All essays must describe a broader historical context which is relevant to the prompt. To contextualize within the essay you must relate the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the the time frame of the question.
Contextualizing a topic is key to making an effective historical argument. Choosing the right context for your thesis will help focus our reader's attention and open the door to your main argument. This is why, regardless of the details of a given prompt, or what type of essay prompt you encounter, you should always start your essay by presenting context in direct response to the prompt. Remember, context is an influence that shapes a given situation. Starting off with a meaningful context helps to set up the parameters of your response by illustrating how important background influences helped shape the topic at hand. In other words, it sets the scene for the argument you're about to make. The following essay prompt asks you to draw on what you have learned.
Explain the effects of two developments in England on the New York colony in the period from 1650 to 1700.
You are probably wondering how presenting a contextualization statement will help you craft an effective historical argument about effects. Here, we’ll walk through how to craft an effective one, and how it strengthens a response to this prompt.
The first thing you should do is what you’ve been doing so far in response to essay questions: break down the prompt and prewrite to organize your thoughts on its topic – in this case, the effects of two developments in England on the New York colony between 1650 and 1700, along with the causes that underpin them. One development during this period could be the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, which led King Charles II to pursue the conquest of New Amsterdam. Another could be the overthrow of James II in the Glorious Revolution, which was a factor that spurred Leisler’s Rebellion in 1689.
From there, quickly scan your prewriting for events and developments that form an immediate context that helps explain the surrounding background of the topic at hand. For instance, developments in England also affected colonies other than New York during this same time period. Recall James II’s unpopular Dominion of New England and how it was overturned after the Glorious Revolution in 1688. You should keep in mind that sometimes your prewriting observations will not easily lend themselves to picking out details of context from within the prompt’s time range (in this case 1650-1750). When this happens, you should look for a preceding context – that is, an event or development from a time period immediately before the one named in the prompt.
Next, you should think about how to provide that the context your chosen exists – and how you’ll explain why its influence on the topic of the prompt is important. One way to quickly do this is to create a table. The following examples show both an immediate context and a preceding context.
Now it’s time to write your contextualization statement. A full contextualization statement should be al least three sentences long. Remember, you’re not just stating the context – you are also proving its existence by citing historical evidence and offering an explanation of its influence on the topic of the prompt. In other words, you’re not only asserting its relevance but describing how relevant it is. Here is an example of an immediate context statement for this prompt:
Turmoil in England between 1650 and 1700 affected many British colonies on North America. James II sought to strengthen his rule in England and its colonies. For example, he created the Dominion of New England in 1686 to better control the New England colonies, but it came to an end in 1689, after his overthrow in the Glorious Revolution. English policies during this period sought to determine who would control England and the empire, and in turn, conflicts over these policies determined who had power in the various colonies.
Here is an example of a preceding context statement for this prompt:
Well before the founding of New York in 1664, domestic English policies affected British colonies in North America. For example, persecution of Catholics in England during the 1630s led to the founding of Maryland, and the English Civil War of the 1640s caused English immigration to New England to slow. In this way, English policies affected the British North American colonies well before 1650.
You may be wondering where wither of these context statement fit into your essay as a whole. Since context helps set the stage for the topic, the best strategy is usually to present it early on in your response. You may find it helpful to think of it as a setup for your thesis statement – it’s a bridge between the larger topic of the prompt and the argument you are about to make in response to it. The contextualization statements we just wrote, for instance, could lead into the following thesis statement:
Throughout the mid-to-late seventeenth century two internal English developments – the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and the glorious Revolution in 1688 – determined who controlled the colony of New York.
Notice how each of the contextualization statements sets up the claim that two domestic English developments determined who controlled New York colony; first the restoration of Charles II, and then the overthrow of James II during the Glorious Revolution. In your essay, evidence from your prewriting, such as the establishment of the colony in 1664 and Leisler’s Rebellion after the Glorious Revolution, will help prove these claims.
