Midterm 2016 essay topics packet

Name: ________________________

IB 20th World History: Midterm Essay Topics SL Students:  1 Paper 2: Topic 3: SPS Essay  1 Paper 2: Topic 5: Cold War Essay HL Students:  1 Paper 2 Essay  1 Paper 3 HOA Essay Paper 2: Topic 3: Single Party States 1. For what reasons, and with what success, did rulers of single-party states use foreign policy to maintain their power? At least two rulers should be considered.

2. Analyse the methods used by either Stalin or Nasser or Mao to obtain and maintain power

Paper 2: Topic 5: Cold War 1. To what extent were Soviet policies responsible for the outbreak and development of the Cold War between 1945 and 1949?

2. Why did the Cold War spread from Europe to other parts of the world after 1950?

Paper 3: HOA 1. With reference to at least one country in the region, to what extent was the Wall Street Crash of 1929 a cause of the Great Depression? 2. “The rise of radical African American activism (1965-1968) damaged the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King to achieve racial equality in the United States.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Papers 2 & 3: Tips & Tricks “Candidate performance in all essay responses could be improved significantly by taking time to plan the answer- where possible organising the response into suitable themes rather than producing narrative /descriptive accounts. Five to ten minutes drawing up an essay plan is time well spent despite what many candidates may think in their eagerness to address the question. … There is no substitute for sound knowledge, as this is the foundation of all good essays answers.” - MAY 2009 IB Subject Report “The best responses revealed command of chronology, task identification, structure and above all the provision of relevant historical detail. It cannot be emphasized enough that answers must be supported by reference to historical knowledge.” – May 2010, History Subject Report Pre-writing: • 1.

Select Task  Do you understand what you are being asked to do?  Can you fully address this Task?

2.

5 Minutes to jot down ideas & groupings  Key names, policies, dates, events, historiography

3.

Develop Thesis  Be Specific  Address the task  Explain WHY?  Introduction & Thesis = 4-6 sentences at most

Writing the Paper 2 OR 3: Intro & Thesis – Strong, argumentative thesis (take a stand) – Address the task in its entirety – Can include some background

•

Body Paragraphs (3 or more!) – Organized by argument or theme – Strong topic sentences – Historical vocabulary – ANALYSIS!!!! – Do not “name drop” historiography out of context – Avoid narration & description (and then and then and then…)

•

Conclusion – Restate thesis – acknowledge limitations and counter-arguments

IB Markscheme: [0 to 7 marks] for inadequate/ general material

[8 to 10 marks] for narrative with implicit analysis and assessment of methods and conditions for “rise to power”

Implicit = implied, unspoken

[11 to 13 marks] Meets 8-10 marks criteria AND…

[14 to 16 marks] Meets 11-13 marks criteria AND…

[17+ marks] Meets 14-16 marks criteria AND…

for more exact focus and explicit assessment of methods used (e.g. why they succeeded) and conditions for “rise to power”

for a structured, analytical response focused on methods and conditions

for balance and an extra quality such as different interpretations (historiography)

Explicit = overt, unambiguous

Analytical = logical, systematic

Extra Quality = Think AP Expanded Core  Thesis, Multiple POVs, insight, comparison/ contrasts, synthesis…

Paper 2: Topic 3: Single Party States 1. For what reasons, and with what success, did rulers of singleparty states use foreign policy to maintain their power? At least two rulers should be considered. Break down the task: What are you being asked to do?

-Notes -Groupings -Key info *Historians*

Body Paragraphs

Thesis

2. Analyse the methods used by either Stalin or Nasser or Mao to obtain and maintain power

Paper 2: Topic 5: Cold War 1. To what extent were Soviet policies responsible for the outbreak and development of the Cold War between 1945 and 1949? Break down the task: What are you being asked to do?

-Notes -Groupings -Key info *Historians*

Body Paragraphs

Thesis

2. Why did the Cold War spread from Europe to other parts of the world after 1950?

Paper 3: HOA The Great Depression and the Americas 1929 – 1939 1. With reference to at least one country in the region, to what extent was the Wall Street Crash of 1929 a cause of the Great Depression? Break down the task: What are you being asked to do?

-Notes -Groupings -Key info *Historians*

Body Paragraphs

Thesis

Civil Rights and Social Movements in the Americas 2. “The rise of radical African American activism (1965-1968) damaged the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King to achieve racial equality in the United States.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Historiography A Note on Historiography (as a component of the Paper 2 essay): If you cannot provide direct historiography, use indirect phrases such as … Historians have debated … or some historians suggest that … while others suggest that … This provides the examiner with the knowledge that you know historical debate exists.

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General Historiography Orthodox: 1st view or interpretation of events  Revisionist: The counter argument or anti-thesis (response to orthodox view)  Post-Revisionist: Most recent, blend of orthodox and revisionist elements, new interpretations  

More Specific Western Liberal, Traditional Western, Orthodox Western View: Capitalism & Democracy = #1, USSR is the aggressor Soviet Orthodox: Communism = #1, USA and west are the aggressors Libertarian or New Left: 1960s and 1970s, social historiography Post-1991: After the fall of the USSR, opening of the Archives

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Specific Historians Russia/USSR: Sheila Fitzpatrick, Robert Service, Robert Conquest, Richard Pipes, Robert Service, Orlando Figes, Dmitri Volkogonov, Official USSR (Pravda) Egypt: Anthony Nutting = Aid to Anthony Eden, Arab Nationalist, Arab socialist, Pan Arab China: Edgar Snow, Chang and Halliday, Jonathan Spence, John King Fairbank and Merle Goldman, Official PRC view (People’s Daily)

Tip: Go to: https://quizlet.com/ and search: “Paper 2 (historiography) Cold War” OR “Paper 2 (historiography) Single Party States” OR “”

HOA Historiography: Great Depression: Where Historians Disagree - Causes of the Great Depression:

Civil Rights: Where Historians Disagree – The Civil Rights Movement

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073513237/student_view0/chapter25/debating_the_past.html

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073385492/student_view0/chapter29/where_historians_disagree.html

The Great Depression: An Overview

Different Perspectives on the Civil Rights Movement:

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/essays/great-depression-overview

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/civil-rights-movement/essays/different-perspectives-civilrights-movement

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Schlesinger Degler Robinson Bernstein Jackson and Brinkley

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Zinn W. Van Deburg D. Kennedy

Tip: Go to: https://quizlet.com/ and search “Paper 3 Historians” OR “HOA Historiography” OR “HOA Historians” OR “Paper 3 HOA”