1. HOW TO WRITE A CCOT

2. THE RUBRIC Key things: - relevant world historical context
- Analyzes the process of change and continuity over time

3. FIRST THINGS FIRST Discuss both changes and continuities
So many people just talk about changes! SOMETHING within that era stayed the same (probs religion or gender roles; those are two good assumptions)
“Relevant World Historical Context”
Zoom-out from the topic and look at the big picture. What else is happening in the world? How might that cause changes or continuities within your specific region? SOMETHING in the world played into the changes
Cover the time period
An old prompt was about the Atlantic World from and people immediately thought COLUMBUS SAILED THE OCEAN BLUE IN 1492, which is great, but don’t stop there. What was the Atlantic world like at the END of the time period? You have to cover the whole thing!! Also, your continuity has to be the same over the whole time period – the New World did not “remain a Christian nation” from ….

4. Format Outline Thesis Change/Continuity Paragraph
Topic Sentence with change/continuity.
Evidence, Evidence, Evidence.
World history context
analysis
Analysis

5. How You Should Organize Your Paragraphs
TOPIC SENTENCE** (these are really crucial for organization, y’all. Get in the habit of using them in all of your essays.)
What it was like at the beginning of the time period.
Evidence!
What it was like at the end of the time period.
WHY that changed/stayed the same
Sentence stems!
Did world historical context cause that change?
(and repeat as often as necessary within that paragraph)

6. 1. Thesis An acceptable thesis must have:
The global issues and the time periods specified
Answer the question asked using their wording
Categories of BOTH change and continuity
BE SPECIFIC – don’t say “religion stayed the same, but politics changed.”
“Western Europe from remained a predominantly Christian region. However, during that time period, Western Europe experienced massive changes, such as the reintroduction of science, math, and technology from Southwest Asia. Therefore, in the Early Modern Era, there were more changes than continuities in Western Europe.”
Follow that sentence structure and style but just fill in the blank with the italicized words. Also, I can talk about more continuities and changes than the few that I said in my thesis! I just neeeeeeed to specific in the thesis.

7. 2. Analyzes both changes and continuities
This just means that you have to address both changes and continuities in your essay.
This has to be done OUTSIDE of your thesis statement, too!
But y’all got this – that’s why we make you do a paragraph over changes and a paragraph over continuities

8. 3. Historical Evidence:
Must have at least 6 pieces (more gets you into the 8-9 score range)
Must have evidence for BOTH change and continuity
To count as separate pieces your evidence can not be given in a list.
EX: China traded luxury goods such as silk, porcelain, and paper. (1 piece of evidence)
EX: China traded many luxury goods, one of which was silk. Another luxury good that China traded was porcelain. (2 pieces of evidence)
BE SPECIFIC!!! (no “stuff”, “they”, “it”)

9. 4. World Historical Context:
Explain something that is happening in another region in the world FIRST (in its own context), and then relate that to your argument – how that event/thing affected change/continuity

10. 5. Analyzes the process of continuity and change over time
Accurately explains the reason for or impact of a continuity OR change
Not just cause and effect, must include “why?”
Sentence stems
“Because of...”
“Due to…”
Example: The introduction of paper along the silk roads allowed governments to keep more detailed records and enhance their power.
(Not – “Paper was traded along the Silk Road”)

11. Examples of Old CCOT Prompts:
Analyze the changes and continuities in commerce in the Indian Ocean region from 650 C.E. to C.E.
Analyze major changes and continuities in the formation of national identities of ONE of the regions listed below from 1914 to present. Be sure to include evidence from specific countries in the region selected.
Middle East
Southeast Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa

12. Examples of Old CCOT Prompts:
Analyze major changes and continuities in the formation of national identities of ONE of the regions listed below from 1914 to present. Be sure to include evidence from specific countries in the region selected.
Middle East
Southeast Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa

13. For funzies
Analyze the continuities and changes in your personality from Elementary school to High School.