1. DBQ
Essay Guidelines

2. Frequently Asked Questions
Can I go to the bathroom? NO.
How long should my essay be? 2-3 pages.
Should I use giant font and have huge spaces between paragraphs? NO! Don’t…you’re not fooling anyone. Size 12, Times New Roman, indent paragraphs but no spaces between paragraphs.
Is quality more important than quantity? YES!
Does this have to be 5 paragraphs? Yes, at least.
Should I type my essay? YES, unless it’s just completely impossible.
When is this essay due? Fri 10/24 (B), Mon. 10/27 (A)

3. Bucketing Remember… “North killed Reconstruction” bucket
“South killed Reconstruction” bucket
“Both” bucket (this is a very small bucket!)

4. Paragraph Themes
Keep the goals of Reconstruction in mind when organizing evidence:
Bringing the South back into the United States
Re-building the South economically, politically, and physically after 4 years of war
Integrating African Americans (especially “freedmen”) into the nation with the rights and freedoms of citizens

5. Thesis & Introduction Your thesis guides the whole essay.
Develop the thesis first.
Use the “chickenfoot” diagram to help organize your thesis and basic body paragraph topics (called “baby thesis” statements)
Thesis is usually the last sentence in the Intro.
Grabber: Obviously “grabs” reader’s attention, leads to…
Background Info: Relevant details that put reader in a place to start thinking about Reconstruction
Background could include basic definition of Reconstruction
Try writing the Intro. last, after you’ve written the rest. Last?? Yes, last—it’s easier to introduce something you actually know.

6. Body At least 3 paragraphs, maybe more
If I think the North did it, should I have evidence that the South was also at fault? YES! You must!
Countervailing evidence (stuff that goes against your main thesis) is a key part of a strong argument. It can go in…
Each body paragraph
All in one body paragraph (either first or last body paragraph)

7. Conclusion
Conclusions are hard to write, but DON’T take the easy way out! Conclusions…
Should remind me how you proved your points and argued your case
Should include some new thinking about the overall topic of how Reconstruction ended, how things could have been better, etc.
Should even include some connection to the present (evidence that you can hear history “rhyming!”)
Should NOT include new facts/evidence…that stuff only belongs in the Body!