Answering a “ DBQ ” * * Document “Based” Question

POTENTIAL QUESTION #1 Analyze how territorial expansion in combination with slavery contributed to secession and Civil War or To what extent was slavery a cause of the Civil War?

POTENTIAL QUESTION #2 In what way, and to what extent, did constitutional and social developments between 1860 and 1877 amount to a revolution?

1. READ THE QUESTION Read the question carefully

2. REREAD THE QUESTION Pay attention to and mark: Verbs (“analyze”, “compare and contrast”) Timeframes Any terms to define? Catagories (political, economic)

3. BRAINSTORM Before you read the documents Before you read the documents, brainstorm an organized list of historical info (events, people, ideas) that will help you answer the question. The more the better This will be your “outside information.”

4. THESIS Write a (draft) thesis Be sure to answer the question (re-read the question) Answer the entire question Try to avoid merely restating the question

5. Review the Documents Think about: Who produced the document? When? (circumstances, not just date) Why? (any agenda?) For whom? (audience?) Does it HELP or HURT my THESIS? Why did the test maker choose this document?

5. REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS Make notes beside the documents Glean historical facts and inferences from the documents. This is not an essay on the documents; this is an essay using facts and information from the documents to support your thesis. The “any fifth grader” test Think how you may use each document; add them to your “outline”

6. WRITE YOUR ESSAY Strong, clear thesis in intro Good Topic Sentences that relate back to your thesis Have analysis that shows how each topic (paragraph) supports your thesis Weave documents into your argument where appropriate

6. WRITING - Referring to Documents When you use info from a document: Refer to it by name – not by the letter “Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley clearly shows that …” NOT: “In document C, Lincoln states that...” Include its letter in parentheses at the end of the sentence to signal that you think you have used a document Ex.: “It is clear from Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley that preserving the Union, not ending slavery, was Lincoln’s primary goal at the beginning of the war.” (C)

DBQ TIPS: DBQ TIPS: HOW MANY? The best essays use “a substantial number” of documents. Try to use ¾ of the documents, but at least half of them.

DBQ TIPS: Avoid time-wasters Do not describe documents. Assume the reader already knows what each document says. Focus on the document’s significance and how it supports your thesis (or not). Avoid quotes or merely paraphrasing the documents. Quotes and descriptions are time- wasters and are no substitute for analysis.

DBQ TIPS: Counter Arguments Almost always, at least 2 documents will disagree with your thesis. Acknowledging them BRIEFLY can display sophistication and improve your score. But... COUNTER ANY COUNTER ARGUMENTS.

DBQ TIPS: “Laundry Lists” are fatal Never describe the documents in order. This is called a “laundry list”. This is a technique used by AP students who do not know what they are doing. Note: The documents are often arranged in chronological order

DBQ TIPS: Reminders Brainstorm before ever looking at the documents. Include information both from the documents and “outside” information NOT in the documents. This is not an essay on the documents; this is an essay using facts and information from the documents. Avoid describing or quoting from the docs.

GRAPHIC TIPS

Tips: Political Cartoons Look carefully: Pay attention to the Source and any small print. Jot down a quick summary of what the cartoon is trying to tell you.

The most significant thing about this document is the date, 1754, in the source note. This document was intended to bring to mind the following: The 1754 meeting of the London Board of Trade, The 1754 meeting of the London Board of Trade, Benjamin Franklin, printer from Philadelphia and colonial agent, Benjamin Franklin, printer from Philadelphia and colonial agent, Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union, Franklin’s Albany Plan of Union, The Albany Plan of Union’s provisions for a colonial legislature, The Albany Plan of Union’s provisions for a colonial legislature, The ultimate unpreparedness of the colonies to accept the Albany Plan of Union in The ultimate unpreparedness of the colonies to accept the Albany Plan of Union in 1754.

This document might be used like this: An excellent indication that the colonies were unwilling to act together in a unified way is their failure to accept Franklin’s plan for a colonial legislature as put forth in his 1754 Albany Plan of Union. The cartoon expresses Franklin’s contention that the colonies must act together or “die” (A). Yet very few of the colonial assemblies were willing to accept this contention.

Tips: Pictures Notice dates, especially on pictures. The picture on the left is dated 1905; the picture on the right is dated What had changed for working women in those years? Why?

Tips: Graphs and Charts Look very carefully at data presented in charts. Look for: trends, trends, changes over time, changes over time, sudden or large changes. sudden or large changes. Summarize what the chart tells you in a quick sentence.

Tips: Charts and Graphs

SOURCES Gene Pickel, Oak Ridge H.S., Oak Ridge, Tennessee Keith Wood, Murray H.S., Utah Ed Morales, Wichita High School North, Wichita, Kansas