Could someone please grade my practice SAT essay?

Prompt: Prompt: Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority?

This is the first practice essay I wrote and was wondering what I could do to improve my writing ability for the SAT and where you think this essay would be preferably on a scale of 1-6. . . . Thanks!



Throughout history societies advance when citizens question those in authoritative positions and attempt to change the policies to better the society. Challenging figures in power is important to change previous beliefs and to defend ones rights. The United States of America is based on that ability. The colonists defended their freedom against Britain. Abolitionists questioned the morality of slavery and suffragists challenged the United States constitution to give women the power to vote.

Before the French and Indian War in America, the British would, for the most part, leave the colonists alone to govern themselves. However, after the war ended the British took a more active role in restricting the colonists trade and demanding taxes. Without any colonial representation in the British Parliament the colonists questioned Britain’s right to tax and proceeded to rebel against the British. The colonists evaded, boycotted, wrote letters, and joined together to defend their natural rights. It was necessary for the colonists to challenge the authority of Britain for the colonists to gain their freedom and to stop the unfair treatment.

Around one hundred and fifty years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, the United States was split over the issue of slavery. In the south, slaves were used for economic purposes and helped foster the “Cotton Kingdom”. The large plantation owners who held the political authority in the south were against slavery ending. Even some citizens in the north who allied themselves with abolitionists were not against slavery as a practice, but rather they were against the spread of slavery. However, John Brown questioned how ethical the practice of slavery was and took efforts to bring to it to an end. Even though John Brown rebelled against slavery in a violent fashion, through the raid on Harper’s Ferry, which caused the death of seven innocent bystanders, he brought to the forefront the issue of slavery and how trying to hide the controversy would soon cause more rebellions.

Since before the Civil War, women attempted to give themselves the right to vote. In 1840, many women gathered together at the Seneca Fall’s convention to declare their equality to men.. However, due to women gaining equality in other areas, the right to vote was pushed away. Nevertheless, the suffragist movement continued after the civil war and the women involved question the original founding fathers for not giving women the right to vote. In 1920, the American constitution added an amendment declaring women able to vote in elections. However, before that states such as Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado gave women the right to vote almost one hundred years before it was nationally recognized. Without women such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton disobeying what was considered to be standard practice in the United States the equality of women and men would never have been created through government laws.

Governments of countries all over the world sometimes do not carry out laws beneficial to all the citizens. Therefore, it is up for the people to stand up for what they know is right so the laws and government can protect and represent all of the society. Throughout the United States history there have been many conflicts and groups of people such as the patriots, slaves, abolitionists, and suffragists. Without challenging the government progress could not be made to support a minority group in which not all government officials would be aware of. Questioning and challenging authority motivates society in the past and will continue to do so in the future.Could someone please grade my practice SAT essay?
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