1. How to Not be Awful at the Short Answer Questions
Markham
2019

2. Let’s look at an example
A) Explain ONE development between that affected the lives of Native Americans.

3. Which gets points?
1.) The native Americans didn’t know this, but coming to them soon was a big change. This change came in the form of Europeans. These Europeans brought goods from all over the world which wowed the natives on so many levels. The Natives were very impressed by the Europeans and even thought of them as Gods sometimes. The Europeans loved this and thought of themselves as superior to the Native Americans.
2.) The horse is an example of change during Because of the addition of the Horse the natives could travel farther, hunt more effectively, and trade with other nations more easily.
3.) Change is a big deal. If we were to ever get invaded by aliens, which is going to happen eventually, we will need to be ready for change. Horses were an example of change for the Native Americans. Aliens brought the horse to the world, but eventually Europeans got it. The Europeans brought the horse over to the Indians, whose societies shifted as they were able to travel farther, trade easier, and hunt much more effectively.

4. Assume the reader knows broad stuff.
Don’t hit broad over-arching concepts
Native Americans and Europeans meet… yea. We know.
Hit the details – fill in why the broad idea is there
During interactions they exchanged ideas, crops, and livestock, such as Christianity, tobacco, and oxen… The effect of this is …

5. EXPAND, then EXTEND (ACE it!)
It’s asking for a development, or an event, or an idea.
1) Answer - list the idea
2) Cite - the immediate effect of that thing
3) Expand/Explain - the extensive broad effect
APPLY ALL OF THESE BACK TO THE QUESTION.
BE SPECIFIC – USE SPECIFIC FACTS

6. Example 1
Explain ONE development between that affected the lives of Native Americans.
A: the horse (great, an answer, now expand/explain)
C: the horse made it easier to travel farther and faster (great, now add more details about the significance)
E: since they could travel farther and faster the Natives were able to trade more effectively, hunt easier, and fight with each other more effectively. These led to competition between warring tribes on the plains and the Southwest between who had horses and who did not.

7. Example 2
"Briefly explain one late 19th century technological development that helped expand the economy during the Gilded Age."
A = The invention of the light bulb helped expand the economy during the Gilded Age.
C (define or describe) = what is the light bulb? What does it do? What do you know about it?
Thomas Edison developed the light bulb through his understanding of electricity
E (Explain/Expand) = why is the light bulb significant? What makes it so important during this time period? How is it such a major historical event? What is it about the light bulb that history books consistently discuss it in the chapter on the Gilded Age?
The light bulb allowed for the American economy to expand production throughout the entire 24-hour period leading to more labor opportunities and increased productivity.

8. Example 3
Briefly explain ONE important political response to the sectional conflict over slavery during the 1850’s.
ANSWER: The Kansas Nebraska Act in 1854 was another attempt to settle the sectional conflict over slavery during the 1850’s.
CITE: (What is the K-N Act? What did it do?) The act split the Nebraska Territory into two new territories, Nebraska and Kansas, and allowed each territory to determine free state or slave state through popular sovereignty.
EXPLAIN/EXPAND: (What makes the K-N Act so significant? Why is it significant?) Although the Kansas Nebraska Act attempted to settle the conflict over slavery through a more democratic means, it consequently allowed slavery to expand beyond the Missouri Compromise line of 36’30 and was considered a political victory for “slave power.”

9. NOW – Try it with a partner
1. Using the image, answer A, B, and C.
A. Explain the main point of the image in the context of ONE of the following:
·   Exchange
·   Migration
·   European exploration and conquest of the Americas
Drawing accompanying text in Book XII of the 16th-century Florentine Codex (compiled 1540–1585) –

10. A Full SAQ 1. Using the image, answer A, B, and C.
A. Explain the main point of the image in the context of ONE of the following:
·   Exchange
·   Migration
·   European exploration and conquest of the Americas
B. Briefly describe ONE development that led to the main point you explained in part A. Use at least ONE piece of historical evidence to support your description.
C. What impact did the events depicted in the image above have on European conquest?
Drawing accompanying text in Book XII of the 16th-century Florentine Codex (compiled 1540–1585) –