How to Write a Change Over Time Essay

What do I do?

• First of all – READ the QUESTION• Underline the years, topic, categories and/or

area• YOU MUST INCLUDE ALL OF IT IN YOUR THESIS• ALL!ALL!ALL!ALL!• If you leave out one thing, you do NOT get the

point!

• You should use 5 minutes to plan• You then should have 35 minutes to write• Write down all the ideas you have about how

the subject changed and how it stayed the same

• Organize how you will write your essay• THEN WRITE IT!

How do I write the thesis?• The Question:

– Describe and analyze the cultural, economic, and political impact of Islam on ONE of the following regions between 1000 C.E. and 1750 C.E. Be sure to discuss continuities as well as change.• West Africa• South Asia• Europe

• The Template:– Between _(beginning date)__ and __(ending date)__ , __(topic)____ __(area you

decide to write about)__changed in regards to__(category(ies) from prompt)__ but stayed the same in the area of__(other category(ies) from the prompt)__.

– Example Thesis: “Between 1000 and 1750 C.E. Islam impacted West Africa by changing its trade policies and governmental structure but many of its ideas about gender roles remained the same.”

• THIS IS A BASIC THESIS, BUT WILL GET YOU THE POINT!

• However, a more analytical one would be:• Between 1000 and 1750 C.E. Islam entered

West Africa and increased its existing trade networks and expanded economics practices and centralized its governmental systems under Islamic empires and rulers but many aspects of African indigenous religions, even though they were syncretic blends with Islam, and traditional gender roles remained unchanged.

What must I do to get points?• Thesis• Address all parts of the question!• You must describe at least four changes or continuities

– You must have one from each category, but can have more than one (can be 1-3, 2-2, 3-1)

– If it contains regions, all must be discussed, but not necessarily evenly• You must include four pieces of historical evidence

– You must have one from each category, but can have more than one (can be 1-3, 2-2, 3-1)

• Use historical context (show how it relates to what is going on somewhere else in the world) (ex: ….this is similar to the way that governmental structures changed when the Muslims took over the Byzantine Empire and established the Ottoman Empire.)

• Analyze – WHY – did it change or stay the same (must do this at least once) (ex: Because of Muslim merchants venturing across the Sahara, the people of West Africa were introduced to Islam, changing their way of life forever.

• Example of change: trade networks expanded• Evidence: Before 1000CE, a Trans-Saharan trade network did

not exist. Over the next few centuries, Muslim traders and caravans made their way across the Sahara to new kingdoms like Mali and Ghana and began trade relations with these kingdoms. This new trading network brought new wealth and prosperity to these African Kingdoms who sold items like salt and gold to the Muslims. So much so that a Mali king, Mansa Musa, gave gold out freely as he passed through Egypt on his pilgrimage to Mecca.

• Example of Continuity: gender roles• Evidence: One aspect of African culture that remained the

same was gender roles. Men were still the hunters, warriors and leaders while women were still the homemakers and mothers. Both men and women continued to work in the fields planting and harvesting their crops due to tradition and necessity. Thus Islam did not get Africans to convert to their tradition of no contact between unrelated males and females nor their practice of veiling women.

• I also threw in a little analysis of WHY it didn’t change. Did you catch it?

Writing the Essay

• First paragraph– Hook/WOW!!– Thesis statement• Include date, topic, categories, region• Can be more than one sentence• Be broad, yet specific• What changed?• What stayed the same?

• 2nd, 3rd, 4th paragraphs– You can have a paragraph for each categories• Examples of categories: political, social, economic,

religion, trade, slavery, education, etc.

– Or you can have a paragraph for changes and a paragraph for continuities

– Or you can have a paragraph for each change and each continuity

– Or you can have a paragraph for each region

• Last paragraph• Wrap it up – conclusion• You can include your historical context here

Areas Usually Mentioned in Essays• East Asia (China/Japan)• West Asia/Southwest Asia (Middle East)• South Asia (India)• Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Laos, CambodiaThailand)• Western Europe (England, France, Spain, etc.)• Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland)• Central Asia (Mongols)• Sub-Saharan Africa (everything below the Sahara- no

Egypt or North Africa)• Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Polynesia)• Latin America (Cuba, Mexico, South America)• North America (US, Canada, maybe Mexico)

• Time Periods:– To c. 600BCE– C. 600BCE to c. 600CE– C. 600Ce to c. 1450– C. 1450 to c. 1750– C. 1750 to c. 1900– C. 1900 to Present

Topics Essays Could be About:• migration, trade, disease, government, spread

of religion, technology, social structure, gender roles, women’s rights, slavery, civilization, industry, culture, agriculture, commerce, labor systems, revolution, war