1. APUSH DBQ Note: THE INTRO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PARAGRAPH IN THE DBQ – MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION ON THE READER

2. DBQ Intro • READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY & THEN RE-READ IT • MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE RESPONDING TO • RESTATE THE TOPIC IN YOUR OWN WORDS • FUNCTION OF THE INTRODUCTION IS TO SET THE STAGE FOR THE READER • YOUR JOB IS TO EDUCATE THE READER – ASSUME NOTHING

3. STRATEGIES • COMPILE OUTSIDE INFORMATION (FACTS, TERMS, PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS) BEFORE YOU LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS • SEE IF THE PROMPT PROVIDES LOGICAL ORGANIZATION OF YOUR ESSAY • ARE THE CATEGORIES INCLUDED? • ARE THERE ANY UNCLEAR TERMS, IF SO DEFINE THEM • ARE DATES INCLUDED? IF NOT, DETERMINE TIMEFRAME • FORMULATE THESIS (THIS MAY CHANGE) • ADDRESS ALL PARTS OF THE PROMPT

4. WHAT TO INCLUDE • BACKGROUND – LEADS READER INTO TOPIC YOU WILL DISCUSS: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE • THESIS – YOUR ARGUMENT • CATEGORIES TEND TO FALL INTO BROAD THEMES: POLITICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, RELIGIOUS, FOREIGN POLICY, MILITARY ETC. • DEFINE THE CATEGORIES: “Politically, the Puritan Calvinistic tradition lent itself to a male dominated, hierarchical government structure.” • DEFINE UNCLEAR TERMS, GIVE DATES & EVENTS • USE TRANSITION WORDS FOR FLUENCY

5. SO WHAT? • USE THIS ‘SO WHAT’ CLAUSE AT THE END OF YOUR INTRO • TELL THE READER WHY YOUR ARGUMENT IS IMPORTANT, THE BEST INTERPRETATION • IDENTIFY YOUR HISTORIANS IF YOU CAN TO SHOW READER YOU KNOW MORE THAN THE AVERAGE AP STUDENT • “Indeed, as a result of the Puritan values & ideas the foundation of America was set & provided the basis for our founding father’s to develop a republic that has survived for over 235 years.”

6. IS IT A GOOD INTRODUCTION? • YOU DON’T USE “I” ANYWHERE IN THE INTRO (OR ENTIRE ESSAY FOR THAT MATTER) • YOU DON’T INCLUDE ANY DOCUMENTS • YOU PROVIDE BACKGROUND INFORMATION • YOUR THESIS IS EASILY IDENTIFIED • CATEGORIES ARE CLEARLY DEFINED SO THAT THE READER KNOWS WHAT YOUR BODY PARAGRAPHS WILL DISCUSS.

7. Beginning in the late 15th century, European nations, especially Spain & Portugal initiated exploration & colonization of the New World hoping to enrich themselves with gold & spices. (background) Although the English entered this exploration late, they never-theless had established 2 thriving colonies by the 1630’s. Interestingly, the English settlers in 1604 who arrived in the Chesapeake region, an area consisting of Virginia & Maryland, and those who landed 2 decades later in New England, namely Massachusetts, RI & CT originated from the same area near London. But, within a century they had developed radically different colonies. (thesis) These differences resulted from (categories to follow) the diverse religious philosophies which they brought to the New World, from their distinct geographical locations which impacted on their economic production, and finally, from their unique family networks and the resultant urban-rural settings that emerged in the two colonial regions. Indeed, the differnces between the Chesapeake & New England regions became so pronounced that by the 1850’s Virginia & Massachusetts separated from one another & a great Civil War ensued. (so what) Perhaps nothing accounts for the differences between colonies like Massachusetts & Virginia more than their divergent religious philosophies.(transition to 1st body para-graph)

8. BODY PARAGRAHS • Incorporate evidence from ALL or ALL but 1 of the documents • Focus your analysis of each document on at least one of the following: intended audience, purpose, historical context, and/or point of view • APH & POV

9. Body Paragraphs Pt 2 • Support your argument with analysis of historical examples outside the documents. • Connect historical phenomena relevant to your argument to broader events or processes. • Synthesize the elements above into a persuasive essay

10. Conclusion • Repeat Intro paragraph in different words • End with another so what statement