Tips for ID's A well written identification indicates a solid understanding of the item in question. Each identifications should include Who, What, When, Where, Why. Who is this person? - Basic key points for identifying the person (7th President of the United States, served from ____ to ____). OR What is this event/term? - Brief definition. When - place the term in the proper historical context. Saying something was a key 19th century event is NOT sufficient. In order to understand something's historical significance, you must be able to place it in the proper historical context. Where - Discussing the relevant geographical information is also important for a clear understanding of the historical significance. If the term is a person (Andrew Jackson), knowing where he came from is important and should be part of your discussion. Placing the Erie Canal in New York is important. Why - This is the crucial part of writing a solid identification. WHY IS THIS TERM HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT? Why is it important to know South Carolina Exposition and Protest? How does an understanding of this term enhance our overall understanding of American history? This is where the big points are earned. The Who/What part of the ID will earn you 20%. When = 20%. Where = 20%. The WHY part is worth about 40%. As you prepare for the exam, feel free to run a sample identification by me to see if you have hit all parts. I won't review a list of ID's but will help you fine tune one as a template. ****** REMINDER ******** There is a fourth part to the Group Identification exercise. The identifications will be presented in groups with three terms per group. You must write an identification for all terms in the group. THEN - you must write a few sentences about what these terms have in common. What is the common thread that connects the three terms. I will be looking for something significant and fairly obvious. For example - If the terms in a group were Hamilton's Financial Plan, Whiskey Rebellion, Jay's Treaty - you would write an identification for each term. Then you would write a few sentences on what they have in common. The response I am looking for (although you may come up with others that would be acceptable if presented in a convincing manner) is that all three were actions taken by Federalists during the Federalist Era. All three of these helped to fuel the formation of the Jeffersonian Republicans to oppose the Federalists and helped to create America's first political parties. Questions? _____________________