Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Hi! This is for the new 2017 syllabus IA (just a heads-up, though I'm pretty sure it doesn't change the RQ format).

I've already done part 1/3 of the IA (the source identification and evaluation part), so while I'd appreciate phrasing and diction help, I'm sticking with this topic. I had already changed from 1870s US reconstruction policies to WWI US neutrality, and then from that to this.

I have a penchant for Canadian history, which we study as much as US history in our Americas HL topic, so here it is:

 

How was Prime Minister Borden’s leadership responsible for deepening the rift between French-Canadian and Anglo-Canadian national identity from 1911 to 1920?

 

Please let me know if you think I should change anything -- like narrow down the time period, for instance. I chose 1911 to 1920 because the years span Borden's two terms and include the French-Canadian disdain for the early Naval Aid Bill, the Manitoba/Ontario bilingualism affair in trying to eradicate instruction in the French language, and the 1917-1918 Conscription crisis.

Thanks!

Link to post
Share on other sites

This really looks good. You seem like you know your stuff and the title is nicely bounded and focused. I don't really have much to advice to offer because you seem on top of things. There is the standard and now-cliched OPVL claim (but trust me, it puts you in examiners' good graces) where you'll want to acknowledge your only reading documents available in English – especially in this essay where language is a focal point (assuming you don't know French). 

Other than that, good luck. You'll do great.

P.s.: I started off with a U.S. Reconstruction era topic for my EE but ended up shifting it to the Great Depression. I'm a big fan of topic shifts.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I just have two comments:

1. I worry if the decade-long period being considered might restrict your ability to do an in-depth analysis due to the word count restraint?  However, I am not familiar with this topic enough to be able to materialise this concern.

However if you feel you can cover all the points you mentioned above (Naval Aid Bill, the Manitoba/Ontario bilingualism affair in trying to eradicate instruction in the French language, and the 1917-1918 Conscription crisis), then go for it.  As you write though, if you feel that the information is too much for the word count available, don;t be afriad to narrow down further and specify if his leadership deepened the rift with reference to, for e.g., the Conscription crisis.

2. This looks to be a straightforward examination ("How..?"), so the RQ appears to posit that it is irrefutable that his leadership did deepen the rift.  I just wanted to make sure that you intended for that effect and your essay proceeds on that basis, rather than trying to examine whether or not his leadership played a role at all.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...