Part B
Essay
Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Use evidence from at least four documents in your essay. Support your response with relevant facts,
examples, and details. Include additional outside information.
Historical Context:
At various times in United States history, the federal government has taken
controversial actions that have limited civil liberties. Three such actions were the
passage of the Espionage and Sedition Acts (1917–1918), issuing Executive
Order 9066 relocating Japanese Americans (1942), and the passage of the
USA Patriot Act (2001).
Task: Using the information from the documents and your knowledge of United States
history, write an essay in which you
Select two actions taken by the federal government that are mentioned in the
historical context and for each
• Describe the historical circumstances surrounding the action
• Discuss an argument used by the government to support its action
• Discuss an argument used by those who opposed the government’s action
Guidelines:
In your essay, be sure to
• Develop all aspects of the task
• Incorporate information from at least four documents
• Incorporate relevant outside information
• Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details
• Use a logical and clear plan of organization, including an introduction and a conclusion that
are beyond a restatement of the theme