IN UNITED STATES HISTORY, THE RIGHTS OF “LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PUR...
5.
In United States history, the rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” as stated in the Decla-
ration of Independence, have been denied to certain groups of Americans. Identify one group of Ameri-
cans for which these rights have been denied and cite two examples from history to prove this. Show how
there have been attempts to correct this injustice.
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The general topic of this essay is:
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Specific direction words are:
Whether the question is prefaced with an actual topic statement such as questions 1, 2, or 5, or if it’s a
direct question such as question 4, your first response must be to decide the topic and then the specific direc-
tions you must apply to the topic. Sometimes you have to look at the question and figure out the direction
words. For example, in question 4, the word what
is really the direction to define
or identify.
Listed below are
pairs of question words with their corresponding direction signals.
what is/are
define, identify
what caused
identify, explain
how are/does
explain, evaluate
how is X
like
compare
how is X
different
contrast
in what way
illustrate, give examples
why is/does
explain
When you are preparing to answer a test prompt such as the ones above, it may be very difficult for you
to realize that you have identified directions for information that you do not have. It’s one thing to know that
the question needs for you to identify two arguments for unrestricted immigration. It’s quite another thing
to remember what those arguments are. However, knowing what the question demands can go a long way
to help stimulate your memory. And once you do recall information, the question tells you exactly how to
use it.
Let’s examine a possible response to the social studies question (above) regarding big business and Amer-
ican society between 1880 and 1920.
TOPIC:
Big business and its effects on American society between 1880 and 1920
DIRECTION WORDS:
Explain two positive and two negative effects of big business
To be sure you address the question correctly, draw a diagram. Remember the “boxing” technique mentioned
in the introduction?
Changes in society
Positive change
Positive change
Negative change
Negative change
America between
Corporations help
Farm laborers
Overcrowded
Spread of disease
1880–1920
build factories
move to cities
living conditions
due to poor sanitation
for new factory jobs
You are now ready to start writing a response. Remember the next step? You need to write a purpose
statement.
My purpose in this essay is to inform
my audience that big business had two positive and two
negative effects on American society between 1880 and 1920.
The next step is a thesis statement, which comes directly from the purpose statement.
Big business had two positive and two negative effects on American society between 1880 and
1920 because
large corporations helped build big, new factories in the cities which created jobs,
but they also caused serious overcrowding, poor sanitation facilities, and poor water supplies.
Notice that it is the because
clause that transforms the statement of purpose into the thesis statement.
In other words, by writing because
you are forced to supply the specific issues that must now be explained
using details, examples, and other specific information.
Now try writing the complete essay.
P
R A C T I C E W R I T I N G
For each of the essay questions below, practice the procedures we’ve just used. Start by identifying the topic,
then isolate the direction words, write the statement of purpose, write the thesis statement, and prepare a
box diagram.