The Change and
Continuity over Time
Essay
The Change and Continuity over Time Essay
Generic Core-Scoring Rubric
Basic Core
1. Has an appropriate, explicitly stated
thesis that directly addresses the
global issues and the time period(s)
specified. Thesis may not simply
restate the question.
2. Addresses all parts of the question,
though not necessarily evenly or
thoroughly.
3. Supports thesis with appropriate
historical evidence.
4. Uses relevant world historical context
effectively to explain change over
time and/or continuity.
5. Analyzes the process of change over
time and/or continuity.
Subtotal:
Points
1
2
2
1
1
7
Expanded Core
Expands beyond basic core of 1 – 7
points. The basic score of 7 must be
achieved before a student can earn
expanded core points.
Points
0–2
Examples:
• Has a clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis.
• Analyzes all issues of the question (as relevant):
global context, chronology, causation, change,
continuity, effects, content
• Addresses all parts of the question evenly.
• Provides ample historical evidence to substantiate
thesis.
• Provides links with relevant ideas, events, and
trends in an innovative way.
Subtotal:
2
Total: 9
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more youth-obsessed and distrusting of authority, Superman
reflected those trends."
“Superman Is a Hero of
His Time”
Part of Superman's early appeal was that he possessed
incredible powers while looking relatively normal, says Gary
Grossman, author of Superman: Serial to Cereal, about the
character's first screen interpretations and spinoffs.
USA Today
June 22, 2006
By Anthony Breznican
"In the back of all the comics were ads that said 'Look like
Charles Atlas!' And he was a vision of Hercules more than a
comfortable, healthy body. By comparison, George Reeves
was a normal-looking person," he says.
The older Superman gets, the younger he seems.
With a svelte new incarnation of the Man of Steel headed to
theaters late Tuesday in Superman Returns, newcomer
Brandon Routh will test the theory of "survival of the fittest."
The 1940s Superman cartoons produced by Max Fleischer had
the hero looking more like a mill worker or lumberjack than
the modern cartoons, which make him look like an upsidedown pyramid built out of muscle.
Routh (sounds like south) bears a striking resemblance to the
late Superman star Christopher Reeve — they're about the
same height (Reeve was 6-foot-4, Routh, 6-3) and age (26)
when they started as the character. But Routh's version is
lonelier, less confident and physically leaner, looking more
like a cut yoga master than a body builder. And in the movie
he has a weakness that transcends even Kryptonite — his lost
romance with Lois Lane.
Brawny Christopher Reeve reflected the craze for pumping
iron in 1978's Superman, but the idea of masculinity has
shifted away from the muscle head. "We don't live in a
Schwarzenegger world anymore, we live in a Matt Damon
world," says Meltzer, a novelist whose books include Dead
Even and the upcoming The Book of Fate.
He's a stark contrast to yesteryear's bulky, ebullient screen
images of Superman. But will moviegoers accept the
unbreakable hero with the breakable heart?
It's a Bird ... illustrator Teddy Kristiansen is glad the hero of
Superman Returns isn't a giant. "It fits much better with the
believability of the Clark Kent character. He always comes
across as geeky and clumsy. Routh being as skinny as he is it
suits that character," he says.
The prospects look good. The movie has strong early reviews,
and brooding heroes are in vogue, evidenced by the
blockbusters X-Men, Spider-Man and Batman Begins.
Changes to the character are often subconsciously dictated by
the events of the day: "You do not get the heroes that you
want, you get the heroes you need," Meltzer says.
Superman experts say the character often serves as a reflection
of the times, with his evolution over the decades in comic
books, cartoons, radio shows, TV programs and movies
tracking the cultural changes in America.
The hero known to his birth parents as Kal-El suffers hard
times in Superman Returns, perhaps because of the hard times
that have always been a part of our real world: war, political
divisiveness, economic disparity and strained emotional
relationships.
"Just as the Greek gods represented their society, Superman is
like the avatar of the United States. It's how we want to see
ourselves. That's why he gets more powerful and that's why he
gets more handsome. It becomes our own wish fulfillment,"
says Brad Meltzer, who has written for Superman in the DC
Comics series Identity Crisis and the latest installment of
Justice League of America.
