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Periodization
By Jeff Anderson
Periodization (Description)
Historical thinking involves the ability to describe, analyze, and evaluate
different ways that historians divide history into discrete and definable
periods.
Historians conduct and debate different, sometimes competing models of
periodization; the choice of specific turning points or starting and ending
dates might accord a higher value to one narrative, region, or group than to
another.
Periodization (Expectations)
Explain ways historical events and processes can be organized into discrete,
different, and definable historical periods.
Evaluate whether a particular event or date could or could not be a turning
point between different, definable historical periods, when considered in
terms of particular historical evidence.
Analyze different and/or competing models of periodization.
Period 1
Period 2
Pick 3 SPRITE chart
categories to describe
life before event using
specific evidence
Period 4
Period 3
Event
Period 5
Using same 3 SPRITE
chart categories,
describe how life after
event was similar or
different using specific
evidence
Period 6
Periodization
 Also known as the “Turning Point”
essay
 Combo of CCOT and COMP essay
 Describe how things were BEFORE
the turning point
 Describe how things were AFTER the
turning point
 MUST take a stand
 Show or explain the limits of the
impact of the turning point.
 It didn’t change everything
 Why was this NOT a turning
point?
Process – The Question
You will be asked to do one of two things:
Evaluate a “turning point”
Must discuss developments BOTH before AND after event
Evaluate the characteristics of an era
Can discuss developments that EITHER came before OR after event
Evaluation of Event
You must show or explain the limitations of the impact of the turning point
“Did EVERYTHING change after this event?”
“Do you even consider this a major turning point in World History?”
Sample Question
Evaluate to what extent post WWII decolonization was a turning point in
World History.
Step 1 – Identify Event
Evaluate to what extent post WWII decolonization was a turning point in
World History.
Step 2 – Pre-Writing
Brainstorm everything you can think of that relates to your topic.
Don’t worry about categorizing anything yet, just get anything you can think
of down on paper
Step 3 – Choose Categories
Pick 3 SPRITE Chart categories to use to describe life before the event.
You may use 1 or 2 SPRITE Chart categories, but you must pull a total of 3
facts/pieces of evidence out
Paint a picture for what life was like before the “turning point”
Step 3 – Choose Categories (Cont’d)
Political
 Colonies were governed by viceroys or other European government officials.
Social
 Europeans inserted themselves at the top of the social structure based on a number
of factors including race.
Economic
 Colonies were taken advantage of by their European colonizers for the sole profit
of the mother country, with no regard of the impact on the locals.
Step 4 - Evidence
Find specific examples/evidence that goes with your category:
Political
British East India Company
Robert Clive
Ruled with autonomy from British government due to a lack of
communication technology
Step 4 - Evidence
Find specific examples/evidence that goes with your category:
Economic
British Raj
Replace food crops with cash crops (cotton)
Viceroy ruled under direction of the Crown
Step 4 - Evidence
Find specific examples/evidence that goes with your category:
Social
British interjected into the top of the social pyramid
Ban sati and allow widows to remarry
Sepoy Rebellion
Thesis
Contextualization is not required, but it doesn’t hurt to set up your thesis with a
story…
Following WWII, most European nations either chose or were forced to grant
independence to their colonies. Though decolonization was a huge event for many
newly created independent nations, in many ways this event did not change the
relationship between the colonizer and colonized. Traditional colonization simply
morphed into Neo-Colonialism where European nations chose to exploit the
weakened condition of many newly independent nations.
Actual Thesis Statement
Based off of social, economic, and political factors, one can conclude that
post-WWII decolonization was not a major turning point in world history.
Socially, the Europeans interjected themselves at the top of the social pyramid
and instituted policies that were racist or culturally insensitive. Economically,
European nations simply designed policies that solely benefited their bottom
line profits. Politically however, European leaders were no longer directly in
charge of governing their colonies.
Putting it All Together
Following WWII, most European nations either chose or were forced to grant
independence to their colonies. Though decolonization was a huge event for many
newly created independent nations, in many ways this event did not change the
relationship between the colonizer and colonized. Traditional colonization simply
morphed into Neo-Colonialism where European nations chose to exploit the
weakened condition of many newly independent nations. Based off of social,
economic, and political factors, one can conclude that post-WWII decolonization was
not a major turning point in world history. Socially, the Europeans interjected
themselves at the top of the social pyramid and instituted policies that were racist or
culturally insensitive. Economically, European nations simply designed policies that
solely benefited their bottom line profits. Politically however, European leaders were
no longer directly in charge of governing their colonies.