History 4C, Spring 2019
Final Exam Study Guide
Prof. Edgar


The final exam will have a format similar to that of the midterm.  It will consist of three sections:


1)  Identifications (IDs) of key names and terms (30 points total)
	2)  Primary source identification (20 points total)
	3)  Essay questions  (50 points total)


In section 1, you will be asked to choose six IDs from a total of ten.   Please write a brief paragraph of 4-5 sentences identifying each.  The IDs will come from the second half of the course.

Here are some examples of names and terms you may be asked to identify:

		Schlieffen Plan		Benito Mussolini
Perestroika			Charles Darwin
		Stalingrad			League of Nations
		Guernica			Treaty of Versailles
Otto von Bismarck		anarchists
Appeasement 		Marshall Plan



Tips for success on IDs:  be sure to include the most salient information about the name or term you are identifying (dates, key activities or writings).  To receive the maximum number of points, please don’t forget to explain the term’s significance in European history.


In section 2, you will be asked to identify two brief excerpts from primary source texts you have read for this course and discussed in section.  (This includes books, readings linked to the syllabus, and items in the course reader.)  You will have three or four possible texts from which to choose.  Along with naming the author, title, and approximate date of publication, you will be asked to write two or three sentences explaining the document’s historical significance.  The text IDs will be drawn from the second half of the course (i.e. readings you have done since the midterm).

Tips for success on this section:  once again, be sure that you have done all the assigned reading!


In section 3, you will be asked to write two essays, choosing from four possible essay prompts.  One essay will focus on material since the midterm;  the other will be cumulative.  In your essays, you should make a clearly stated argument and back it up with abundant evidence  (such as names, events, and dates) from the readings and lectures.  Your essay should have an introduction and a conclusion, and the body of your essay should present evidence in a logical sequence.

Here are examples of possible topics for essay questions:

	•  The use of terror in the French revolution and under Stalinism
	•  Similarities and differences between Nazism and communism
•  Impact of World War I on European states and societies
	•  Factors contributing to the rise of Hitler to power in Germany
•  Reasons for the collapse of communism in the East bloc
•  The changing nature of nationalism in the 19th and 20th centuries

Please note that this is not a complete list of possible topics, but is intended to give you an idea of the level of specificity to expect.

Tips for success on the essay questions:

•	Be sure to read all questions and instructions carefully.  Sometimes students are in such a rush that they misread the question and fail to answer what is actually being asked.
Write an outline of your response before you begin to write the essay. This is the best way to ensure that your essay is well organized and successfully answers the question.
Be specific, and please provide evidence!  Vague and unsupported statements have no place in a history essay.

If you did not do well on the midterm, please come see me or your TA and ask how you can do better on the final.  We want to help you succeed!

The final exam will take place on Thursday, June 13 from 4-7 p.m.