Wish you were here
In Superman Returns, the hero has vanished from Earth and
spent the past five years on a quest through the galaxy to
locate the remains of his distant home planet of Krypton. He
has left his widowed mother (Eva Marie Saint) behind and
abandoned his romance with reporter Lois Lane (Kate
Bosworth). His absence from Lex Luthor's trial (for
unspecified villainy) leads to his nemesis' release.
Your father's Superman
Kirk Alyn, who originated the screen role in 1940s movie
serials, and George Reeves, who played Superman in the
1950s TV series, had much beefier builds, and looked older,
too.
When Superman makes his comeback, he finds that Lois has
started a relationship with another man and — SHOCK — she
has a son!
They were also in their late 30s, making them less like their
teenage fans and more like their fans' fathers. "The 1950s
revered the 'dad.' It was the Father Knows Best generation,"
says Steven T. Seagle, who wrote the 2004 graphic novel It's a
Bird ... about a scribe's melancholy struggle to relate to the
invulnerable hero. "But as America and Hollywood became
It's one problem Superman can't fix with feats of strength or
speed. The emotional upheaval sends him reeling, and in the
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midst of battle against Luthor (Kevin Spacey), he struggles
with how to, and whether to, reclaim his old life.
life?' " Grossman says. "He was wondering, 'Gee, I have all
this strength, but is that all there is?' "
What does that say about real people today?
The short story "Just Be Yourself," featured on public radio's
This American Life in 2001, satirized the heartbreak of a
flabby-armed regular guy who starts dating Lois Lane after
she breaks up with the Man of Steel.
"We live in times where human relationships are more
complicated," says Paul Levitz, president of DC Comics. "The
idea that 'I'm going to find somebody and marry them and
we're going to be swans forever until we die gray-haired on
the pond' is not as universal an expectation."
In the Jonathan Goldstein story, Superman is lovesick and
can't understand Lois or what she sees in her puny new
paramour. "That's what makes him an interesting character,"
Goldstein says. "Even though he's bulletproof and can turn
back time by revolving the Earth, he's still susceptible to the
charms of a woman, just like anybody."
Superman's problems with Lois Lane in Superman Returns
reflect the perils of deferred romance. "For earlier generations
of Superman fans, life was a very linear process," Levitz says.
"But we live more in a zigzag society now."
Christopher Reeve's Superman had less angst, which DC
president Levitz says was a reflection of the optimism of the
late '70s and '80s.
Superman Returns director Bryan Singer, who made The
Usual Suspects and the first two X-Men movies, agreed that he
tried to infuse his Man of Steel movie with some
contemporary issues.
"You saw someone who was amused by his own ability," he
says. "It was OK to be powerful and get joy out of how fast
you could run or how smart you could be."
"Instead of running away from his goody-goodiness, we tried
to embrace the nostalgic aspects of his character while also
bringing him into a more modern world," Singer says. "There
are the complexities of divorce, children out of wedlock, and
working mothers today.
"But at the same time, the essence of love for family and
another person is something that survives."
Superman's altruism also shifted. When he first appeared in
Action Comics in June 1938, he was practically a vigilante as
created by writer Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster. That
famous cover of him hoisting a car over his head is not
Superman rescuing someone — it's him bashing apart the car
of a tough guy who cut in on his dance with Lois Lane.
As for Routh's babyface appearance, even that may strike a
nerve with audiences who are used to seeing young faces on
the news, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But today's Superman is more well adjusted, Levitz says. "For
a guy who could do anything, he never seems to do anything
at anyone else's expense."
"These are the real heroes. Every day they put on their
uniforms, they risk their lives for us," says Meltzer. "With
Brandon Routh, you don't have this wrestler. You have
someone who could have been a fireman. It could be you."
Singer didn't have that in mind, but accepts it as a reasonable
interpretation. "Out in the field, there are probably a lot more
young heroes than old ones," the director says.
He had a more practical reason for choosing a young-looking
star: keeping him fresh-faced for years of Superman sequels.
Portraits of solitude
The most recent incarnations of Superman are more
humanized versions of the Man of Steel. In the TV series
Smallville, which has aired on WB since 2001, the teenage
Clark Kent (Tom Welling) is a lonely outcast just discovering
his powers.
