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CLICK FOR DBQ HELP ... LONG ESSAY HELP.
Historical Thinking Skills The new AP Test focuses on 9 Historical Thinking Skills. How they are applied to your DBQ and Long Essays will be explained later. The skills to know are:
1.
Analyzing Evidence: Content and
Sourcing - You must be able to
describe and evaluate relevant evidence from documents, artwork,
primary sources, and more. You need to be able to conclude why
they are relevant. As will be seen in the DBQ, you should be aware
of the source’s context, purpose, point of view, and audience. The
writings of John C. Calhoun had a Southern bias, with the purpose
of achieving states’ rights. His audience might have been the
federal government, who he was looking to persuade to repeal the
Tariff of Abominations. Or, perhaps he was trying to rouse
Southern resistance.
2.
Interpretation - Point of view
and interpretation are important. Historical interpretation
changes over time. The study of how history is written is called
historiography.
One historian writing in the 1880s might see the main cause of the
Civil War to be political division. One writing in the 1960s might
believe the social aspects of slavery to be a larger issue. The
author’s time period, and other outside influences, can affect how
history is interpreted.
3.
Comparison - You need to compare
how history develops across different societies (or one society),
places, and time periods. In addition, you must evaluate how
history can be viewed differently by groups of people. For
instance, you might compare the similarities and differences of
the Progressive Era and New Deal, yet also see how there were
people who were adversaries to both reform movements. Or, you
could see how both the North and the South viewed the Civil War
differently.
4.
Contextualization - It is
important to connect history to the bigger picture. For instance,
the counterculture movement not only coincided with the Vietnam
War, but also the Civil Rights Era. Abolition coincided with the
Second Great Awakening. You can contextualize at a global level
too. Britain didn’t support the Confederacy after the Emancipation
Proclamation, as they had abolished slavery decades before. The
Iranian Revolution resisted Western influences in the Middle East
which were expanding during the Cold War.
5.
Synthesis - Just as historians
take information from a variety of sources, themes, geographic
areas, and periods, you can too, by utilizing history from
different cultures and regions. See the section on DBQ writing to
understand what you must do to earn one essay point for
synthesizing.
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6.
Causation - You need to be able
to understand and analyze the complex causes and effects of
history (both long-term and short-term). For instance, Lincoln’s
election was a short-term cause for the Civil War, while
sectionalism was a long-term cause. A short-term effect of the
French and Indian War was Britain needing money and issuing tax
acts. A long-term effect was the American Revolution.
7.
Patterns of Continuity and Change
- Sometimes issues of history continue down the same path. Other
times, there is change. For instance, for decades minorities
continued to be denied basic freedoms before the Civil Rights Era
brought about change. The Civil Rights Era can be considered a
continuation of other reform movements in history as well. See
examples in the pages that follow.
8.
Periodization - Historians
organize history into certain time blocks. This book has done it,
as does each textbook. Historians don’t always agree which turning
points should cause such periodization. You need to know why
certain events are organized into specific time blocks, and
perhaps offer your own thoughts as to how historical time should
be categorized.
9a.
Argumentation: Creating an Argument
- As will be explained with the essay writing, you must construct
an argument around the Historical Thinking Skills. You must use
extensive analysis to create a convincing thesis. It’s also
helpful to know both sides of an argument. Why was Reconstruction
a success? Why a failure? You can argue either side if you have
enough evidence, and should be able to distinguish perspectives or
contradictions.
9b.
Argumentation: Using Evidence to
Support an Argument - You must be
able to look at an array of sources and be able to see how they
are similar, or contradict one another. Furthermore, you must be
able to utilize sources to make a cohesive argument.
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