1. LEQ / DBQ Crash Course Write thesis statements for all 4 essay types
Goals:
Write thesis statements for all 4 essay types
Write context and synthesis statements that will work for any prompt
Analyze documents for a DBQ
Write one full length 7-point DBQ essay

2. General Thesis Writing
Follow the formula, thinking about the “Goldilocks paradox”: each thesis point can’t be too specific, or too broad. It needs to be “just right.”
What does that look like?
Rule of thumb: if you can ask “what about it”, it’s too vague. If you already know the answer, it’s too specific.
Vague:
The cause was taxes.
Too specific:
The cause was the 1873 treaty’s paragraph 4, in which war taxes were exponentially increased.
Just right:
The cause was a public controversy over Cuban taxation policy.

3. 4 Kinds of Prompts
Causation- What are the causes and/or effects of a major development? Which was the strongest?
Continuity and Change over Time- How did a development stay the same and change over a period of time? Which was more?
Comparison- How are multiple developments similar and different? Which was more?
Periodization- How can an era be defined? OR How can an event serves as a turning point of a larger development? (Only on LEQ)

4. Causation (Cause AND/OR Effect)
More so Caused/Effected
Even though _________________ had been present and serves as an underlying causes of…. (X), ____________________ (A) and _______________________ (B) occurred which caused ………. to happen which…….. (Y).
More so Didn’t Cause/Effect
Even though _________________ certainly increased …… (X), ___________________ (A) and _______________________ (B) had already been occurring ………. which…….. (Y).
Evaluate the political, cultural, and economic causes of the Revolutionary War.
To what extent did the Revolutionary Era affect the status of women, African Americans, and lower class Americans.

5. Sample thesis
Evaluate the political, cultural, and economic causes of the Revolutionary War.
Web ideas. Then write your thesis.
Sample, good thesis:
The causes of the Revolutionary war included increased taxation on colonial imports and the spread of Enlightenment ideals to government and religious practice.

6. Continuity AND Change Over Time
More so Continued
Even though _________________ changed in…., (X), ___________________ (A) and _______________________ (B) remained constant ………. which…….. (Y).
More so Changed
Even though ________________ remained constant …… (X), ___________________ (A) and ______________________ (B) were dramatic changes ………. which…….. (Y).
Evaluate the shift of unfree labor during the 17th century in the British American colonies.
Evaluate to what extent was the Constitution a dramatic change from the Articles of Confederation.

7. SAMPLE PROMPT (CCOT)
Evaluate the shift of unfree labor during the 17th century in the British American colonies.

8. Stuck? Think about the following:
If you’re given dates, what happened during that time period?
Is the question leading you towards an idea? Use context clues (who/what, where, when)
Identify your task.
What happened? British colonized North America When: 17th century: 1600s Where: British colonies (America) Who: unfree labor What: changed Task: explain why unfree labor changed between

9. So… Unfree labor in America started in 1607 with Jamestown.
These laborers were indentured servants
By 1699, most of those laborers were Africans.
Rewrite the question:
Explain why labor in the American colonies shifted from indentured servants to African slaves between

10. Now what?
If you weren’t given explicit instructions on what to do in the question (aside from “explain”, “analyze”) then you need to use your three categories:
ECONOMIC
POLITICAL
SOCIAL/CULTURAL
Create a brief list of all you know related to this information. You don’t have to use all three categories, but aim for two at the minimum.
Now, write your thesis! What caused this shift?

11. Comparison (AND Contrast)
More so Similar
Even though ________________ and ___________________ were different in …., (X), ____________ (A) and __________________ (B) had strong similarities ………. Which …….. (Y).
More so Different
Even though _________________ and ___________________ were similar in …., (X), ____________ (A) and _________________ (B) had strong differences ………. Which …….. (Y).
Compare and contrast the origins and development of the New England and Chesapeake colonies.
Compare and contrast the reforms efforts of the abolitionists, women’s rights, and temperance movements between 1831 and 1860.