Even with the 1990s TV show Lois & Clark (starring Dean
Cain and a pre-Desperate Housewives Teri Hatcher), the hero
was in existential crisis. "He was asking, 'Is there more in
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CCOT Pre-Write Form
Region: __________________ Theme: _______________________ Time Period: _________________
Beginning
Middle
Reasons 4 change:
End
Continuities:
Thesis Paragraph:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Writing Tips for the CCOT Essay
I. Develop a thesis paragraph that:
a. Fully addresses the question asked.
i. Global issues or themes
ii. Time period or periods
iii. Region or regions to be discussed.
b. Takes a position with regard to the question asked.
c. Provides an organization structure that will be used in the essay.
II. Organize your body paragraphs using a three stage framework:
a. Paragraph I: Establish the major characteristics, patters, or conditions at the beginning of the
first time period.
b. Paragraph II: Explain the changes that occurred from the first to second period. Be sure to
explain WHY these changes took place.
c. Paragraph III: Explain what conditions still remain the same (continuities) from the first to the
second period and WHY. Explain what the conditions, characteristics, or patters are at the end
of the second time period.
III. Points to consider to put your essay into the expanded core:
a. Write effective supporting paragraphs using the general AP model.
b. Focus on “why” and “so what.”
c. Be sure your generalizations are supported with specific evidence.
d. Be sure YOU provide the connections and the analysis.
e. Refer to the time and sequencing to show you understand the importance of chronology in
history.
f. Connect local developments to global developments and/or themes.
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Essay Structure for the CCOT Essay
Chronological Structure
1. Thesis Paragraph
a. Background (Optional)
b. Thesis Statement (1-2 sentences)
c. “Road Map” of later paragraphs
2. Body Paragraph #1: Early/Beginning Time Period
a. Beginning Situation – start with “changing from what?” so the reader can recognize the later
changes in the paragraph.
b. Change(s) at/near beginning date, including description of the type of change (sudden, gradual,
etc.)
c. Evidence of change (if possible, name a specific example that represents this change)
d. Analysis of the process of change (What caused the changes? What were the later effects?)
e. Comparison to the larger Global Context (How do the examples in this paragraph compare to
the larger world context during the same time period or during the next time period?)
3. Body Paragraph #2: Middle Time Period. (same characteristics as above)
4. Body Paragraph #3: Late/Ending Period (same characteristics as above)
5. Body Paragraph #4: Continuities
a. What characteristics exist throughout the entire time period?
b. Analysis of the continuities (What caused the continuities?)
c. Global Context (How do these examples of continuities compare to the larger world context
during the same time period?)
6. Concluding Paragraph
a. Recommended, but optional
b. Restatement/summarization of thesis
Topical Structure
1. Thesis Paragraph
a. Background (Optional)
b. Thesis Statement (1-2 sentences)
c. “Road Map” of later paragraphs
2. Body Paragraph #1: Topic #1
a. Beginning Situation (before you begin to describe changes, start with “changing from what?” so
the reader can recognize the later changes in the paragraph)
b. Change(s), including description of the type of change (sudden, gradual, etc.)
c. Evidence of change (if possible, name a specific example that represents this change)
d. Analysis of the process of change (What caused the changes? What were the later effects? How
did these changes propel history into the next chronological era?)
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e. Continuity (What characteristics of this topic exist throughout the entire time period?)
f. Comparison to the larger Global Context (How do the examples of continuity and change in this
paragraph compare to the larger world context during the same time period or during the next
time period?)
3. Body Paragraph #2: Topic #2 (same characteristics as above)
4. Body Paragraph #3: Topic #3 (same characteristics as above)
5. Concluding Paragraph (recommended, but optional; restatement/summarization of thesis
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CCOT Essay Sample
Question: Choose TWO of the areas below and analyze the developments of major religious & philosophical
ideas between 2000 BCE & 600 CE. Be sure to discuss continuities as well as changes.
