248 ChapTer 10 | expansionism: part 2 | period Five 1844 –1877
Similarly, developments in labor and technology may have both fueled and
reduced domestic political conflicts. For example, the depletion of the domestic
workforce by legislation such as the Homestead Act created civil strife, but the act
also encouraged greater prosperity and eased some of the financial burdens of the
struggling Northern and Southern wartime economies.
When looking for counterarguments within a prompt, consider the following
oppositions:Positive/negative influences
Fueled/reduced
Supporters/opponents
Gains/losses
Expansion/restriction
Benefits/losses
Winners/losers
Access/marginalized
steP 4 Create an outline
For this prompt, consider the options above in developing your argument, and
create your outline accordingly. The counterargument may appear in any place
in your outline. This exercise positions the counterargument early in the essay.Outline
I. Introduction: This is your original position. It also may be your working
thesis.II. Counterargument(s)
A. Option 1: Developments in labor and technology had a positive
influence on domestic policy.B. Option 2: Developments in labor and technology had a negative
influence on domestic policy.III. Your argument: Provide support for the position that you presented in
your introduction. Present your support in opposition to what you iden-
tified in the counterargument.For example, if you selected option 1 above, then your counterargument
would respond to this by pointing out why developments in labor and tech-
nology negatively influenced domestic policy.
Or if you selected option 2 above, then you would end your essay with a
statement about why the lasting influence was more positive than negative.IV. Conclusion
putting it all together 24911_STA_2012_ch10_235-250.indd 249 23/03/15 5:32 PM