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A.P. World History
Thesis Analysis
DBQ
Question (2005) Analyze the issues Muslim leaders in South Asia and North Africa
confronted in defining their nationalism. What additional kind of documents would be
most helpful in furthering your analysis?
(Unacceptable): “There were many issues Muslim leaders confronted when
defining their nationalism.” (Thesis is too vague; “many” is a virtually
meaningless qualifier.)
(Acceptable): “Muslim leaders in each nation or region custom-tailored the
definition of Islam and attitude toward western imperial powers to suit
their own individual situation.” (This thesis shows the student understands
the question.)
(Excellent): “As Muslim leaders in North Africa and South Asia organized, they
were confronted with the unenviable task of prioritizing several thorny
factors. Which is more effective at unifying and motivating the masses,
religion or ethnic national identity? Are the west’s technological,
educational, and military accomplishments to be admired and imitated or
contemptuously rejected as hostile to traditional Muslim values?” (This
thesis succinctly sums up the dilemmas facing Muslim leaders and also
previews the POV several documents will be analyzed by later in the
essay. This thesis would qualify in the expanded core for its clear,
analytical and comprehensive thesis.”
Question (2007) Using the documents, analyze Han and Roman attitudes toward
technology. Identify one additional type of document and explain how it would help
your analysis.
(Unacceptable) “In the Han and Roman empires, technology had the potential to
elevate the standard of life, improve availability of water, make life easier
with new tools, and make the cities more pleasing to live in.” (Excellent
summation of the documents potential usefulness, but this thesis does not
address potential attitudes towards technology.)
(Minimally Acceptable) “Han and Rome had both positive and negative attitudes
toward technology.”
(Acceptable) “Throughout China there was a majority appreciation of
technological advancement with a few against it, while in the Roman
Empire, the view was split between support and pessimism.” (While not
especially strong, this thesis meets all the criteria.)
(Excellent) “Han China’s attitude toward manufacturing and labor was more open
and positive than the Romans who had a more systematic and classdivided society, therefore causing general attitudes of labor and
technology to be low.” (This thesis not only summarizes, it also compares
the differences in attitude and even includes an analysis of the reasons
behind those differences. This thesis would likely be eligible for the
“Expanded Core.”
A.P. World History
Thesis Analysis
COM/CON
Question (2007) Within the period from 1450 to 1800, compare the process (e.g.
political, social, economic) of empire building in the Spanish Empire with the empirebuilding processes in ONE of the following: the Ottoman Empire or the Russian Empire.
(Unacceptable) “The Russian and Spanish empires had a lot of differences in the
way they came about and had very few similarities.” (Acknowledges both
similarities and differences, but is too vague [“a lot” and “very few”] in
relating to the process of empire building.)
(Minimally Acceptable) “The Russian Empire and the Spanish Empire were
politically and socially different but economically both needed to expand
to get materials they needed.” Both empires are included. Statement is
relevant to the process of empire building, and both the similarity and
difference are (minimally) qualified/categorized. While the thesis was
accepted at the reading, it is hardly the “target” that students and
teachers should aim for.
(Acceptable) “While both the Spanish and Ottomans used military force to
expand their empires, the Spanish relied more heavily on religion to
consolidate and centralize their control over newly conquered areas.”
(Although the reader is intrigued to see how the thesis is going to be
demonstrated, the issue of similarities/differences is addressed with
regard to both empires and the qualifiers are distinctive.)
(Excellent) “Though Both the Spanish and Ottoman empires began to develop
economically, politically, and socially during the period 1450 to 1800,
their underlying strategies for this process differed greatly. The Spanish
Empire followed and was helped along by the Catholic Church while the
Ottoman was a Muslim people that was governed by the Muslim religion.
The differences between the two empires stemmed from their very
different religions, though they were both involved in global trade which
made many of their developments similar.”
Question (2004) Compare and contrast how the First World War and its outcomes
affected TWO of the following regions in the period from the war through the 1930s:
East Asia, Middle East, South Asia.”
(Unacceptable) “World War One affected the Middle East and South Asia
similarly and differently.” (This merely parrots the question and is too
vague to count for anything.)
(Acceptable) “Although East Asia and South Asia both fought on the same side
during the First World War, due to their alliance with the West, the
outcomes in each region differed due to politics such as government
control and their economies.” (solid, focused, and answers the question)
(Excellent) “The First World War and its consequences echoed around the world,
causing important ideological shifts everywhere. Though these effects
appear more gradually in East Asia and South Asia than elsewhere, several
interesting parallels and contrasts arise in these locations.”
AP World History
Thesis Analysis
C/COT
Question (2005) “Analyze the social and economic transformations that occurred in the
Atlantic world as a result of new contacts among Western Europe, Africa, and the
Americas from 1492-1750.”
(Unacceptable) “Europe was going through a social and economic transformation
from 1492 to 1750 as it moved beyond feudalism and into the modern
era.” (Off topic. This thesis reflects a “European History” point of view.
While Europe’s relationship with Africa and the Americas is a key part of
the question, the emphasis should not be placed on Europe.)
(Acceptable) “As Europe came to economically dominate trans-Atlantic trade,
their influence over social customs also expanded.” (This thesis answers
exactly what the question asks.)
(Excellent) “Although Europe quickly dominated the economic aspects of the
Columbian Exchange, their social influence in Africa and the Americas
developed more slowly.” (This thesis analyzes and differentiates specific
categories of the two major types of transformations.)
Question (2007) “Analyze major changes and continuities in the formation of national
identities in ONE of the regions listed below from 1914 to the present. Be sure to include
evidence from specific countries in the region selected. Middle East, Southeast Asia,
Sub-Saharan Africa.
(Unacceptable) “From 1914 to the present day, the borders of the Middle East
nations have stayed the same while the ideals within have changed until
national identities were formed.” (This statement addresses both a change
and a continuity but is factually incorrect.)
(Acceptable) “There are many changes and continuities in SE Asia after 1914.
The World War fueled independence movements. Regardless of political
changes, Buddhism remained a constant reminder of traditional values in
the new nations.”
(Excellent) “Although religion and a sense of familial devotion common to most
of Asia remains, Southeast Asia has been through fluctuations of national
identity from a region of nations oppressed by colonialists, through war in
Vietnam and genocide in Cambodia, through communism and now
leaning back towards democracy. An agrarian lifestyle for most people
has remained.” (Though the wording is rough, this thesis deals with
political fluctuations and social continuity and introduces a sophisticated
argument about changes and continuities over time.)