Europe
Southern Asia
West Asia
Thesis:
The major developments in religion and philosophy in the period 2000 BCE to 600 CE were that religions
moved from concrete, polytheistic and localized to abstract, monotheistic and universal. In both regions,
especially after about 500 BCE, there was an increase in the use of logic, reason, and science to explain some of
life’s most basic questions. Throughout the period, people in both regions remained religious and continued to
seek answers to questions such as their existence, after life and natural phenomena, but the more complex the
societies became and the more dissatisfied they became with the polytheistic religions, the more they moved
toward monotheism and rationalism.
Beginning:
Religions at the beginning of the period were concrete, local to the culture and polytheistic. Most societies
explained natural phenomena through religion and answered life’s most basic questions through their religion.
The development of religion is older in West Asia than in Europe. The first societies such as the Sumerians
believed in many gods and goddesses that were super humans, but had the same characteristics as man. Priests
were powerful religious and political figures. In Europe, the Greeks and early Romans also worshiped a
plethora of gods and goddesses. They were thought to control the heavens, the earth and the underworld. They
married, had children, and fought just as humans did. But these early religions did not set out principles for
“right conduct.” These religions became inadequate as the societies became more complex and there was
greater interaction between them.
Middle:
By 500 BCE changes in religion began to occur in both Europe and W. Asia as the first monotheistic religion
appeared in Asia, Buddhism was brought to this region and in Europe the Greeks began to develop a philosophy
based on rationalism. The Hebrews returned from the Babylonian captivity with a strong belief in a single
monotheistic god who was not only the god of the Hebrews, but a single universal god. The Hebrews also were
the first to have a religion that set out laws for living one’s life, as in the 10 Commandments. The Persians,
who were a much larger and more complex empire than the Hebrews, also moved toward a religion,
Zoroastrianism, that preached about judgment day, free will, and the forces of good and evil. Buddhism was
introduced into parts of W. Asia by monks and merchants traveling the silk roads. It also gave believers a guide
for living and a hope of salvation. The development of Manichaeism in Persia revealed an increasing interaction
between religious ideas from different societies. In Greece, Athens was experiencing its golden age. To the
educated, the polytheistic religion of the past was no longer satisfactory for this democracy. Socrates, Plato,
and Aristotle encourage the use of logic and reason in the search for truth. Early Greek philosophers and
Aristotle sought answers to the nature of things such as the elements of the universe. The developments in
science continued as Alexander the Greek brought the ideas of the Greeks of Europe together with the ideas of
those in West Asia. As the societies became increasingly more complex and there was continued interaction
between different cultures further changes in religious ideas developed.
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End:
Although changes in religion and philosophy continued into the Classical Era throughout the entire time span,
the people of Europe and West Asia sought answers to their own existence, proper conduct, and the nature of
the universe. Religious institutions continue to be closely tied to the state. In the period between the first
century and sixth century, both regions are brought together by the Roman Empire. Hebrew ethical
monotheism continues its growth in the region with the development of Christianity. It first developed in West
Asia and then spread into Europe. The spread of Christianity is helped by the extensive roads, general peace
and imperial support of the Roman Empire. Philosophy also continued to develop with the Roman’s adoption of
Stoicism and the work of people like the physician, Galen. Even after the collapse of the Roman Empire, the
Byzantines continued the legacy of Christianity and Greco-Roman traditions. Buddhism which had entered
parts of West Asia before the first century BCE continued to be influential in areas like Afghanistan. By the
end of the Classical era, three major world religions and a philosophy of humanism and rationalism had
developed in the regions.
Conclusion:
From the earliest of civilizations until 600 CE, religion played an important role in the lives of those in Europe
and West Asia. Religion became more complex as the societies developed and grew. All the major world
religions and philosophies except Islam had developed by the end of the period in question. Judaism,
Christianity and Buddhism provided their believers with a guide for living life on earth and explanations for the
afterlife. Philosophies such as that of the Socratic philosophers pushed men to use reason as well as faith as a
path to the truth.
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Analysis: The Seventh Point
“Not What, But Why?”
Analysis of pieces of evidence
•
•
•
Answer questions like why and so what?
