1. How to DBQ

2. What is the prompt asking you to do?
Similarities
Differences
Responses: What did they do/believe?

3. For Doc Analysis: Summarize, Analyze, Criticize
Summarize: “What does it say?” Do this for every document
Analyze: “Why does this matter? How does it help answer the prompt?” Do this for every document.
Criticize: “How might the author’s identity, context, audience, or purpose influenced the meaning of the document?” Do this for as many documents as you can, but a good goal is 3 or more.
Afterwards, look for documents that seem similar according to that “Analyze” part. Try to narrow it down to 2-4 “groups” of documents

4. Add more buckets if necessary.
Using the “Analysis” part of your document analysis, group together like documents.
1,3,7,8
1,2,3,4,5
4,9,10
Add more buckets if necessary.

5. Using the “Analysis” part of your document analysis, compare and contrast Christian and Muslim responses to the Black Death
Christian
Muslim

6. Using the “Analysis” part of your document analysis, compare and contrast Christian and Muslim responses to the Black Death
Christian
Muslim
Muslims did not blame minority groups, in fact people of all faith came together to pray (docs 9 & 10); they viewed the plague as a possible blessing, or at the very least something that needed to be accepted (doc 4)
Christians blamed Jewish people (docs 7 & 8), viewed it as a punishment from God (doc 3), and believed it was the end of the world (doc 1)
Both lived in fear (docs 1 & 2), believed it came from God (docs 3 & 4), and took measures to treat and prevent the plague (doc 5

7. Set up your thesis statement
Christian and Muslim responses to the black death were similar in that both (similarity 1) and (similarity 2), but while Christians (difference 1), Muslims (difference 1). Also, (difference 2). Christian and Muslim responses to the Black Death were similar in that both groups lived in fear, and believed the plague came from God. However, while Christians blamed religious minorities for the plague, people of all faiths came together in Muslim lands, and although Christians feared it was the end of the world, Muslims believed the plague was something to be accepted.

8. Example of in text citation
Ibn Battuta noted how people of all faiths came together to pray in Damascus. This suggests that Muslims were more accepting of religious minorities and did not blame them for the plague (Doc 9).

9. Basic Black Death DBQ outline
Paragraph 1: Opening context/ overview of the Black Death (what it is). Close with your thesis statement: Christian and Muslim responses to the black death were similar in that both (similarity 1) and (similarity 2), but while Christians (difference 1), Muslims (difference 1). Also, (difference 2). Paragraph 2:Topic Sentence addressing similarities. Evidence from the documents that support the topic sentence (This would be what you wrote for “Summarize” and “Analyze”). CITE THE DOCUMENTS. Point of view for any documents (This is what you wrote for “Criticize”). Paragraph 3: 2:Topic Sentence addressing differences. Evidence from the documents that support the topic sentence (This would be what you wrote for “Summarize” and “Analyze”). CITE THE DOCUMENTS. Point of view for any documents (This is what you wrote for “Criticize”). Conclusion: Rephrase the thesis. Closing Context: Why is it important to study things like the Black Death (or Legacy).

10. Repeat as needed Generic DBQ Structure
Introduction: Opening context (describe events leading to the topic) part thesis statement answering all parts of the prompt.
Body Paragraphs: Topic sentence based on your thesis statement. Summarize, Analyze (cite), Criticize documents from that category/bucket. Add whatever relevant outside information that you can.
Repeat as needed
Conclusion: Closing context (events that happened as a result of the topic. ) Rephrase the thesis statement.