This question asks you to brainstorm in order to generate ideas. When you brainstorm, you do not usually reach a concrete solution. However, you might be able to clarify the path you want to follow in order to continue your research. You could start by answering these questions:
<em>What interests you about this topic? </em>
This is a personal answer, but you could think about the time period in terms of culture, art, politics and society and see what parts of it you might find interesting. For example, we can choose Reconstruction as an interesting event of the time period.
<em>What do you already know about this topic? </em>
Reconstruction (roughly 1863 to 1877) was the period of time after the Civil War during which the Confederacy and the Union needed to be reunited. It was also the time period during which former slaves needed to be integrated into mainstream American society, and given proper rights and freedoms.
<em>How does this topic relate to you or to people you know? </em>
If you know anyone from a different region of the country, or any African Americans, it is likely that Reconstruction affected their ancestors. Moreover, the country has become stronger and more unified thanks to the policies passed during this time period.
<em>What is appropriate for an essay on the topic? </em>
An appropriate topic could be the role that African Americans played in Reconstruction, or the goals that African American leaders achieved during Reconstruction.
