1. The CCOT Essay Continuity and Change Over Time AP World History
Mr. Mark Gonzalez and Monica Bond- Lamberty

2. How to CCOT
Prompt: Analyze the Changes and Continuities shown in the music videos in the history of rock and roll from 1970 to early 2000s in the United States and Britain.

3. How to CCOT
Revise your thesis statement and three topic sentences (linked to the thesis statement) for the prompt Analyze the Changes and Continuities shown in the music videos in the history of rock and roll from the 1970s to early 2000s in the United States and Britain.
Consider your topics (what will you be discussing in each paragraph
You need at least one continuity and one change (plus 1)

4. How to CCOT
1. Recognize Topic: Correctly recognize the general topic/theme. Suppose the question wishes you to discuss labor systems--- make sure you discuss both free and slave labor, not just slavery. Consider all that could be included under that topic category.

5. How to CCOT
2. Identify Region/Societies: Accurately identify the region they are asking you to use. You will receive no credit if you think Spain is in Eastern Europe or Thailand is in South Asia. Next, think of what places are included in the region(s) you chose (though not all questions will give you a choice). When given a choice as to which region(s) to discuss, make sure that for your choice you can come up with enough examples from various places within the region, NOT just one country/society.

6. How to CCOT 2. Identify Region/Societies:
Western Europe/US – the “West”

7. How to CCOT (continued)
3. Determine Significance of Dates: Determine the significance given of the dates, both the start date and the end date. Be sure to consider events all the way until the end date and all the way from the beginning date but not beyond either.

8. How to CCOT 3. Determine Significance of Dates for rock n roll:
1970s- rock n’ roll popular, shorter skirts for women, slang words- “groovy, cool, kooky”, Vietnam War, sexual revolution
1980s-
2000s-

9. How to CCOT (continued)
4. Identify Changes: Compare periods of time, namely conditions at the beginning of the given time period, with those at the end and determine what is different (changes). Make sure you give concrete examples of how they changed.

10. How to CCOT 4. Identify Changes in Rock n Roll Music:
Styles of rock and roll;
Types of instruments,
Fashion: clothing, hair style, make-up;
Stage: set-up; lighting;
Performance; microphones; speakers;
Television (film goes from black and white to color);
Use of music to make statements (60s, 70s and 90s)

11. How to CCOT (continued)
5. Identify Continuities: Establish what remained the same during the time period or the continuities (so the similarities of the comparison), not just what changed (the differences). Again, give concrete examples of how they remained the same.

12. How to CCOT (continued)
5. Identify Continuities (more for rock n’ roll):
All entertainment includes dress, dance and lighting/sound, not only music.
Type of instrumentation used (guitar and vocals)

13. How to CCOT (continued)
6. Identify Key Steps in Process: Consider the process that took place during this time. That is were there any major developments that are relevant that occurred between the beginning date (the baseline) and the end date (the end point)?

14. How to CCOT 6. Identify Key Steps in Process:
Rockabilly(Johnny Cash) to British rock
British Rock to protest (Sex Pistols)
Protest to big acts/disco
Introduction of Punk and Metal (big hair bands or death metal)
alternative/grunge

15. How to CCOT (continued)
7. Analyze the Changes and Continuities (including reasons for them): Analyze the processes identified. The pace of change, the manner of change/continuity, comparative changes/continuity, and results or effects of the changes/continuities. Make sure you also analyze why did things change or remain the same?

16. How to CCOT
7. Analyze the Changes and Continuities (including reasons for them):
Changes in fashion and taste. (1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9)
Social movements – Country or British influence (1, 3, 7)
Cultural movements – punk, grunge, etc. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9)
Political realities – peace movement, 60s protest, etc. (1, 7)
New technology (4, 5, 6, 9)

17. How to CCOT (continued)
8. Include Global Context: Make sure to include the relevant world historical context in some of your analysis of the changes and continuities over time, including reasons for them.

18. How to CCOT 8. Include Global Context (often part of analysis):
Vietnam war
Cold War/Protest movement
Globalization/Modernization

19. Tips for Writing the CCOT
Your thesis must include:
1. your argument (what changed, what remained the same, and why did it happen this way)
2. the geographic focus of the question (the places identified)
3. the time frame specified in the question (the dates).
When asked to discuss or even analyze changes or transformations, do not describe them as positive or negative, but rather describe specifics about the actual continuity or change/transformation.

20. Terms to use for changes:
‘previously’, ‘before’, ‘until that time’, ‘up to that point’, ‘formerly’, ‘from that point forward’, ‘over time’, ‘as things evolved’, ‘in the [fill in the blank] century’, or ‘then comes the period of time when [such and such] happened’.
You can also use the terms ‘radical’ or ‘completely’ to describe a change, but be careful as you will need to address a continuity and usage of these terms might make that harder or even impossible. 

21. Terms to use for continuities:
‘throughout this period’, ‘continued to’, ‘persistent’, ‘lasting’, ‘enduring’, ‘ongoing’, ‘constant’, ‘sustained’, or ‘maintained’.
Also ‘permanent’, ‘undying’, ‘unrelenting’ or ‘undeviating’, but be careful with these terms as they can corner you into an argument you might not be able to defend.

22. Possible/Common COT Essay Structures
Topical (Best)
Subtopic #1 - Global Context, Changes, Continuities, and analysis of process of change/continuity and relationship to global context
Subtopic #2 - Global Context, Changes, Continuities, analysis of process of change/continuity and relationship to global context
Subtopic #3 - Global Context, Changes, Continuities, and analysis of process of change/continuity and relationship to global context

23. How to CCOT
Revise your thesis statement and three topic sentences (linked to the thesis statement) for the promp Analyze the Changes and Continuities shown in the music videos in the history of rock and roll
Consider your topics (what will you be discussing in each paragraph
You need at least one continuity and one change (plus 1)

24. More Tips for Writing the CCOT
Be sure to provide evidence to support your description of the continuity and changes/transformations which should be different than your actual description of them.
Be sure to focus on analyzing the continuities and changes over time, rather than just listing events in the order they occurred or narrating what happened in the “story line.”

