Thesis statement help?

Question

Compare & contrast the colonies of the N. and the S. in early America. Focus on the economics of each set.

Answer 1

The colonies of the North and the South in early America differed due to ------, ------, and ----- colonial issues though were similar in the fact that the --------.

Answer 2

1. A sample Essay from online
Differences in Northern and Southern Colonies

"How did the different social and economic characteristics of the northern and southern colonies later play a crucial, and tragic, role in American history?
The northern and southern colonies had various social and economic differences, all of which eventually contributed to a tragic event in American history."

That one guy has the right Idea about listing as much as you can about each colonies economic, social, and political beliefs and practices seperately.
Once you have done that, you should formulate a central question to filter this evidence with rather than write a thesis statement. Notice how the writer begins their essay.
The key to your paper is the evidence you find. It is the very fabric of your story, and it will serve to develop, test and refine your questions and answers. When Analyzing evidence, there is a distinction that is very important:
-Claims vs. Evidence
A Claim is something you want to prove; its an argument or a thesis (its okay to argue something or have an opinion)
Evidence is the information that is used to corraborate a claim, or make believable and convincing.
So in essence, U want to be able to distinguish sources and claims in any source of information you use on the topic, and distinguish between the two in your writing.
- When writing, make sure you carefully explain the connection between your claims and your evidence.
Evidence can almost always be interpreted in more than one way; you must absolutely be clear to your reader what the evidence means to you.
Example: U might think that it was injustice on the part of the Southern Colonies to support slavery, your evidence should be connected to this claim. Perhaps a source that gives the testaments of actual slaves in Southern colonies during that time would be a good place to start.

The 10 on 1 rule
It is far better to make ten points on a single representative issue or example (10 on 1) than to make the same basic point about ten related issues (1 on 10). Use this method for every specific source you use.
For example, think about your sources (Journals, magazines, newspaper articles, old books, etc). Start asking yourself questions like:
Who wrote the source?
when and where did the Author write it?
What else was going on at the time it was written?
why did the Author write this? What is the Author trying to convince the audience of?
Who is the Author writing to?
Does the rhetoric or images give clues about the context?
If evidence is offered in support of their claim,can it be interpreted in other ways?
Hopefully this gets your wheels turning and Good luck with your assignment!

Answer 3

Looks like you may need to simply sit down and doodle with this one for awhile. As you no doubt realize, the subject is hopelessly broad the way it is now.

The southern colonies were more agricultural. They relied on slave labor to get things done. Folks in the northern colonies more typically settled in response to religious persecution in other places. But this is all still vague.

Here's what 'cha ought to do: take a note pad and draw a line down the middle of the front page. Label one side "The North," and label the other side "The South." Spend 15 minutes simply brainstorming -- listing major characteristics of each on each side of the page.

After you've been at it for 15 minutes, look carefully at what you've come up with. Odds are good that something will jump out at you.

Good luck.