Enduring Issues Essay

 Enduring Issues

Conflict

Impact of Migration

Impact of Empire Building

Impact of Technology

Impact of Cultural Diffusion

Impact of Trade

Impact of Environment on Humans

Population Growth

Security

Power

Scarcity

Human Rights Violations

Enduring Issues Essay Prompt

PART 3–EXTENDED ESSAY An enduring issue is an issue that exists across time. It is one that many  societies have attempted to address with varying degrees of success. In your essay ●       Identify and define an enduring issue raised by this set of documents. ●   Using your knowledge of Social Studies and evidence from the documents, argue why the issue you selected is significant and how it has endured across time. Be sure to ●       Identify the issue based on a historically accurate interpretation of three documents. ●       Define the issue using evidence from at least three documents ●       Argue that this is a significant issue that has endured by showing: ○        How the issue has affected people or been affected by people ○        How the issue has continued to be an issue or changed over time ●       Include outside information from your knowledge of social studies and evidence from the documents.

Enduring Issues Essay Outline

This outline identifies the components of introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs.

        I.            Introduction Paragraph

A.   DEFINE and briefly DISCUSS the Enduring Issue

Describing what the enduring issue is and explain how it relates to American History.

B.   THESIS: ESTABLISH A CLAIM that IDENTIFIES the Enduring Issue and STATES why it is significant

An issue might be significant because it has affected a lot of people, its effects are long-lasting, and/or it impacts the world today.

C.   THESIS: IDENTIFY topics to be discussed in the essay that show it has endured across time.

Here is an example of a paragraph --- this will not work for all essays and it would need to be modified based on the claim that is being taken (has it improved? Has it changed? Has it continued? Has it gotten worse?)

            An enduring issue in world history is _______________________________(what it is), (define it) _____________________________________________.  It first appears to impact ______society in _____________(time period)  and continues to have a ______________________________ (positive/negative/small/large, etc.)  impact  today.  ____________________(enduring issue) has endured as seen through ________________________________, __________________________, ___________________________ and although it has improved it still ___________________________(a problem, not solved, impacting world history, impacting people, etc.).

     II.            Body Paragraph: First Topic (A-D make up the whole paragraph)

A.   TOPIC SENTENCE

Identify the main idea of your body paragraph and connect it to the claim in your thesis. Transition from the introduction (later paragraph will transition from the previous topic).

B.   DESCRIBE EVIDENCE - DETAIL / Facts needed (What?)

Describe evidence of an event, person, source, etc.

who was involved

where it happened

when it happened

what happened

how it happened

Use evidence from documents and outside information explain the SIGNIFICANCE of the event. Introduce evidence from documents using source information and cite the document parenthetically (doc 4)

C.   ANALYSIS EVIDENCE: EXPLAIN the EFFECTS of the event (Why and How?)  

A good word to use is “because”, also in your writing keep answering the question so what?  These are some questions to answer in your writing that will help you with analysis.

1.       Explain why it was/is important

2.       Explain how and why people were impacted by it with specific historical proof (NO OPINIONS!)

3.       How did this event / example change history? (turning point)

4.       Explain how and why the effects were long lasting. 

D.   CONCLUDING SENTENCE of the paragraph

A sentence that summarizes and transitions to the next paragraph

   III.            Body Paragraph: Second Topic  - follow the format above  -- Transition to second topic

   IV.            Body Paragraph: Third Topic – follow the format above – Transition to third topic and this is the best paragraph to evaluate the topic in modern times – is it the same or different with specific examples and evidence

     V.            Conclusion

A.   RESTATE the stance/claim

B.   DESCRIBE how the issue has continued to be an issue and changed over time

C.   EXPLAIN why the issue is ENDURING and SIGNIFICANT

New York State Global History Regents Rubrics Enduring Issue Essay Rubric 

Score of 5: 

• Clearly identifies and accurately defines one enduring issue raised in at least three documents 

• Develops an even, thoughtful, and in-depth argument about how an enduring issue has affected people or has been affected by them and how the issue continues to be an issue or has changed over time 

• Is more analytical than descriptive (analyzes, evaluates, and/or creates information) 

• Richly supports the task by incorporating relevant evidence that includes facts, examples, and details from at least three documents 

• Richly supports the task by incorporating substantial relevant outside information that includes facts, examples, and details 

• Demonstrates a logical and clear plan of organization; includes an introduction and a conclusion 

Score of 4: 

• Identifies and accurately defines one enduring issue raised in at least three documents 

• Develops a thoughtful argument in some depth about how an enduring issue has affected people or has been affected by them and how the issue continues to be an issues or has changed over time or develops the argument somewhat unevenly by discussing one aspect of the argument more thoroughly than the other 

• Is both descriptive and analytical (applies, analyzes, evaluates, and/or creates information) 

• Supports the task by incorporating relevant evidence that includes facts, examples, and details from at least three documents 

• Supports the task by incorporating relevant outside information that includes facts, examples, and details 

• Demonstrates a logical and clear plan of organization; includes an introduction and a conclusion 

Score of 3: 

• Identifies and defines one enduring issue raised in the set of documents; may include minor inaccuracies 

• Develops both aspects of the argument in little depth or develops only one aspect of the argument in some depth 

• Is more descriptive than analytical (applies, may analyze and/or evaluate information) 

• Incorporates some relevant evidence that includes facts, examples, and details from the documents; may include some minor inaccuracies 

• Incorporates limited relevant outside information that includes facts, examples, and details; may include some minor inaccuracies 

• Demonstrates a satisfactory plan of organization; includes an introduction and a conclusion 

Score of 2: 

• Identifies, but does not clearly define, one enduring issue raised in the set of documents; may contain errors 

• Minimally develops both aspects of the argument or develops one aspect of the argument in little depth 

• Is primarily descriptive; may include faulty, weak, or isolated application or analysis • Includes few relevant facts, examples, and details from the documents or consists primarily of relevant information copied from the documents; may include some inaccuracies 

• Presents little or no relevant outside information; may include some inaccuracies 

• Demonstrates a general plan of organization; may lack focus; may contain digressions; may lack an introduction or a conclusion 

Score of 1: 

• Identifies, but does not define, one enduring issue raised in the documents 

 • Minimally develops one aspect of the argument 

• Is descriptive; may lack understanding, application, or analysis 

• Makes some vague, unclear references to the documents and includes minimal relevant facts, examples, and details copied from the documents; may include some inaccuracies 

• Presents no relevant outside information 

• May demonstrate a weakness in organization; may lack focus; may contain digressions; may lack an introduction and a conclusion 

Score of 0: 

Fails to develop the task or may only refer to the issue in a general way; OR includes no relevant facts, examples, or details; OR includes only evidence copies from the documents; OR includes only entire documents  

Sample Essay Writing Presentation