their
When
deciding
to leave,Itthere
often
been
debated
what
truly
caused
these
colonists
to choose
were
many
things
the
British
did
to
the
Colonists
that made
independence, but Thomas Jefferson made it quite clear when he
themthe
want
to leave,
of them having
to do with
the the
wrote
opening
lines tomost
the Declaration
of Independence;
it was
British of
violating
the rights
of these
Colonists.
Thecause
primary
violation
the colonists
“unalienable”
rights.
The primary
of
the
American
Revolution
wasRevolution
the British violating
rights violating
of the
cause
of the
American
was thethe
British
Colonists,
as shown
the Navigation
Acts, the
Massacre and
the rights
of theby
Colonists,
as shown
by Boston
the Navigation
Acts,
the
Acts.”
theIntolerable
Boston Massacre
and the Intolerable Acts.”
Body Paragraph (x3)
(6 Sentence Minimum)
• Needs:
• Explanation of the topic
• i.e. Explain what the Boston Massacre was
• Explanation of how it proves your “Big Topic”
caused the American Revolution
• i.e. How the Boston Massacre proves that
the Violation of Rights caused the American
Revolution
Body
Paragraph
TheGreat
Good
The
The Bad
The
Navigation
Acts
werewere
an example
of how
the
British
violated
thewere
“The
Navigation
Acts
a cause
of
the
American
“I
believe
that
the
Navigation
Acts
were
bad.
The
Navigation
Acts
rights
of the colonists
leading to Acts
the American
Revolution.
The
Revolution.
The
Navigation
were
when
the
Colonists
laws passed
the British
thepassed
Colonists
didn’t
like that
them.
Theythe
Navigation
Actsbywere
a set ofand
laws
by the
British
forced
had
tonot
only
buywith
British
goods,
which
they
didn’t
like.
These
were
these
laws.from
The
laws
made
it restricted
so that
thetheir
Colonists
Colonists
tohappy
purchase
their
goods
England
and
laws
weredo
aanything
violation
ofThe
thepurpose
Colonists
rights
because
it the
trade
with
other
countries.
of these
laws
wascolonists
to help
couldn’t
they
wanted.
I don’t
think
that
the
liked
meant
thatbecause
theythe
couldn’t
trade
with
otherThat
countries
like the
British
profit
from
Colonies
through
accumulating
wealth
by
these
laws
they
didn’t
like
the
British.
is
why
I
think
controlling
trade.
Thiswithout
is called paying
Mercantilism.
In response
colonists
France and
Spain
high taxes.
The the
colonists
Navigation
Acts were
bad.”
found
ways
theinstead
Navigation
by sneaking
past British
didn’t
like around
this
and
of Acts
buying
British goods
theytax
collectors
and smuggling
goods
from
French
and Spanish
colonies
and
would
smuggle
goods
from
other
countries
and
not
pay
bringing them into the Colonies illegally. This caused tension between
taxes
on those
Thisproves
proves
that
colonist’s
the Colonists
and goods.
Britain. This
that
the the
violation
of the
violation
of rights
caused
the American
Revolution
because
Colonist’s rights
caused
the American
Revolution
because it showed
how colonists
the Colonists
wereunwilling
willing to to
break
Britishtaxes
laws ifor
it was
in
the
were
paythe
British
follow
their
best
interest
benefiteddid
them.
onelaws
of theand
firstwould
laws
British
laws.
Theand
Colonists
notThis
likewas
these
the
British
passed
restricting
rights
colonists
and all
would
theto
fight
against
other
futurethe
laws
theofBritish
pass
theset
way
tone for future British laws and also the colonist’s defiant attitude
the
beginning
thelaws
American
Revolution.”
toward
them. As of
more
were passed
by the British and broken by
the Colonists, the tensions continued to rise until the Colonists decided to
break away from Britain.
Conclusion
(4 Sentence Minimum)
• Needs
• Re-state the thesis
• In different words
• Summarize the main points of your
paper, wrap up your main argument.
• DON’T ADD NEW INFORMATION!
Conclusion
Great
Good
“Through
The Badtheir continued pattern of abuse, the British
“The Navigation
Boston Massacre
and the Massacre
Intolerableand
Acts were
showed
throughActs,
the Navigation
acts, Boston
all major
eventsbefore,
that prove that the
violation of
right’sreally
done by the
“Like
I said
colonists
were
Intolerable
acts that they the
had little
regard when
it came to mad
British to the Colonists were the primary cause of the American
colonial
It is The
only natural
that
over time,
British
at
the rights.
British.
tea tax
made
thethe
war
happen.
Revolution. It is easy to understand why the Colonists were so ready
and
Americans
would
grow
distant
as theallColonists
realized
for independence
after
the British
over the rights
they held
Thank
you for
reading
mystepped
essay.”
that
with Britain
meantkilling
continued
disrespect
and for
dear.toBystay
restricting
their trade,
colonists
in the streets
injury.
Whether
that injury
came
limiting
trade,
stifling
protesting
and punishing
Boston
byfrom
closing
its harbors
and
violating
protest
through
punishing
colonies
for until the
the privacy
of its violence
citizens, itorwas
only a matter
of time
Colonists would break
away country
from Britain,
one of the
insubordination,
a mother
bentcreating
on exploiting
its greatest,
most powerful
found
in to
thefeel
world.”
colonies
wouldcountries
eventually
have
the wrath of those
colonies yearning for freedom. As the American Revolution
shows us, a people downtrodden with little respect will rise
up to better their lives, protect their freedoms and pursue
the happiness that everyone in this world deserves.”
Some Critical Don’ts
• DON’T WRITE “I” “ME” “MY” “YOU” in you paper
• DON’T USE ABBREVIATIONS, “TEXT SPEECH” (i.e. omg, b/c, lol,
jk,cuz)
• Try not to use contractions (don’t, can’t, won’t)
• Don’t write in present tense
• Don’t use inappropriate language (i.e…you can figure it out)
• DO NOT PLAGERIZE…EVER