1. Monterey Trail High School
Comparative Essay
Thesis Prep
compare: examine for the purpose of noting similarities and differences
Trang Tran
Monterey Trail High School
Elk Grove, CA

2. Comparative Essay
Focuses on developments on at least two societies and/or regions
Relates to major themes, such as culture, trade, migrations and/or interactions between or among societies
Example: how societies handle technology, or social structure, or religion

3. General instructions
If the categories (gender, religion, political, etc.) are not given in the essay prompt, you must use PERSIAN.
In which case, you decide the three categories from PERSIAN that will be included in your essay.

4. How to write a thesis Begin with the “silly-stupid” thesis.
Using PERSIAN, list everything you know in those categories.
Determine what the most important parts of each category are.
Take these “important parts” (at least one from each category) and write your thesis.
Your thesis is in the introductory paragraph. It can be in the beginning or in the end, but it must be the main focus of your intro.

5. Example
Compare the political, social, and economic functions of civilizations with urban centers and pastoral/nomadic societies.
1. “Silly-stupid” thesis: Urban centers differed from pastoral/nomadic societies and their social and economic functions, yet were similar in their political structures.

6. 2. PERSIAN Political Economic Social Pastoral/Nomadic Urban
tribal leader
group, shaman
emperor/king
hereditary power
group, priest
Economic
- subsistence
own goods
barter economy
division of labor
agriculture, manufacturing, trade
monetary system
Social
gender differences
family groups
egalitarian; people more valued for their skills
class divisions
ethnicity
distinct gender roles
private & public roles

7. Take the “important” parts
Single leadership structure
Systematic economy
Gender roles

8. Final step: thesis
Urban centers and nomadic societies focused their government on a single ruler, although their systematic economies and gender roles were vastly different.

9. Essay Prompts
Follow the instructions, and compose a thesis statement for each of the following prompts:
1. Compare two major religions and philosophical systems, including some underlying similarities in creating a social hierarchy.
Hinduism
Buddhism
Confucianism
Islam
Christianity
2. Compare the role of women in two different belief systems.