how to start a history essay

how to start a history essay

Effective Strategies for Starting a History Essay

1. Introduction: The Importance of a Strong Start

The introduction is important for several reasons. It helps maintain the reader’s interest, especially in long scientific papers. For shorter essays, the introduction can be a sentence or a paragraph. It is used to introduce the aims of the paper, provide background information on the specific topic, and define the paper’s purpose. It is important to remember that different observers may have different interpretations of a historical event. For example, if the essayist argues that the intensity of the conflict between Russia and Germany in the late stages of World War 2 was a result of Hitler’s death and the collapse of German confidence, it is important to support this claim with evidence from other authors. The analysis of the document should be concise and directly related to the main theme.

History essays primarily focus on past events and aim to present a detailed account within a specific time frame. The goal is to create a comprehensive record of the past. The document provides students with advice on how to achieve excellent reports. It is partly for this reason that many writers put their best effort into the introduction. Some essays have vague opening paragraphs that wander before getting to the main point, failing to provide a clear introduction. Others make the mistake of writing the introduction first, which does not establish the topic and requires additional work. However, the introduction is a crucial part of the paper, serving as a foundation for the rest of the report.

2. 1. Crafting a Compelling Thesis Statement

It would be a mammoth task to argue how this aspect of writing an essay cannot be ignored. Even we hasten to say that not all thesis statements can be written before the overview – because knowing where you are headed when you come to it is often best, we also write essays without intending to write the thesis statement – still, you need to be careful that it is virtually always what you plan to do! There have been many thesis statement bloopers: 10,000 years ago there were many animals around. In this essay, I am going to write about the famous philosopher, Karl Marx. However, the English revolution took place for a number of reasons. Hopefully, after reading this, you won’t make the same mistakes. While those may be true, those sentences are not proper thesis statements.

Easily the most crucial sentence in the introductory paragraph is the thesis statement. In an essay, the main idea of the paper—the reason you are writing—is expressed in the thesis statement. When you have been assigned an essay question, you can write your thesis statement when you have decided your answer, and what you really are trying to explain about the subject. In your essay, the thesis statement is crucial. If your reader forgets any sentence in your essay, it should not be the thesis statement! It is that sentence in your paper that embodies why your paper is being written. It is not really as simple as you think it is to write a compelling thesis statement. You say that if you cannot say precisely what you are going to say in a particular sentence, you can’t write your body paragraphs! Therefore, before you actually write one, writing a thesis statement takes considerable thought, analysis, and time.

3. 2. Engaging Opening Hooks and Attention-Grabbers

One effective way to begin is to combine an attention-getter with the background information. Such connectors or hybrid openings grab the reader’s attention without taking away from the action or argument. Examples include questions, raised eyebrows, amusing photo captions, a historical incident, a mysterious location, a factoid, an impactful quotation, an overblown paradox, a moving statement, misleading or selective statistics, an example, or comparison. Other ways to grab the reader’s attention include an anecdote, a sentimental or emotional photograph, a striking simile or metaphor, a powerful narrative technique, an interesting juxtaposition, and a shocking statistic or quote. Remember to be specific.

The opening sentence of an introductory paragraph should provide some context for your readers. Whether you choose to select an engaging attention-grabber type of hook, information, or a quotation, remember to provide some background to the reader before launching into a thesis statement. The second sentence in your paragraph should present, expand, and/or analyze the background information that has been introduced in the first sentence. The background information for a thesis statement can be very brief.

4. 3. Contextualizing the Topic and Providing Background Information

– Each essay is a unique blend of the author’s personal voice and relevance of facts. Keep in mind the author and his purpose when you reread your text as critical thinking and participation may affect your destination.

– Consider the deep forces of history, politics, society, and culture as you write your volume. As you share historical facts with readers, the relevance of this new information may force you not only to clarify your thesis but also to adjust it.

– For example, the discovery of the New World had a significant long-term impact on global history, changing the trade routes, increasing sea commerce, increased religious mobility, and planted the seeds of future Imperialism.

– Know and embrace the mosaic of historical events. As you write, the significance of the event may change in relation to its contribution to the larger historical narrative.

– Remember bowling? Clearly you did not begin with the triangle fire at the Lyric Theater, but set the stage. Sometimes we must remind ourselves as we are preparing to write from which the larger historical context comes.

– Provide enough background information so that the reader understands the important events preceding the event in question. Begin at the beginning.

– Relate the topic to larger historical themes or eras. Always write about something larger than the event itself.

– Introduce the topic quickly and concisely. The reader must have a basic understanding of the topic so that you are free to make a more sophisticated argument.

Certain historic shootings were a turning point for America. The following strategies will help you frame your essay effectively and concisely:

5. 4. Outlining the Essay Structure and Main Arguments

An introduction. A general statement of the work and the importance of the subject in history should be provided in your introduction. It is always recommended at the end of the introduction segment to write a brief overview of all previously performed research. In short, you should include a thesis at the conclusion of the introduction. Keep in mind to tie it into the body paragraph with solid detail and narrative and your thesis. Furthermore, you should decide on a specific method that links your overall argument to the same form of written issue of interest.

The following is a common essay structure in history:

Structure & Arguments: Another and the final step before you start writing your history essay is setting out the essay structure and deciding on the overall strategy. Most of the essays in history are logical and take a sequence of events and may highlight the major moments in the historical element of the conclusion. Still, knowing how the essay is structured may help you develop your strategy of the writing process since you’ll know where you are heading to.

6. Conclusion: Summarizing the Key Points

In the second sentence, or bracketing thoughts, history students should provide historical context. You might do this in a couple of different ways. You might summarize the historiography or genesis of a particular event and state why this event is important given changes in international politics, economic trends, evolution of human rights, or a general historical arc. Or, for whatever story you are telling, students might provide a brief historical overview that is important to understanding your argument. In sum, history students should draw a connection between their essay and broader historical undercurrents.

To sum up, the opening paragraph of an effective history essay is straightforward. The first sentence, in particular, should orient the reader with a declarative statement. It might say two things: First, that a particular event or theme is important, and second, that the essay will prove why and how. The opening sentence should also make reference to the subject at hand, confirm its importance, and the broader theme of analytic importance.