Example prompt for AP European History:

Evaluate the extent to which the nature of European imperialism changed from 1750 to 1900.

What is this prompt actually asking:

"Evaluate the extent" = Decide how much or how significantly something changed.
"Nature of European imperialism" = The characteristics, methods, and motivations behind European countries taking control of other lands and peoples.
"From 1750 to 1900" = This time period covers the Industrial Revolution and the height of European colonial expansion.
You need to argue whether European imperialism changed a little, a lot, or somewhere in between during this period.
Consider changes in technology, economic motivations, political justifications, and the treatment of colonized peoples.

Thesis formula:

Although [Counterargument], because [evidence 1] and [evidence 2], [my argument].

Option 1:

Although some aspects of European imperialism remained constant throughout the period, because the Industrial Revolution dramatically increased the demand for raw materials and new markets and because pseudo-scientific racial theories emerged to justify colonial rule, the nature of European imperialism changed significantly from 1750 to 1900.

Option 2:

Although the basic goal of European imperialism to extract wealth from colonies persisted, because technological advancements like steamships and machine guns allowed for more direct control of vast territories and because the "Scramble for Africa" introduced new political motivations for empire-building, the nature of European imperialism transformed substantially from 1750 to 1900.

Option 3:

Although European powers continued to seek economic benefits from their colonies, because the rise of Social Darwinism promoted ideas of European racial and cultural superiority and because the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 formalized the "rules" for colonial acquisition in Africa, the nature of European imperialism evolved considerably from 1750 to 1900.

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