A thesis sets forth a proposition that then must be defended. The thesis may state something about the cause or causes of a particular historical event, or about effects or ramifications of historical events. Or it may be about motivating factors within a historical figure -- why someone acted the way they acted in their role in history. A thesis is not simply a statement of a fact that everyone agrees on. A thesis is an <u>arguable</u> claim, and the defense with evidence given for a thesis will want to address counter-claims (any counter-thesis) that someone else might argue.
Germany and Ireland were the two countries that sent the most immigrants to America between 1860 and 1900. The immigration was voluntary, not forced by their own governments.