Pre-contextualization is information which occurred BEFORE the time frame of the question. This is to set the stage for the reader. It must include information which came BEFORE the essay topic. It must be relevant to the essay topic and the argument. You should think of this in terms of the Star Wars opening scroll or a TV show recap ("Previously on...) used to connect previous content to the current content (episode)
Prior to the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865, America was amidst the second industrial revolution. New technologies and advancements, such as the establishment of factories and mass production techniques, the development of the transcontinental railroad and telegraph, and the growth of cities helped stimulate the economy. The Mexican Cession and Gadsden Purchase in the mid-19th century played a role in fulfilling manifest destiny. The [later passage of the] 13th amendment freed slaves from bondage, changing race relations in America, especially the South. America's desire for economic growth and the acquisition of new territories led to the expansion of the United States' role in the world from 1865 - 1910. However, America's belief of its own racial and cultural superiority as compared to non-white nations and America's desire to protect "civil liberties" and play the world police played larger roles in the expansion of the United States influence in the world. Therefore, although the desire for economic growth influenced America's expanding role in the world, the notion of racial supremacy and the desire to protect human rights worldwide were more important causes for the expanding role of the United States in the world.
Although a bit choppy this opening paragraph provides an example of "getting the job done." The parameters [1865--> in the pre-contextualization and 1865-1910 in the thesis] are clearly established and the pre-contextualization [in bold] provides the broader historical situation [second industrial revolution, need for territory, changing labor, economic growth] and contemporary race relations. The thesis is historically defensible claim that establishes a line of reasoning and sets-up advanced reasoning.
Example provided by Dr. John IrishYou may wish to use the following outline to guide your response.
I. Introduction
A. Immediate context statement
Cite evidence of immediate context
Explain influence of immediate context
B. Preceding context statement
Cite evidence of preceding context
Explain influence of preceding context
C. Thesis Statement presenting three claims
II. Claim 1 body paragraph
A. Topic sentence presenting claim 1
B. Cite evidence of claim 1
C. Cite additional evidence of claim 1
D. Explain how evidence supports claim 1
III. Claim 2 body paragraph
A. Topic sentence presenting claim 2
B. Cite evidence of claim 2
C. Cite additional evidence of claim 2
D. Explain how evidence supports claim 2
IV. Claim 3 body paragraph
A. Topic sentence presenting claim 3
B. Cite evidence of claim 3
C. Cite additional evidence of claim 3
D. Explain how evidence supports claim 3
V. Conclusion [see Conclusion page for more details]
A. Revisit Thesis Statement
B. Immediate context statement
Cite evidence of immediate context
Explain influence of immediate context
C. Preceding context statement
Cite evidence of preceding context
Explain influence of preceding context
Post-contextualization is information which occurred AFTER the time frame of the question. This is to continue the argument of the essay for the reader. It must include information which came AFTER the essay topic. It must be relevant to the essay topic and the argument. You should think of this in terms of the Marvel end credit scenes or a TV show next episode preview ("Next time on... used to connect current content to future content (episodes/stories)
America's expanded world role during 1865-1910 resulted from the glaring notion of racial supremacy and the desire to protect human rights worldwide in addition to a lesser extent the desire for economic growth and the acquisition of new territories. Following 1910, world tensions were increasing, resulting in the outbreak of World War I in the late 1910s. America joined the war effort and ultimately won the war and restored world peace. America then entered a period of economic prosperity in the "roaring 20s" of the 1920s, as a consumer culture stimulated the economy. Additionally, nativist sentiments persisted in America as whites believed they were superior to other groups, leading to the formation of groups like the Ku Klux Klan, which sought to intimidate blacks and other groups in America for the benefits of the white population. As America entered into the first half of the twentieth century, it continued to struggle with the same issues which plagued it during the second half of the nineteenth century. America finally realized, after continuing to toy with isolationism, that it, once and for all, was a world power.
Although there are many ways to provide an effective conclusion for the history essay, this closing paragraph provides an example of "getting the job done" with post-contextualization. The thesis was revisited as an effective transition to the post-contextualization. The post-contextualization provides the broader historical situation [global conflicts, consumerism, race relations] immediately beyond the prompt parameters [1865-1910] with the line of reasoning that some issues continued [racial tensions] and the US role in the world changed [world power].
Example provided by Dr. John Irish