1. Writing a History Essay
Parts of Essay
Introduction (topic sentence containing essay’s key idea(s)
Body/Development (paragraph(s) discussing supporting parts.
Conclusion (reminding reader of key idea(s) established.)

2. Getting Started Sample Question:
Brainstorm and then organize logically the key ideas that you feel address question:
Use a web or other visual organizer.
Prioritize ideas. Does any one idea seem the most important? Do you see any patterns?
Draft a tentative topic sentence.
Sample Question:
What was the role of geography in Mesopotamia’s cultural development?

3. Grade these Topic Sentences
Geography played a big role in the development of Mesopotamia’s culture.
Geography had both positive and negative effects on Mesopotamia’s cultural development.
Although there were some positive benefits, Mesopotamia’s geography, on balance, had a negative impact on the Fertile Crescent’s cultural and historical development.

4. The Development of a History Essay:
Now, develop your ideas
Explain and relate to other ideas (analysis-why important)
Support by facts (what happened?)
and
Provide evidence (How do we prove it?)

5. Question: What was the role of geography in Mesopotamia’s cultural development?
Sample Answer (condensed):
Mesopotamia’s geography, dominated by the violent and unpredictable flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, promoted a pessimistic, even fatalistic outlook toward life. Mesopotamia’s literature, for example, the Epic of Gilgamesh, supports this view. In this epic poem, we see the fearsome effects of a terrible flood and finally we see nature (snake) triumphing over man.

6. Edit your Draft Content Organization Format Rewrite
Do you have a key idea(s)?
Do you explain and support your idea(s)
Organization
Format
Rewrite