DBQ Essay Writing

Mr. LockwoodOur Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School

November 2014

Short Answer Tips

• Read historical context• Read entire document• Answers usually right from document• Documents can be– Text (speeches, laws etc.)– Visuals (maps, political cartoons etc.)– http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/global/

examoverview/shortanswer.cfm

General Tips

• Focus on task• Answer all parts of task• You must incorporate outside information

• Can not be found in the context or the documents

• Use the appropriate amount of documents

DBQ Essay Writing Steps

• Read historical context and entire task• Answer short answer questions• Plan what you will write• Intro• Body paragraphs• Conclusion• Read it over

Planning

• Make a chart

Tasks Documents Used Outside Information

Intro

• Give historical context, beyond restatement of information given

• Say what the essay will prove (thesis)– Talk about each part of task

– NOTE: One should not simply copy the historical context or task; this is not a suitable introduction and will result in a lower overall essay score.

Body Paragraphs

• If there are 4 parts of the task there should be 4 body paragraphs

• For each part of task:– Incorporate a document (Highlight yellow)– Bring in outside info (Highlight in a different color)

• Be organized (this is where planning is key)

When using the documents• In the directions it will tell you in bold how

many documents you need to use• SAY WHICH DOCUMENT YOU ARE USING!!!!!!• Two ways to do this– In document 1 it says………. OR– Heliocentrism meant the sun was at the center of

the universe. (document 1)

Conclusion

• Again say what you have proven in essay• More than a restatement of the

theme/historical context

Do Now

• Take out the regents questions from yesterday• Finish them• Use the bathroom before the bell• Be in your seat when the bell rings ready to

work or you are late!!!!!!

Tips for the DBQs

• The essays were very unorganized– Need to plan– However many things the task asks you to do, that’s how many

paragraphs I want plus a conclusion and intro– In this case it asks you to do 4 things

The 4 paragraphs should be as

follows

P1 – Use a document to explain the idea of heliocentrism, plus outside info

P2 – Use a document to discuss how heliocentrism influenced society or regions, plus outside info

P3 - Use a document to explain the idea of natural rights, plus outside info

P4 - – Use a document to discuss how natural influenced society or regions, plus outside info

P Part of task being addressed

Document used Outside info

1 Explain idea of heliocentrism

Use document 1 to show idea of the earth being the center of the universe

This was controversial at the time because it went against the Catholic church and time honored tradition

2 Discuss how heliocentrism influenced society

Use document 3 to discuss how Copernicus’ idea of heliocentrism caused people to use observation and experimentation to test ideas

These ideas went on to influence everyone from Isaac Newton and his theory of gravity to Einstein and his careful research concerning a nuclear weapon during WWII

3 Explain idea of Marxism

Use document 7 to explain that the idea of Marxism predicted the proletariat would overthrow the bourgeois in a violent revolution

This idea came out of the Industrial Revolution where the working class was being abused and not seeing any of the profits of their hard work

4 Discuss how Marxism influenced society

Use document 8 to discuss how Marxism went on to influence V.I. Lenin and the Bolsheviks in their 1917 overthrow of the Russian Czar

This idea went on to influence several communists governments and at one time over half the world’s population was under some type of Marxist government