How To Write the Compare
and Contrast Essay
AP WORLD HISTORY
AP World History Test
Format
 Multiple Choice – 70 questions in 55 minutes
 Writing: 2 hours, 10 minutes
 Document Based Question (DBQ) – 10 minutes
reading, 40 minutes writing
 Change and Continuity Over Time – 40 minutes
 Compare and Contrast – 40 minutes
Step One: Read the
Question
 Generally, you will be asked to analyze a broad
historical issue or issues for two areas of the world
 Identify the TASKS and TERMS of the question
 TASKS: What is the question asking you to DO?
 TERMS: What SUBJECT(S) do you need to TALK
ABOUT in your essay?
Step 1.5: Make Your
Selection when Possible
 Sometimes the question will give you a choice of topic(s)
and/or region(s)
 Make your selection
 You may be given choices
 Pick the areas you know the most facts about
 If the questions picks the region(s), but allows you to
choose the topics, you should always choose THREE
topics/categories of analysis (Think SPICE)
 Be sure to read the question carefully, as it may provide you
with all of the tasks and terms that you need to answer the
question without making any choices.
Sample Questions
With Choice (Categories
AND Region):
With Choice (Region)
 Within the period from
1450 to 1900, compare the
processes (e.g. political,
social, economic) of empire
building in the Spanish
Empire with the empirebuilding processes in ONE
of the following:
 Compare demographic and
environmental effects of the
Columbian Exchange on the
Americas with the Columbia
Exchange’s demographic
and environmental effects on
ONE of the following
regions between 1492 and
1750.
 The Ottoman Empire
 The Russian Empire



Africa
Asia
Europe
Sample Question (No
Choice)
 For the period from 1500 to 1830, compare North
American racial ideologies and their effects on
society with Latin American/Caribbean racial
ideologies and their effects on society.
Practice Identifying TASKS
and TERMS
Analyze political, economic, and
cultural similarities and differences
between Egypt and Mesopotamia
during the River Valley period.
Step #2: Brainstorm
Essential Ideas
 Before writing your essay, try to list as much as you can
about the terms/topics addressed in the question
 Create categories of analysis from your list of facts (IF
they give you a choice)
 Your knowledge should dictate your choice of region(s)
and/or topic(s)
 You need to be able to identify at least THREE specific
facts or pieces of evidence per category of analysis
 Brainstorming should take no more than five minutes
Step 3: Develop Thesis
and Introduction Paragraph
 Your thesis must respond to the question directly by telling
the reader why/how you will complete the task by using
the terms of the question
 Can be more than one sentence
 Make sure to address ALL parts of the questions
Step 3: Elements of Thesis
 All Thesis Statements must include at least:




Time Period
Region(s)
Categories of Analysis/Topics
Explanation of a similarity or a difference for EACH
of the categories of analysis using specific details
Sample Thesis Outline
 When analyzing (thematic category), (thematic
category) and (thematic category) in (region) and
(region) during/between (time period), there are
many similarities and differences. With regards to
(thematic category #1), a (S/D) is (identify S/D), due
to (brief explanation). Regarding (thematic category
#2), a (S/D) is (identify S/D), due to (brief
explanation). Finally, when examining (thematic
category #3), (S/D) is (similar/different) because
(brief explanation).
Step 3: What Not to Do in a
Thesis
 DO NOT SIMPLY RESTATE THE QUESTION
 Avoid Flowery Language or vague generalities – get
right to the point in your thesis
 Avoid giving historical background unless absolutely
necessary
Practice: Identifying
Strong, Blah, and Weak
Thesis Statements
Analyze political, economic, and cultural similarities
and differences between Egypt and Mesopotamia
during the River Valley period.
 Early River Valley civilizations have both
similarities and differences.
 Early River Valley civilizations have both
similarities and differences. Both have rivers,
however they differ in many aspects.
 Egypt and Mesopotamia have both similarities and
differences. Both early river valley civilizations
have similar environmental origins, however
aspects such as religion, economics, and politics
developed differently in each civilization.
Analyze political, economic, and cultural
similarities and differences between Egypt and
Mesopotamia during the River Valley period.
 During the period of river valley civilizations, Egypt
and Mesopotamia shared many political, economic,
and cultural similarities, while also remaining
different in several ways throughout the same
categories. Economically, both relied on trade for
essential items. Politically, however, Egypt was
centralized and Mesopotamia decentralized due to
differing geographic features. Finally, their cultural
traditions differed due to their differing
environments.
Analyze political, economic, and cultural
similarities and differences between Egypt and
Mesopotamia during the River Valley period.
 Egypt and Mesopotamia developed both similarly and
differently during the river valley period, particularly when
examining their economic, political, and cultural traditions. In
early history, Egypt and Mesopotamia shared similar
polytheistic beliefs that were often connected to their
surrounding geography, although differences in this
geography led to varying interpretations on the nature of the
gods and the afterlife. Economically, both civilizations traded
with surrounding regions, not only for necessary goods, but
also luxury goods, indicating both civilizations’ economic
strength. Finally, while both employed monarchical
governments, Mesopotamian government was decentralized,
whereas Egyptian government was centralized. Just as
geography determined religious beliefs, so too did it factor
into the political decisions and organization of these early
civilizations.
Step 4: Body Paragraphs
 All parts of the question must be addressed in your body paragraphs
 You need to address similarities AND differences within EACH
category of analysis
 You must ALWAYS explain WHY or HOW the regions are similar or
different
 RULE OF THREE:




