HOW TO WRITE A CHANGE AND CONTINUITY OVER TIME ESSAY (CCOT)

1. HOW TO WRITE A CHANGE AND CONTINUITY OVER TIME ESSAY (CCOT) • History is about change over time, so this essay gets at the heart of the discipline. The essay is more than a comparison of two points in time however; it is a description of the process of change. The focus is on large global issues. • In constructing your essay, you should ask yourself: • *How were things different at the end of the time period from what they were at the beginning? • *What were the processes of change and the causes of change within • time periods? • *To what extent has the distinctiveness over time been maintained? • *To what extent have things returned to an earlier form? • *Were there dead ends? Changes that began but stopped? Major turning points?

2. Examples of topics for a CCOT essay might include: • Technology: development, spread, acceptance, rejection, modification, influence • European encounters with indigenous peoples(Hawaii, Australia, Americas • Agriculture, spread of crops • Communications and transportation • Culture: music, art, architecture, craftsmanship • Trade: development, spread, acceptance, rejection, modificaiton, influence • Raw materials • Type of economy (command, open, mixed) • Tax system, government influence • Influence of geography • Religion/belief systems • Migrations (forced or voluntary, seasonal or permanent, over a short or long period of time) • Social classes Labor Systems Climatic changes • Gender roles Military Population changes • Government Biological developments • Disease

3. 2012 CCOT Question: Analyze continuities and changes in trade networks between Africa and Eurasia from circa 300 C.E. to 1450 C.E.

4. For Practice: Analyze continuities and changes in religion from 500 C.E. to 1700 C.E.

5. CHANGE-AND-CONTINUITY-OVER-TIME ESSAY • THESIS: Write a thesis that addresses the global issues in the question and covers the correct time period. Your thesis must explicitly state the time period, and show a change and continuity. • Address all parts of the question: You must answer all parts of the question, even if your answer is not balanced. If you leave out part of the question (a continuity for example), you can still get partial credit for this section of the rubric. • Supports your thesis with appropriate historical evidence: You need to have at least 5 examples of evidence that help answer the question; partial credit can be earned for this section.

6. CHANGE-AND-CONTINUITY-OVER-TIME ESSAY con't. • Show the change over time using relevant history: Include the characteristics of historical periods to explain the context of change. You should give examples of at least 3 (one per paragraph). • Analyze the process of change and continuity: Describe what changed and how it changed, not just what the results of change were. This is where you show understanding of the process of change. You should have at least 3 examples of analysis (one per paragraph)

7. EXPANDED CORE: • comprehensive, analytical and explicit thesis • addressed all parts of the issue (e.g., time, continuity and change, causes and effects, and a global scope) • addresses all parts of the question evenly • ample historical evidence to prove the thesis • connections to ideas, events, and other issues in some imaginative way

8. HOW SHOULD YOUR CCOT ESSAY BE ORGANIZED? • First paragraph: • B - background (include the dates of the time period) • A - argument (thesis that shows a change and continuity AND answers the question completely • R - roadmap - give the reader an idea of how you are going to support your thesis (what your three body paragraphs will be about) • Paragraphs 2,3 and 4: • A general concept or feature that shows a change and/or continuity • (this might be a good place to show historical context) • specific change, with evidence to support it • specific continuity, with evidence to support it • Analysis that explains the process of change or why things stayed the same