The Body Paragraphs THIS IS THE MEAT OF YOUR PAPER

Each body paragraph should have: A topic sentence/transitional sentence YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND IDEAS (after a quotation, expand on it) A concluding statement **You cannot end a paragraph with a quotation At least TWO quotes per subtopic

Topic Sentences The topic sentence is the central idea around which a paragraph is developed. It’s the first sentence. It tells you what the rest of the paragraph(s) will be about.

Topic Sentences After this sentence you need to support what you have said This means giving evidence which justifies what you said in your topic sentence

What you SHOULD do: Use your own thoughts and ideas Use what you know from this class and Social Studies Use in-text citations Expand on these facts you’re supporting Wrap up your paragraph with a concluding statement OR transition into your next topic

What you should NOT do: Have every sentence in your body paragraph as a citation Open with a citation End your paragraph with a citation

Sample The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves, but many people still believed that African Americans were beneath them. The South did not readily accept African Americans and continued to practice racist customs. The Jim Crow Laws “were designed to separate members of racial minorities—specifically African Americans— from mainstream white society” (George 6). These laws were designed to make the African American population feel powerless. They allowed the South to continue their racist ways after the freeing of the slaves. Jim Crow was not a real person but rather a “black character from a song” (George 7). This name became well-known in the deep south where the Jim Crow Laws were embraced and enforced by the general population. These laws had many affects on the African American people and gave an insight into what the South was like in the 1930s.