Each essay should have THREE categories of analysis, unless otherwise
noted
Each essay should have at least THREE body paragraphs, one for each
category of analysis
Each body paragraph should have at least THREE similarities/differences
identified
Each body paragraph needs to have at least THREE pieces of specific
evidence to support the similarities/differences
Step 4: Body Paragraphs
 Each body paragraph MUST have a topic sentence
 It should briefly restate (in different words) what you
said in the thesis
 Good Example of a Topic Sentence:
 Egypt and Mesopotamia shared many political similarities,
such as monarchies, but also many differences, such as
centralized and decentralized governments.
 Bad Example of a Topic Sentence:
 Egypt and Mesopotamia had many political similarities and
differences.
Step 4: Direct Comparisons
in Body Paragraphs
 You must have at least one direct comparison in
each body paragraph.
 The best essays have multiple direct comparisons in
each body paragraph
 Direct Comparison: referencing BOTH civilizations
in one sentence, as related to a specific similarity or
difference
Direct Comparison
Examples
 Poor Direct Comparison:
 Egypt and Mesopotamia shared several political
similarities.
 Slightly Better Direct Comparison:
 Egypt and Mesopotamia were similar because both had
kings.
 Best Direct Comparison:
 Egypt and Mesopotamia both had kings at the center of
their government in order to provide central leadership and
clear laws for both regions. However, while Egypt believed
their Pharaohs were gods, people in Mesopotamia believed
that gods only gave kings the right to rule.
Step 4: Analysis in Body
Paragraphs
 You must always explain WHY or HOW the regions
are similar or different for every example that you
provide.
 If you cannot do this, do not include the example in
your body paragraphs.
 You can combine the identification and explanation
into one sentence, or make it 2+ sentences.
Unacceptable Body
Paragraph
 Egypt and Mesopotamia were politically similar
and different in many ways. Egypt and
Mesopotamia both had kings. Egypt believed its
king, known as a pharaoh, was a god. Egypt was
centralized, but Mesopotamia was decentralized.
Egypt was not invaded as often as Mesopotamia.
Better Body Paragraph
 Egypt and Mesopotamia shared many political similarities, such as monarchies,
but also many differences, such as centralized and decentralized governments.
Egypt and Mesopotamia both had kings at the center of their government in
order to provide central leadership and clear laws for both regions. However,
while Egypt believed their Pharaohs were gods, people in Mesopotamia
believed that gods only gave kings the right to rule. This, in large part, was due
to the more positive beliefs attributed to Egyptian gods, as compared to
Mesopotamia’s more negative views on religion. Both governments employed
bureaucracies to implement the laws the king, making it easier to maintain
control. Finally, while they shared many political features, one major
difference was that Egypt had a more centralized government, whereas
Mesopotamia was more decentralized as city-states. Egypt’s centralization is
because of its isolation and protection provided by the Sahara Desert and Nile
River cataracts. However, Mesopotamia has no such geographical features, thus
leaving them more vulnerable to outside attack and in greater need of smaller,
more spread out governments that can respond at any time.
Step 5: Conclusion
 Every essay MUST have a conclusion paragraph –
you will lose points in my class if you do not have a
conclusion paragraph that includes at least:
 Restatement of thesis in new words
 Brief explanation of an example from each category to
demonstrate similarities and differences
General Tips
 All essays are worth 100 points
 Always Remember the Rule of Three
 All Essays written at home must be typed, doublespaced, with 1” margins, and 12-point font
 Late essays lose 10% points per day. Essays later
than 2 days will receive a 0; missing essays will
result in an incomplete in Infinite Campus until you
submit it