How To Write an ACES History Thesis Statement

What is a thesis? 1.) Answers the question + 2.) Provides an Argument A historically defensible claim 1-2 Sentences Long

BAD George Washington set examples as president. This is a fact, not an argument.

GOOD The examples that Washington set as America’s first president greatly benefited the American political system. This is a clear position that can be supported or opposed.

1. Answer all parts of the question Understand the prompt by rereading, marking, and analyzing it! Remember, a mistake in understanding a question could make the rest of a student’s effort almost worthless.

2. Make a clear argument! Most questions require a response that is not black or white but instead some shade of gray. That does not mean, however, that students should attempt to respond in the exact middle of the continuum. Such an attempt usually results in a failure to articulate a clear position. Make an argument, but acknowledge the other side! Being a 1, 5, or 10 is a bad idea!

I don’t know what’s going on… Thesis Continuum I don’t know what’s going on… I’m extremely con! I’m extremely pro!

3. Acknowledge the opposing argument A good thesis allows the writer to show understanding of the complexity of the issue and knowledge of information on both sides of the issue. Most prompts allow for an opinion on either side of the question. By acknowledging another view in the thesis, it becomes possible to add relevant information on that side of the issue.

4. Establish a setting What is going on at the specific time period? Address important dates, events, and/or mindsets of that era to better provide CONTEXT to your argument

5. Provide a “Road Map” What’s next? What should the reader expect to read? List the topics you will be focusing on in the rest of your writing that support your argument.

6. Provide a Partition (ESP) Make sure your thesis addresses an economic, social, and/or political issue that relates to your prompt.

Overall Your Thesis Should… Have a clear argument! Answer all parts of the question Address counter arguments Establish the setting for your writing Provide a “Road-Map” Provide a partition (economic, social, political)

SAMPLE PROMPT QUESTION To what extent did the Civil War create a revolution in African American society?

“The Civil War was a revolution in African American society.” POOR Simple thesis: “The Civil War was a revolution in African American society.”

FAIR “The Civil War created a huge revolution politically, socially, and constitutionally in African American society.”

BETTER Although some may argue the Civil War led to a revolution constitutionally for African Americans, blacks in the South were virtually abandoned by the North in 1877 and subsequently dominated by the Southern white supremacist Democratic party. Thus, even though African Americans gained more rights on a national level, the Civil War did not create a complete revolution for those that lived in the South because of social and political issues like Jim Crow Laws, Literacy Tests, and Poll Taxes.

REMEMBER! Your thesis must address all parts of the question! Make sure your evidence used in the rest of your writing links to your thesis!

ACES: Writing a persuasive paragraph Assert/Acknowledge Cite Explain Summarize *4-5 Sentences

Assert/Acknowledge THESIS STATEMENT USE 6 TARGETS! ACES Assert/Acknowledge THESIS STATEMENT USE 6 TARGETS!

In Class ACES Prompt Did industrialization have a more positive of negative effect on 19th century America?

Break down prompt like so: Circle the task at hand (analyze, assess, compare, etc.) Underline the historical subject/content Box out the time period given, or assign one .

Answer all parts of the question Did industrialization have a more positive of negative effect on 19th century America? Circle the task at hand (analyze, assess, compare, etc.) Underline the historical subject/content Box out the time period given, or assign one

Make a clear argument Did industrialization have a more positive of negative effect on 19th century America? After reading the sources, think about what you believe and what evidence supports your opinion!

Address counter-arguments While some may argue industrialization…

Setting, Road-Map, Partition (ESP) I believe it actually had a more (positive/negative) effect on 19th century America because…

According to ________________ in ___________________, “….” ACES Cite: Evidence to support your thesis. According to ________________ in ___________________, “….” OR For example…

Explain: How does this evidence support your thesis? ACES Explain: How does this evidence support your thesis? This proves that industrialization had a more positive/negative effect because…

ACES Summarize: Recap As a result,… OR In conclusion,…