A. Thesis: 0-1 point Skills assessed: argumentation + targeted skill States a thesis that directly addresses all parts of the question. The thesis must do more than restate the question. – 1 point B. Analysis of historical evidence and support of argument: 0-4 points Skills assessed: use of evidence, argumentation, + targeted skill (e.g., comparison) Analysis of documents (0-3 points) Offers plausible analysis of the content of a majority of the documents, explicitly using this analysis to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument OR Offers plausible analysis of BOTH the content of a majority of the documents, explicitly using this analysis to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument; AND at least one of the following for the majority of the documents: • intended audience, • purpose, • historical context, and/or • the author’s point of view OR Offers plausible analysis of BOTH the content of all or all but one of the documents, explicitly using this analysis to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument; AND at least one of the following for all or all but one of the documents: • intended audience, • purpose, • historical context, and/or • the author’s point of view 1 point 2 points 3 points AND/OR Analysis of outside examples to support thesis/argument (0-1 point) Offers plausible analysis of historical examples beyond/outside the documents to support the stated thesis or a relevant argument – 1 point 2 Adapted from the College Board’s AP United States History Curriculum Framework, 2014-2015, pp. 121-123. C. Contextualization: 0-1 point Skill assessed: contextualization Accurately and explicitly connects historical phenomena relevant to the argument to broader historical events and/or processes – 1 point
For questions assessing CONTINUITY AND CHANGE OVER TIME… Describes historical continuity AND change over time OR Describes historical continuity AND change over time, and analyzes specific examples that illustrate historical continuity AND change over time 1 point 2 points For questions assessing COMPARISON… Describes similarities AND differences among historical developments OR Describes similarities AND differences among historical developments, providing specific examples AND Analyzes the reasons for their similarities and/or differences OR, DEPENDING ON THE PROMPT, Evaluates the relative significance of the historical developments 1 point 2 points For questions assessing CAUSATION… Describes causes AND/OR effects of a historical development OR Describes causes AND/OR effects of a historical development and analyzes specific examples that illustrate causes AND/OR effects of a historical development 1 point 2 points For questions assessing PERIODIZATION… Describes the ways in which the historical development specified in the prompt was different from OR similar to developments that preceded and/or followed OR Analyzes the extent to which the historical development specified in the prompt was different from AND similar to developments that preceded and/or followed, providing specific examples to illustrate that analysis 1 point 2 points D. Synthesis: 0-1 point Skill assessed: synthesis Response synthesizes the argument, evidence, and context into a coherent and persuasive essay by accomplishing one or more of the following as relevant to the question: Appropriately extends or modifies the stated thesis or Explicitly employs an additional appropriate category of analysis The arguments appropriately connects the