12. Periodization More so Described As More so Not Described as
Even though ________________ was occurring which was counter to… (X), ___________________ (A) and ___________________ (B) were strong during ………. which allows __________________ to be considered…….. (Y).
More so Not Described as
Even though ______________ was occurring which exemplified… (X), ___________________ (A) and _______________________ (B) were strong during ………. which weakens __________________ to be considered…….. (Y).
Some historians argue the Seven Years War was a turning point in British colonial society and their relationship with England. Support, modify, or refute this contention using specific evidence.
To what extent was the Era of the Common Man accurate titled as such?

13. Contextualization Required on DBQ, Suggested on LEQ  DO IT!
Opening sentence  Setting the Stage, Zooming Out
Who / What / When / Where of general era and/or era preceding topic  Connect to narrowed essay topic
Before…. During…. Between…. For most of….
Evaluate the shift of unfree labor during the 17th century in the British American colonies.
Compare and contrast the reforms efforts of the abolitionists, women’s rights, and temperance movements.

14. Synthesis Required on LEQ and DBQ  DO IT!
Conclusion  Closing remarks, Aha! connection
Relate/compare to a previous or future development
Much like… Over time/eventually… Dates as far back as…
Evaluate the shift of unfree labor during the 17th century in the British American colonies.
Compare and contrast the reforms efforts of the abolitionists, women’s rights, and temperance movements.

15. Topic Sentence
Include category label & hint, X/A/B status, your position
Politically, Congress’s use of compromise only “kicked the can down the road” only postponed the issue of slavery, causing the strongest cause of the Civil War…..
Only slightly less defining, cultural differences regarding demographics and social beliefs helped create distinct sections….
Compare and contrast the reforms efforts of the abolitionists, women’s rights, and temperance movements.

16. Step 1: Deconstruct, Brainstorm (3-5 Minutes)
Identify the Who / What / When / Where / Skill
Decide Categories / Position
Given (Domestic/Foreign, Women/African Americans/Indians)
Not given  Political, Social, Economic
Categorize Outside Evidence

17. Step 2: Read/Analyze the Docs (10-12 minutes)
Look at source  What do you already know?
Outside Evidence
Analyze doc  Purpose, POV, Audience
Analyze Image  Context
Categorize
Women  W African Americans  AA
Political  P Economic  E Social  S
Position-ize
Did  + Didn’t  -

18. Step 3: Merge Docs with Outline (1 minute)
Add document numbers to outline
At least one document per category
Adjust thesis, if necessary

19. DBQ Essay Structure (40 minute)
Context / Thesis
X Paragraph
1-2 Documents, 1 Piece of Outside Evidence
Keep it short- this is your counter-argument, after all
A, B Paragraphs
2-3 Documents, 1-2 Pieces of Outside Evidence each
Sum up / Synthesis

20. Context / Thesis Contextualization (1 Point)
What generally had been going on in this era or previously with this general theme?
During the era of …., it was a time of ….
The United States had a history of …, during the era of … it had evolved/changed into…
Thesis (1 Point)
Use the prompt as a guide for your categories; Follow the formula
X, A and B (and/or C), which caused Y

21. Category / Body Paragraph Structure
Topic Sentence
Outside Evidence
First Document
Second Document
Third Document
Position Sentence

22. 2-Sentence Document Analysis (3 Points)
1. Connect it: Link what the document is proving to your position
Write a sentence describing the specific topic the document proves
2. Name it: State author’s name and type of document
Jefferson, in his letter, … Jackson’s speech… Supreme Court’s decision…
3. Analyze it: Elaborate on ONE of the follow; Underline it
Context- What events, trends surrounded this document (map, chart)
... proves the larger story of… … fits with…. … illustrates how…
Audience- Who is the intended primary audience? Who else would hear or see it?
(Audience’s name), a man/woman/group who…
… but certainly ….. would also have read/heard…
Point of View- Role in society? Beliefs on the topic?
(Author’s name), a man/woman/group who…
Purpose- What is the author trying to accomplish? Why?
POSTIVE- Promote Outline Introduce Encourage Compliment Celebrate
NEGATIVE- Expose Outrage Justify Insult Urge Disagree Question
4. Cite it: Include a parenthetical citation of document number
…end of sentence that references the document (#).