Historical Thinking Skills |
Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical EvidenceOver the course, students learned how to address a topic by giving specific historical examples and elaborating on them. When writing an essay students are required to analyze a topic on a certain historical event or period. For me in particular it is easier to first turn the topic into a question, in that way I remember to answer what is required. I also try to not repeat the statement in the prompt, therefore I make a chart where I put down some historical examples, let’s say that I am supposed to write an essay explaining how trade changed in Latin America after both hemispheres were connected from the late 1990s to 1750. I would make a chart including the slave trade, Columbian Exchange. Then while writing the essay I would elaborate more by giving examples of what new crops and animals were exchanged between both hemispheres, like potatoes, tomatoes, horses, cows, turkey, etc. On the thesis, the basic should be included, you just have to include the main idea(what is on the chart) and later use the thesis to check if you have written about what is says on the thesis (use as a reference) . The making of charts and thesis has helped me write better essays because I remember my thoughts by checking the charts while writing. I’ve gotten very fast and much better at doing these charts, rewording the topic and writing thesis that include the big picture, the details are included later in the essay. Evidence Evidence that will help me prove my undertanding about analyzing societies would ne a chart that contains the political aspects and action that the US and USSR ttok during World War II |
Chronological ReasoningDuring the course students learned how to make timelines that list the events that occurred throughout certain periods of time. These timelines help us while writing a change overtime essay because we can use the events as specific examples. Timelines help students review material, making them has helped me remember important events and dates that can lead me to find an answer for a question or an essay. For example, when writing a change over time essay about world relations from the early 1900s to the present, you can make a timeline including World War I and World War II, revolutions for independence that led to economic growth which contributed to better education and that will help you write and remember events in chronological order. At first it was hard to make timelines because of the little knowledge and poor understanding that I had due to my reading and writing skills at the beginning of the year. Later I became really good at making time lines because you learn how to make connections with other events that lead to a particular event. What I found very helpful was the Chinese dynasties song, because it lists the dynasties in chronological order, then you can make connections with events that occurred at the same time but in other parts around the world. For example, when China wanted to isolate themselves and only bought silver from the Americas, which connects to the silver mining in the Americas, which also connects to the hard working conditions of slaves and slave trade. Evidence As evidence I have a chart that show the Russian government under Stalin and Lenin which shows how the political ideas changed, I also included a timeline to represent the different events that ocurred between WWI and WWII, the last piece of evidence that I included is a part of the Chinese dynasties song that connects to other events that happened troughout the world. |
Comparison and ContextualizationThroughout the course of the class we as students learned how to compare societies throughout the world in different time periods. For example the AP test includes a comparison essay that will ask you for specific similarities and differences between two societies. Charts are very helpful during this process, it is easier to put down your ideas in a t-chart to see you options before you start an essay. It is also helpful to use SPICE terms when making a chart because you can use the ones that you feel more confident with. For example, let’s say you have to compare Latin America to Africa during 1490-1750; it would be smart to include the political, economic and social aspects of both societies in a chart. You can include that both regions were under colonial rule and were exploited to take certain resources. Making a comparison chart takes less time and it is very helpful to refer back to it. The hard part comes when you don’t have enough similarities or differences to support your claim, when getting stuck it is easier for me to think in what is not general, like those small details that will give me points for comprehension, like traditional ideologies that lead to other events like revolutions or civil wars, here it is where I show my understanding of class reviews. If it wasn’t for those charts I would off been lost during the test, chapter lectures helped me in the understanding of different ideas, because they give specific examples of history, When comparing two regions it is important to include good historical examples with details, not just repeat the prompt. Evidence As evidence I choose a chart that compares the political, economic and social aspects of north and Latin America |
Historical InterpretationWriting a Document Based Questions essay requires the interpretation of a series of documents about a certain topic, throughout the course; students learned how to interpret documents taking in account who the writer is, the topic, etc. What helped me analyze documents were soapstone charts. At first is hard to analyze a document in one minute but doing soapstone’s charts for every document in the chapters makes you master this type of art. The soapstone charts consist of , speaker, occasion, audience, purpose, subject and the tone in which it is written. It is also important to include the author’s point of view, his or her social class and ideas might intervene in what is actually real. For example a European from the early 1900s might believe in his superiority over other races, but his idea could be influenced by social Darwinism, which states that Europeans (whites) are superior over other races and therefore, imperialism is justified. Analyzing all these aspects is helpful when grouping documents during the essay because you can group them by the different ideas that are stated or the social class that the authors belong to. It is also important to remember to add more background information no only repeat what the author is telling us. Including events happening at the time can give explanations of what are the reasons to write that document. Analyzing and interpretating a document also helps you find the reason to include an additional document. When analyzing a document you can come across the idea that someone’s opinion is missing, therefore it needs to be added. Evidence As evidence I have a Soapstone chart about an image that the United Fruit Company used as propaganda to sell as well as a DBQ that is annotated, which shows my ability to analyze documents |