25. How to CCOT Use wording of question in your answer.
Be clear in the changes and continuities that you are identifying
Include analysis in your changes and continuities

26. How to CCOT
Changes in the history of rock and roll from the 1970s to the present are stage activity and appearance and a continuity is the use of the guitar.
Changes in the history of rock and roll from the 1970s to the present are stage activity and appearance of the performers; while a continuity is the use of the guitar..
Changes in the history of rock and roll from the 1970s to the present was the stage activity and appearance of the performers responding to cultural changes; while a continuity is the use of vocals and guitar given the nature of the music.

27. How to CCOT
In the history of rock and roll from 1750 to the present the emphasis on the lead singer remained constant, while the costumes and cinematography changed.
In the history of rock and roll from 1970 to the present the emphasis on the lead singer and use of guitar remained constant, while the outfits worn by the performers and the cinematography has changed.
In the history of rock and roll from 1970 to the present the emphasis on the lead singer and use of guitar remained constant given the nature of the music, while the outfits worn by the performers and the cinematography has changed given cultural changes and as new technology was developed.

28. How to CCOT – Trade Networks between Africa and Eurasia(Formative)
Analyze continuities and changes in trade networks between Africa and Eurasia from circa 300 C.E. to 1450 C.E
Thesis and 3 topic sentences.

29. Common errors :
Make sure you are address the changes and continuities regarding merchants and trade routes stay within the time period circa (around) 300 AD- 1450
Careful with pronouns – to what are you referring when you say ‘it’?
Need to include analysis – why did trade change or remain the same between Africa and Eurasia?

30. Common errors in thesis statements:
Thesis should include both regions’ trade networks and the changes and continuities (3 total).
Thesis statement can be two sentences….but begin w/ “in the final analysis….”
Don’t forget the complete answer approach (dates, trade networks, etc.)
Be specific as to what you consider to be a change vs. a continuity

31. Thesis ideas-good or bad?)
In the final analysis, trade networks between Africa and Eurasia both had continuities and changes.
In the final analysis, trade networks between Africa and Eurasia changed and remained the same from circa 300 until 1450.

32. Thesis ideas
In the final analysis, many things changed and remained the same such as trade products that were exchanged, belief that trading was necessary and which areas served as the centers of trade.
In the final analysis, trans-regional trade between Africa and Eurasia from circa 300 AD (CE) until changed in that ………… Interactions between the 2 regions also changed in that………………, while a continuity was that………………………...

33. Thesis Common errors in topic sentences:
Don’t discuss a change and a continuity in the same topic sentence.
Topic sentences should take one sentence only
State a change or continuity clearly as such and about to what you are referring
Be clear to which trade network you are referring

34. SILK ROADS CCOT - THESIS
Thesis must include:
Addresses the global issues and the time period(s) specified.
Examples of patterns of trade interactions: merchant missionaries, spread of diseases, economic systems, technology, animals, products.
Again saying “There were many continuities and changes” is not acceptable.

35. Here is a similar CCOT essay example THESIS-Analyze the continuities and changes in patterns of interactions along the Silk Roads from 200 B.C.E. to 1450 C.E.
“In the final analysis, there were continuous technological exchanges along the Silk Roads, There were many changes along the Silk Roads as well.” In this case continuity is addressed with specificity but change is not.
“In the final analysis, between 200 BCE and 1450 CE, when large empires extended across Eurasia that created stability, the Silk Roads would prosper and spread trade and diffuse cultures and ideas, but when these empires would periodically collapse – often for diseases spreading on the Silk Road and nomadic invasion, the Silk Roads would fall out of use until empires reemerged; following 1450 as European maritime trade grew, the use of the Silk Roads would diminish.”

36. SILK ROADS CCOT - THESIS
“In the final analysis,from 200 BCE to 1450 CE, the Silk Road was extremely important in connecting China in the East to the empires of the West. While goods traded, nations and people involved changed over time, the continuous flow of new technology, religions, customs, ideas and the occasional plague never abated.”

37. SILK ROADS CCOT – TOPIC SENTENCES - CHANGE
“The foundation of the Yuan dynasty in China, however, changed and revived the old glory of the Silk Road..”
.””With the fall of the Roman Empire trade on the Silk road slowed.
“a major source of cultural diffusion – invasions and war – was not really apparent on the Silk Road in any large scale until the rise of the Mongols.””

38. SILK ROADS CCOT – TOPIC SENTENCES – CONTINUITY w/ good analysis embedded
“The continuities present in the Silk road were found in its initial stage of implementation: constant exchange of goods, technology and ideas, as well as relative economic and political prosperity.”
“Not only were goods traded along the Silk road but so were ideas and cultures, cultural diffusion occurred constantly.”
“The silk roads were an integral part of global interaction from the time of the Roman Empire until after the Crusades and the beginning of the Age of Exploration.”
“another major idea that the Silk Road continually spread was religion.”

39. SILK ROADS CCOT – TOPIC SENTENCES – ANALYSIS sentences
“Nomadic invasions into these wealthy empires, such as the Huns in the Gupta or Germanic tribes in Rome, also led to the fall of these empires, causing disorder..”
“The small diseases escalated to global epidemics due to trade along the Silk Road.”