Documenting United States History

246 ChapTer 10 | expansionism: part 2 | period Five 1844 –1877

Putting it All togEthEr

revisiting the Main Point

•   

How did developments in labor and technology influence American expan-

sion westward? To what extent did these developments contribute to domes-

tic political conflicts?

•   

Describe three ways in which environmental factors contributed to regional

identities in the United States between 1844 and 1877.

•   

In what ways did migration, both internal and from abroad, influence Amer-

ican politics?

Counterarguments in historical essays

Any argument worth making has at least two credible perspectives, and nowhere

is this more evident than in an examination of historical debates. A historical

argument will have at least two audiences—those who agree and those who

disagree. Staking a position and supporting that position become more effective

when your argument acknowledges the credibility of those who do not agree with

you. When you acknowledge counterarguments (positions that oppose your

thesis or part of your thesis) in your essay, your own position gains credibility and

strength. Failing to acknowledge counterarguments implies that you have not

carefully considered alternative ideas on the matter, which harms your credibility.

Counterarguments work in several ways. One way is to acknowledge the

other side early in your essay and then refute this other argument with addi-

tional evidence. By establishing the counterargument early in the essay, you posi-

tion yourself to offer your opposing view, called a refutation. This tactic has the

advantage of drawing in all audiences (those who agree with you and those who

disagree) at the beginning of your essay.

Another way to use counterarguments is to present your own arguments first

and follow them with the other argument. This method allows you to establish

a more original position, rather than frame your argument in reaction to others.

If your refutation occurs later in the essay, you are still obliged to conclude your

essay by returning to the reasons that your initial claims rule the day.

The way to refute a counterargument is to present a better argument that

is backed up with evidence. In Chapters 7 through 9, you learned about the

kinds of evidence that offer credible support. Now is your chance to arrange

putting it all together 247

buil Ding AP®

writing sKills

11_STA_2012_ch10_235-250.indd 247 23/03/15 5:32 PM