History 101							Professor Wertheimer
Essay exams


Essay questions in history classes usually involve “change over time” or 
“compare and contrast.”  Both questions require you to give a clear narrative 
and analysis.

Example of a “change over time” question:
How did fashions in men’s footwear change between the year 500 BCE and 100 CE?  
In your thesis (which may run more than one sentence) you should clearly and 
concisely state what men’s shoes were like in the year 500 BCE, what they were 
like in 100 CE, how the change occurred, and why it did.  If you have a clear 
thesis, the rest of the essay will simply be a matter of elaboration. You will 
then go on to more fully explain period A (500 BCE), period B (100 CE), the 
steps in the change, and the reasons for the change.  Primary evidence is 
critical to support your analysis.

Example of a “compare and contrast” question:
Discuss the variations in cooking practices between the ancient Mesopotamians, 
Egyptians, and Greeks.  How were they similar, how were they different, and how 
do you account for the similarities and differences? As with “change over time” 
questions, you should have a thesis that clearly states what both the 
similarities and differences were, and why they occurred.  The body of your 
essay will go onto more detail and will show your analysis.  Note: compare-and-
contrast questions often implicitly or explicitly include change over time, 
since the explanation for the differences may lie in historical change.  Again, 
primary evidence is necessary.

Combination or differently-worded questions:
Essays may combine the approaches above, or they may not explicitly state what 
they are.  For example, “Analyze the effects of Alexander the Great’s conquest 
on ancient mosaic designs” is basically a change over time question (mosaic 
design before Alexander, effects of his conquests, mosaic designs after 
Alexander), and may have a compare-and contrast element if the effects varied by 
geographical region.