Think in terms of why things are significant, important
Discuss how things are connected and related, different and alike, changing or remaining the same, cause
and effect
Change Over Time Example:
One of the most significant social transformations of the Americas as a result of the conflict with Europe was
the change in the demographics of the Americas. The first result of the contact was the decimation of much of
the native population. This occurred because American Indians were not immune to smallpox and influenza
and so they died from these diseases when they came into contact with the Europeans. The Americans quickly
changed from a homogeneous population of indigenous Indians to a multi-racial population. This developed in
Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America as whites from Europe, and blacks from Africa, mixed with the
Indians. The first result of this was a blending of these racial groups due mostly from the lack of available white
women in the first waves of immigration from Europe. A second result was a stratified society. This occurred
because…
Directions: After you read the question, look at the sample sentences from the essays. Determine if the
example would earn the analysis point for change over time. Remember it must be an
analysis of the process of the change. Highlight the section of the statement you think
represents the analysis.
I. Analyze how each area’s relationship to global trade patterns changed from 1750 to the present.
a. “With the industrial revolution in the 19th century, the U.S. took advantage of this time to
urbanize and develop advanced technology which allowed them to dominate trade and become
involved in imperial affairs.”
b. “In the period 1750 to 1914 Africa’s coast line was involved in the trade of slaves and gold. In
the period 1914 to the present, Africa is part of the global trade network because she has many
minerals like gold and diamonds. She doesn’t trade in slaves anymore, but in chocolate, rubber,
and coffee.”
c. “Eventually, independence from the European powers came to Africa. However, the area’s
relationship to the global trade system didn’t change that dramatically. Many of these states still
produce raw materials dependent on international markets they can’t control. They are
dependent on the industrialized world for advanced technology and are in debt to these states.
This dependent relationship isn’t that different than their colonial relationship of the previous
period.”
II. Analyze the changes and continuities in labor systems between 1750 and 1914 in one of the following
areas: Latin America, Russia, or sub-Sahara Africa.
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a. “Trade between the Americas, Europe, and Africa supplied the Americas with African slaves to
work in the plantations and mines to keep the colonial economies going. During the 19th
century, however, there was a rise in anti-slavery movements and eventual abolition of slave
trade. Another labor shortage was created. The new problem was solved by indentured
servitude. It was another cheap source of labor…”
b. “In 1750, Russia was agriculturally based and used serfs as labor. Later Russia built an
extensive rail system, industrialized and their coal production went up. Although the serfs had
been freed, and were given limited rights, they continued to suffer poor working conditions.”
c. “Russia fell behind western Europe in economic production. By the 19th century, it was apparent
to Russia that it must change its labor system if it wished to keep up with the West. To create a
large working class to sustain industrialization, the serfs in Russia were freed and given local
political rights.”
III. Describe the changes that occurred between the Neolithic and River Valley periods in the areas of
intellectual development and social and gender structures. Why did these changes occur? What stayed
the same, what continuities are there between the two periods? Elaborate.
a. “Because the villages were based on agriculture, farmers became dependent on water and the
weather. Eventually, they began learning about weather patterns and how weather works, along
with ideas about irrigation and canals.”
b. “Before civilization, no real social classes existed. Families lived far apart, and all of them were
in the same business: they were hunter-gatherers. After the development of agriculture,
communities were able to build up a surplus of food. This freed up other individuals to perform
other tasks. In Sumeria, home to the world’s first civilization, citizens were basically set in a
social structure depending on what job they obtained.”
IV. Analyze the changes and continuities in Classical China from the Shang to the Han Dynasty in one of
the following areas: State system, social and gender structures, intellectual development, and trade.
a. “During the Classical Period, Chinese society underwent several significant changes in
intellectual development, with the advent of competing philosophies such as Confucianism and
Legalism. China also experienced significant changes in state systems, as the Zhou Dynasty and
its feudalistic government gave way to the Qin Dynasty’s strong, centralized government.
Despite these major changes, there were also a few continuities as well.”
b. “During the period of chaos known as the “Era of Warring States,” a strong leader emerged. Qin
Shi Huangdi successfully defeated the other warlords and established the first Chinese empire.
Because the decentralized government of the Zhou Dynasty was unsuccessful at helping the
Zhou rulers maintain their power, the Qin government created a strong, centralized government
and replaced the nobles with more qualified bureaucrats.
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