Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences British History Questions
Instructions: Please answer two of the three questions. The page limit for this exam is 10 pages in total.
Question 1: What have been the long-term implications of Britain’s rule for their former colonies?
Question 2: How much influence does Britain’s past exert on its modern society and politics, and why?
Question 3: Has Britain ever been an ‘island nation’ separate from European or global influences?
As this is a take home exam, I’m specifically looking for you to incorporate readings we’ve used in class and the lecture material posted online, as well as your knowledge of the material. The purpose of the exam is to demonstrate your knowledge of British/Imperial history, the ways it has been debated/weaponized, and its relevance in the present day.
Spend 4-5 pages on each answer (double spaced), organizing your answers as below:
Introduction (10%): Outline the various historical or moral debates on the subject. A-grade answers will mention specific authors or figures by name, and their position within the political or imperial divide.
Statement of Argument (20%): Clearly outline your own position, and briefly justify this using at least two specific components which you will expand upon in your paper. A-grade answers will include at least three components alongside a clear statement of position, balancing moral/political stances with indications of historical justification.
Thesis (50%): The thesis section should make up the bulk of your answer. Within this, you must expand upon the specific components discussed within your argumentative statement using specific historical examples and references to their long term changes or implications. A-grade answers clearly describe the complexity of the chosen components and their historical trajectories, using common-sense examples. Further, these are integrated coherently into your argument to make clear their relevance to your position.
Conclusion (10%): This section should draw together the strands of your argument to justify your stance from a historical standpoint. Again, make clear the relevance of your historical examples, and succinctly restate how your position fits the debates over the subject.
Writing & Citations (10%): Improperly formatted essays or those with many typographical errors or many long quotations will be docked.
Please cite any works or authors used in your responses using footnotes using the Chicago style of citation, as below:
Footnote Citation: J. Parker, Ocean Avenue (New York: NYU Press, 2023), p. 17.
No bibliography is required. Please see either of the grading rubrics on Blackboard for a longer citation guide.
