Document Based Question

Document Based Question Writing for a Nine

How much do you need to know about history? • Nothing. • You do not need to know much about history to do well on this part of the exam. • The more you know, the better your essay will be, but it is still possible to get a nine knowing very little.

Information • ALL the information you need to know to complete your essay is contained in the documents. • It is your job to organize, interpret, and analyze these documents • Writing the DBQ is a skill, and, like all other skills, it can be learned.

First 10 minutes • First read the question. Underline the words that are most related to your task. Think PERSIAN. (we’ll talk about this in a minute) • “Using the documents, analyze the social and economic effects of the global flow of silver from the mid-16th century to the 18th century. Explain how another type of document would help you analyze the effects of the flow of silver bullion in this period.”

First 10 minutes: Understanding the Question • What did you underline? • Economic • Social • Global flow of silver • These key words will be a unifying link throughout the essay • The timeframe is unimportant because all the documents will deal with that time

First 10 Minutes: Understanding the Question • You are being asked to show how the flow of silver all over the world effected people’s lives (social) and the economy. • Did you get all that from the analysis of the question?

First 10 minutes: Historical Background • 1st-Underline the key words in the question • 2nd- Read the Historical Background • Sets the scene for the documents • The essay is “not a scene, but an arms race” you get no points for bringing in the background information • Use the big guns, the documents • You are to use the documents in the essay, not the background information

First 10 minutes: Analysis of the Documents • Use the margins to write notes, underline key phrases, and begin to organize your documents into categories. • Use PERSIAN • Political • Economic • Religious • Social • Intellectual/Artistic • Near (Geography)

First 10 Minutes: Analyzing the Documents

First 10 Minutes: Re-Read the Question • Re-Read the question to make sure you are one the right path

But I’m Slow • Welcome to pressure! There is no time to be slow, but if you take a few minutes longer than the 10 it is OK • Just make sure not to take longer that 15-16 minutes or you will be taking time away from other essays

Points • BASIC CORE: Historical skills and knowledge required to show competence • Points • Has acceptable thesis • Uses all of the documents. • Supports thesis with appropriate evidence from documents. • Understands the basic meaning of the documents cited in the essay. (May misinterpret one document.) • Analyzes bias or point of view in at least two or three documents • Analyzes documents by grouping them in one or two or three ways • Identifies one type of appropriate additional document. • EXPANDED CORE • Historical skills and knowledge required to show excellence

Do you have a Thesis • You have to have one to start of right • Thesis can be more than one sentence • Must include specific information that responds to the question • Begin with • Although • Despite • in spite of • while

Good Thesis has 2 parts • Specifically addresses the terms of the question • Sets up structure for the rest of the essay (specific information)

Evidence to support the thesis • You must analyze the documents, not just list them • List: “The global flow of silver hindered the development of indigenous peoples as can be seen in documents 4, 5, and 6.” • Analysis: “The global flow of silver hindered the development of indigenous peoples in several ways. The subjugation and forced labor of the natives in the South American silver mines (Doc. 4) did not allow them to develop socially because they could not participate in any native institutions. The mass slaughtering of the Japanese (Doc. 5) shows how oppressive the government was under Tokugawa; people had become afraid to interact and did not develop at the same rate as their European counterparts…”

Pictures • Analyze the pictures to the same degree as the documents • Remember a picture is worth a thousand words

POV • Point of View • Does the occupation of the author give the document more reliability? • Class, religion, national background, or gender influence what is mentioned? • Type of documents effect the content? Journal, private letter, public address… • Timing • Intended audience • Tone (triumphant, sarcastic, haughty…)

Groupings • At least one more group than they ask for, no less than 3 • The more groups the better (as long as they aren’t stinky) • Each document can be used in more than one group

Additional Document • Good if you put an additional document in each grouping • What type of document, who wrote it (general, no names), why it would be useful • “An additional document by a Chinese merchant that describes the manner in which trade was conducted would be helpful because it would give insight into how the flow of silver was effecting this class of people.”

Outline • Thesis • Group One • Documents supporting thesis • POV • Additional Document • Group Two • Documents supporting thesis • POV • Additional Document • Group Three • Documents supporting thesis • POV • Additional Document • Conclusion

Start with the basics and you are well on your way to a nine!

Examining the Evidence: • Question: • What is the question asking you to do? • What is the verb? Restate it in your own words? • Historical Background • Summarize the historical background. What does it say? • Are there any hints in the HB that will influence how you read the documents?

Documents: • Summarize the document. What is the author saying? • WHO produced the document? Discuss the author’s gender, age, ethnicity, social status, religion, intellectual or political philosophy, etc… (You won’t know all of this information, but give as much detail as possible) • WHEN was the document produced? Can it be connected with a significant historical event? (Think back to the Historical Background) • Who was the intended AUDIENCE? Was the document written privately, to be read or heard by others (who?), an official document for a ruler to read, commissioned painting, etc… • WHY was the document produced? What was the purpose or motivation of the writer/producer fo the document, based on what you can surmise about them? • What is the TONE or “voice” of the document like? Is it filled with any apparent emotion? (e.g. anger, disdain, admiration, etc…)

Document Based Question