Unit 2 LEQs (Long Essay Questions)
LEQ 1: Causes of the American Revolution
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which economic, political, and ideological factors caused the American Revolution between 1763 and 1776.
Possible Approaches for Students:
LEQ 2: The Articles of Confederation and Early Governance
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which the Articles of Confederation provided an effective government for the United States from 1781 to 1787.
Possible Approaches for Students:
LEQ 3: The Constitution and Its Legacy
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which the Constitution addressed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and satisfied the concerns of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists between 1787 and 1791.
Possible Approaches for Students:
How to Use These LEQs
LEQ 1: Causes of the American Revolution
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which economic, political, and ideological factors caused the American Revolution between 1763 and 1776.
Possible Approaches for Students:
- Analyze how economic grievances, such as taxation without representation and trade restrictions, influenced colonial unrest.
- Examine political causes, including the role of British policies like the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, and the Intolerable Acts.
- Discuss the impact of Enlightenment ideas and colonial identity in fostering revolutionary thought.
- Themes: Politics and Power, Economy, Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture
- Skills: Causation, Contextualization, Argument Development
LEQ 2: The Articles of Confederation and Early Governance
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which the Articles of Confederation provided an effective government for the United States from 1781 to 1787.
Possible Approaches for Students:
- Examine successes like the Northwest Ordinance and diplomatic achievements (e.g., Treaty of Paris).
- Analyze limitations, including economic instability, lack of federal authority, and challenges like Shay’s Rebellion.
- Discuss how these challenges prompted calls for reform and the eventual creation of the Constitution.
- Themes: Politics and Power, America in the World
- Skills: Continuity and Change, Argument Development
LEQ 3: The Constitution and Its Legacy
Prompt:
Evaluate the extent to which the Constitution addressed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and satisfied the concerns of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists between 1787 and 1791.
Possible Approaches for Students:
- Assess how the Constitution resolved issues of federal authority, taxation, and representation.
- Analyze the compromises made at the Constitutional Convention (e.g., Great Compromise, Three-Fifths Compromise).
- Evaluate the inclusion of the Bill of Rights as a response to Anti-Federalist concerns.
- Themes: Politics and Power, Identity, Ideas, Beliefs, and Culture
- Skills: Causation, Argument Development
How to Use These LEQs
- Thesis Practice: Have students develop strong, defensible thesis statements for each prompt.
- Outline Development: Assign students to create outlines with evidence for their arguments, contextualization, and synthesis.
- Peer Review: Use one LEQ as a peer review activity to help students refine their writing.
- AI Integration:
- Use tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm thesis statements, outline arguments, or suggest evidence for each prompt.
- AI can also critique sample essays, helping students understand strengths and weaknesses in their writing.