1. Aim: How can I get a 5 on the Comparative AP Essay?

2. Essay Prompt
Compare two of these early civilizations in one of the AP thematic categories: Social, Political, Interactions, Culture, and Economics.
Mesopotamia
Egypt
Indus Valley (Harappa & Mohenjo Daro)
Shang or Huang He (Yellow River) valley civilization
Mesoamerica
Mediterranean
South America

3. The thesis must: State the names of both civilizations.
State which thematic category you are comparing.
2 Sim + 1 Dif OR 2 Dif + 1 Sim
1 or 2 sentences only!
“While Egypt and Mesopotamia both_____ and ________, Egypt ___________.”
“While the Indus River Valley and ancient China both _________. Ancient China _________ and ___________.”

4. Sample Comparative Statement
During the River Valley Period, Mesopotamia and Egypt had very different outlooks on the afterlife. For example, Mesopotamians believe the afterlife to be misery, while Egyptians created elaborate burial rituals to ensure they would enter paradise after death. This is because the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia flooded irregularly, causing the Mesopotamians to believe they were being punished by their gods. However, the Nile flooded more regularly, leaving the Egyptians to believe their deities favored them.

5. Your Essay Body: Follow your thesis order for your paragraph order
Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that is a direct comparison or contrast. This means that both subjects must be addressed and specific similarities or differences must identified. *Do NOT write an entire paragraph about 1 civilization, another paragraph about the 2nd civilization, and only compare/contrast in the 3rd.
Be sure to use historical evidence to support each part of your topic sentence.
Close each body paragraph with an explanation of why the similarity or difference exists.

6. Global Context
Include in Your Introduction OR Conclusion: You should discuss what else was going on in the world that impacted or was impacted by the topics of this essay within the time frame. Addressing global context demonstrates understanding of larger global patterns. NOTE: “Since the dawn of time” is not showing global historical context! Suggestions: If your essay is comparing Egypt and Mesopotamia, state commonalities/patterns you see in other Period 1 civilizations agriculture, patriarchy, polytheism….

7. Synthesis To get the synthesis point you must extend your thesis.
You can do this by:
Citing/describing archaeological or scientific evidence. For example, you can describe how Lapita pottery and pig DNA has helped explain ancient Oceanic migration patterns of people.
Compare or contrast the 2 civilizations you discussed to another time or place. For example, if you said that the Egyptian and Mesopotamian religions were shaped by their geography, compare that to another civilization whose religion was ALSO shaped by their geography, such as the ancient Hebrews.

8. Common Mistakes
Writing about differences in geography OR using geography and/or time as a reason WHY change happened – neither will earn you credit for analysis or comparison. However, you CAN draw connections between geography and how the civilizations adapted to it/how it impacted their belief systems/culture.

9. Historical skills and knowledge required to show competence
Rubric
Historical skills and knowledge required to show competence
0-7 Points
Skill: Contextualization
Situates the argument by explaining the broader historical events, developments, or processes immediately relevant to the question Must be more than a phrase; requires an explanation typically consisting of multiple sentences or a full paragraph. Information here cannot be repeated in the body paragraphs. 1
Skill: Argumentation : THESIS
States a thesis that makes a historically defensible claim and responds to all parts of the question

10. Skill: Argumentation and TARGETED SKILL: Comparison
Rubric Continued…
Skill: Argumentation and TARGETED SKILL: Comparison
0-7 Points
1 point: Describes similarities AND differences among historical individuals, events, developments or processes
1 point: Explains the reasons for similarities AND differences
(Depending on the prompt – evaluates the relative significance of historical individuals, events, developments or processes) 2

11. 2 Rubric Continued… Skill: Argumentation 0-7 Points
SOPHISTICATION OF SUPPORTING EVIDENCE AND ARGUMENTATION
1 point: Addresses the topic of the question with specific examples of relevant evidence
1 point: Utilizes specific examples of evidence to fully and effectively substantiate the stated thesis or relevant argument. Responses must include a broad range of evidence that, through analysis and explanation, justifies the stated thesis or a relevant argument 2

12. 1 Rubric Continued… Skill: Synthesis 0-7 Points
Extends the argument by explaining the connection between the argument and ONE of the following:
A development in a different historical period, situation, era or geographical area
A course theme that is not the focus of the essay (such as economic, social, cultural, or intellectual history.
A different discipline or field of inquiry (such as economics, government and politics, art history or anthropology) 1