IA topic - Is this one good?

[Sheepsie]

I'm just wondering if the IA topic I picked is too broad:

To what extent were economic factors the main cause of the First Opium War in 1839?

I'm thinking of arguing that economic factors motivated the war, but the cultural miscommunications were an even greater cause in that they prevented the economic motivators from being resolved peacefully.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[ImFine]

Hi!

As far as I know, that question sounds great! It is specific, starts with "to what extent" which is always good and is on one event in a specific timeframe.

The only thing that I am not sure about is that you mention the fact that economic factors were the "main cause". Maybe that is just me but through that, it sounds like you're already assuming that they were, in fact, the biggest contributing factor before arguing it in your essay. In your essay, it is great to argue and defend your point of view that is implemented in the thesis statement, however, I tend to keep my questions more neutral in the beginning.

I might think about changing it to:

"How were economic factors the main cause of the First Opium War in 1839?"

"What role did economic factors play during/leading up to the First Opium War in 1839?" (here you would be specifying whether you'd focus on cause or course of the war)

As said though the question already sounds really good!

Good luck with your IA