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Can anyone help me with this essay topic?

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aahlice's picture
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Can anyone help me with this essay topic?

Hello, I'm kind of confused in my essay topic for this weekend :x

it's: "Evaluate the relative importance of the following as factors promting Americans to rebel in 1776:

Parliamentary taxation
restriction of civil liberties
british military measure
the legacy of colonial religious and political ideas"

I THINK I get what the topic is asking for, but how would I organize these terms in to 3 body paragraphs? And any suggestion on the thesis statement in xyz format?

Sorry, I'm new to apush and is a very confused student ):

pianogirl2422's picture
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Well, is there anyone who specifically said it had to be a 5 paragraph essay? This could easily be a 6 paragraph essay with the body paragraphs a bit shorter. But if you're set on the 5 paragraphs, you could organize it into very important, mildly important, and no impact then have two events in one category. You could also combine restrictions of civil liberties and the legacy of colonial religious and political ideas under the common theme of rules and regulations.

The thesis you take would depend on the method, but pretty much it'll be something along the lines of "The American rebellion in 1776 was impacted in x, y, and z" or if you wanted to do the different levels you could introduce the events before the thesis and say "Some of these events had serious impacts, one had a limited impact, and one had no impact whatsoever on the American rebellion of 1776"

I hope this helps! If you need any more help, let me know!

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"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," say Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It

aahlice's picture
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thanks so much for answering my questions :D
I think I will consider 6 paragraph, since he didn't exactly say it has to be 5.

Do you think this is an okay thesis statement:

The four reasons listed from most significant to least that prompted the Americans to rebel in 1776 are parliamentary taxation, British military measures, restriction of civil liberties, and the legacy of colonial religious and political ideas, letting them separate themselves from England and no longer being called colonist.

pianogirl2422's picture
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It's not a bad thesis statement (as you write more you'll probably find you can make them more complex and more you're own style), although it seems a little too wordy. I suggest two commas near the beginning to break it up a bit, and at the end after the word letting, it's a bit awkward because there's already a lot in the sentence (also, it should either be "called a colony" or "called colonists"). I know you want to emphasis the freedom from England, but I suggest leaving off the very last part - no longer being called colonist.

So, the thesis I'm suggesting would be:

The four reasons, listed from most significant to least, that prompted the Americans to rebel in 1776 are parliamentary taxation, British military measures, restriction of civil liberties, and the legacy of colonial religious and political ideas, letting them separate themselves from England.

[=RoyalBlue][=Comic Sans MS]
"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," say Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It

aahlice's picture
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Joined: Oct 2009

Thanks so much, perfect timing that I checked this thread too!
Haha, thanks again (:

pianogirl2422's picture
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No problem! Let me know if you need help in the future

[=RoyalBlue][=Comic Sans MS]
"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," say Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It

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