DBQ Example of Introduction Paragraph “Islam and Christianity: Merchants and Trade”

Question “Using the documents, compare and contrast the attitudes of merchants by Christians and Muslims. Did these attitudes change over time? What missing documents might be included to further your analysis?”

Background Between the first and seventeenth centuries, trade within the Muslim and Christian world flourished and transformed. Between the first and seventeenth centuries, Christianity and Islam emerged as the world’s most influential religions.

Thesis Although similar in some instances, Christian and Muslim attitude toward merchants greatly differed from each other. The documents also reveal how these attitudes changed over time.

Argument 1 Christians and Muslims both agreed on the fairness and integrity of trade (Docs 2,3,4, and 5).

Argument 2 However, fundamental ideals about the merchant’s place in each religion was very different (Docs 1,2,6, and 7).

Argument 3 Over time both of these religions’ views changed, as Christian attitude became more lenient and Muslim’s attitude toward merchants became more strict (Doc 1,2,6 and 7).

Missing Voice A Christian king was not represented in the documents. He might support trade because it gives him the ability to acquire wealth in his state. A patron of both Christian and Muslim goods was not documented. He might reveal that Muslims are more honest and fair because sharia law protects him from being exploited by greedy merchants, unlike Christianity.