Shown below is an "Abstract Question". In this exercise, students are asked to answer questions that do not have any definite answers. It is up to the students to consider the wording of the question and define for themselves what is being asked and how it should be answered. They must be able to explain and defend their approach with their response. To learn more about "Abstract Questions," click here.

The Question:

The term "exciting calmness" best describes what period of American history? Why?

Where do we begin? Click here to find out how Abstract Questions work...

While there is no "correct" answer to the above question, students must prove they used a logical approach in their response. For example, some of the responses that you might hear are shown below:

The Cold War era can be described as "exciting calmness" because, while the United States and Soviet Union never fought against one another in a violent war, the entire period was very tense and quietly stressful.

The Industrial Revolution is a great example of "exciting calmness" because things were changing so quickly that it was an exciting revolution, only without the bloodshed that a revolution often brings.

I think that today is a great example of "exciting calmness" because everyone is carrying on with their normal lives as always, yet the world around us is changing so fast and it`s impossible to know what the future holds.