The Free Response
The Number One Rule of AP:
Don’t Panic!
There is more freedom in the
free response than you may
think!
2006 Change Over Time
Analyze the cultural and political changes and
continuities in ONE of the following
civilizations during the last centuries of the
classical era.
• Chinese, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
• Roman, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
• Indian, 300 C.E. to 600 C.E.
Chinese, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
First, identify changes in China during this time
period first:
What changed during this time period?
Chinese, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
Collapse of the Han Dynasty:
220 C.E.
Effects:
Chinese, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
Reunification of China under Sui Dynasty:
581 C.E.
Effects:
Chinese, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
Thus, the cultural and political changes are:
Chinese, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
However, even in the midst of changes, there are
continuities.
Thesis:
1- Make an argument
2- The changes are more significant or the
continuities are more significant
3- Use of the rule of TWO in your thesis;
provide specific examples in the thesis
The Thesis:
Roman, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
First identify the changes that occurred in the
Roman Empire during this time period first:
Roman, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
The Collapse of the Western Roman Empire:
476 C.E.
Roman, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
The cultural and political changes are:
Roman, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
However, even in the midst of changes, there are
continuities.
Roman, 100 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
100
600
The cultural and political continuities are:
Thesis:
1- Make an argument
2- The changes are more significant or the
continuities are more significant
3- Use of the rule of TWO in your thesis;
provide specific examples in the thesis
The Thesis:
Indian, 300 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
300
600
First, identify the changes in India during this
time period first:
Indian, 300 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
300
600
The Gupta Empire: 320 C.E. – 520 C.E.
Indian, 300 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
300
600
The cultural and political changes are:
Indian, 300 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
300
600
However, even in the midst of changes, there are
continuities.
Indian, 300 C.E. to 600 C.E.
----------------------------------------------------------
300
600
The cultural and political continuities are:
Thesis:
1- Make an argument
2- The changes are more significant or the
continuities are more significant
3- Use of the rule of TWO in your thesis;
provide specific examples in the thesis
The Thesis:
It is important to remember that every body
paragraph must either analyze a change or a
continuity!
2008 Comparative Essay
Compare the emergence of nation-states in
nineteenth-century Latin America with the
emergence of nation-states in ONE of the
following regions in the twentieth century.
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• The Middle East
It is important to remember that several
examples within a region qualify as addressing
the region.
The Quick List:
List the facts that you know about the:
Emergence of nation-states in nineteenth-century
Latin America
The Quick List:
List the facts that you know about the:
Emergence of nation-states in twentieth-century
Sub-Saharan Africa:
The Quick List:
List the facts that you know about the:
Emergence of nation-states in twentieth-century
the Middle East:
What region will you choose to compare to
Latin America?
Compare your lists:
Find similarities and differences.
Thesis:
1- Make an argument
2- The similarities are more significant than the
differences or the differences are more
significant than the similarities
3- Use the rule of TWO in your thesis; provide
specific examples in the thesis
My Thesis: