Context is background information that helps explain the setting of your argument. It connects the big picture to the specific topic of the essay.
Look at the prompt’s time frame and think about what was happening globally, regionally, or politically during that period.
Ask yourself:
What major changes were happening around this time?
What long-term trends (political, economic, social, cultural) led to this event or topic?
Context should be general enough to show background knowledge but specific enough to connect to the prompt.
Do not write about something completely unrelated.
End your context statement by smoothly transitioning into your thesis statement (main argument).
"Evaluate the extent to which the Columbian Exchange affected societies in the Americas between 1492 and 1750."
✅ Good Context:
"Before 1492, societies in the Americas developed independently from Afro-Eurasia, creating unique political, social, and economic structures. However, with the voyages of Christopher Columbus and other Europeans, the Americas were drawn into a global trade network. This led to the widespread exchange of plants, animals, people, and diseases, known as the Columbian Exchange, which dramatically altered societies in the Americas."
(✅ This provides historical background and smoothly transitions into the essay’s argument.)
🚫 Weak Context:
"Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean in 1492 and discovered America. This was an important event in history."
(❌ Too vague and lacks historical depth.)
"Evaluate the extent to which rulers of land-based empires used religion to legitimize their rule from 1450 to 1750."
✅ Good Context:
"From 1450 to 1750, many powerful land-based empires, such as the Ottoman, Mughal, and Safavid Empires, expanded their territories through military conquest and centralized rule. As these empires governed diverse populations, rulers used various methods to justify their authority, including religion. By incorporating religious symbols, titles, and policies, rulers strengthened their legitimacy and control."
🚫 Weak Context:
"Religion was important in history and many rulers used it in different ways."
(❌ Too vague and doesn’t connect to the time period or prompt.)
✅ Keep it 3-5 sentences
✅ Mention the time period
✅ Provide background information
✅ Connect to the prompt’s theme
✅ Transition into your thesis