WHAT IS A COMPELLING QUESTION?

Compelling Questions

questions that we ask about topics, events, or ideas

Open to different interpretations or opinions

Have multiple possible answers Tell who, why, or how something

happened Make a claim that is backed by facts

and evidence

What Compelling Questions Are NOT

Do not have clear answers Do not tell what happened Are not obvious Not supporting questions (describe,

define, and show processes)

Examples of Compelling Questions

1. Was the Revolutionary War Revolutionary?

2. Who really won the Civil War?3. How has the Transcontinental

Railroad changed over time?4. Why did the Boston Tea Party

happen?

Compelling Questions or Supporting Questions?

1. What was the French-Indian War?2. Who fought in the French-Indian

War?3. What happened to the Native

Americans after the French-Indian War?

4. Where was the French-Indian War fought?

Distinguished Compelling Questions

Asks about a topic, event, or idea in early American History in a specific way that may not have been thought about before.( Raises an interesting question about a social concern and is important to the world.)

Open to different interpretations or opinions (Answer does not just tell what something is.)

Have multiple possible answers (Answer is not obvious.)

Tell who, why, or how something happened (Can’t be answered with a description, definition, or process)

Make a claim that is backed by facts and evidence (I can support my answer with evidence from my sources)

Now it’s your turn. Write two possible compelling questions for your history fair topic.

WHAT IS A THESIS STATEMENT?

Thesis Statement

Claim based on your compelling question

Backed up with related ideas, quotes, details, and explanations of the details

States a position someone will accept by reading your essay

Specifically answers the question you ask

Thesis Statement is NOT

Any descriptive statement Is not too broad that you can not

support it using the set of primary sources you have

Were the Haymarket defendants’ justified in their violence during the Chicago Labor Conflicts

of 1880s?

Match Thesis Statement to Compelling Question Activity

Backing Up Thesis Statement with document based evidence Activity