DBQDBQExample of Introduction Example of Introduction

ParagraphParagraph“Islam and Christianity: “Islam and Christianity: Merchants and Trade”Merchants and Trade”

QuestionQuestion

““Using the documents, compare and Using the documents, compare and contrast the attitudes of merchants contrast the attitudes of merchants by Christians and Muslims. Did these by Christians and Muslims. Did these attitudes change over time? What attitudes change over time? What missing documents might be missing documents might be included to further your analysis?”included to further your analysis?”

BackgroundBackground

Between the first and seventeenth Between the first and seventeenth centuries, trade within the Muslim centuries, trade within the Muslim and Christian world flourished and and Christian world flourished and transformed. transformed.

Between the first and seventeenth Between the first and seventeenth centuries, Christianity and Islam centuries, Christianity and Islam emerged as the world’s most emerged as the world’s most influential religions. influential religions.

ThesisThesis

Although similar in some instances, Although similar in some instances, Christian and Muslim attitude toward Christian and Muslim attitude toward merchants greatly differed from each merchants greatly differed from each other. The documents also reveal other. The documents also reveal how these attitudes changed over how these attitudes changed over time. time.

Argument 1Argument 1

Christians and Muslims both agreed Christians and Muslims both agreed on the fairness and integrity of trade on the fairness and integrity of trade (Docs 2,3,4, and 5).(Docs 2,3,4, and 5).

Argument 2Argument 2

However, fundamental ideals about However, fundamental ideals about the merchant’s place in each religion the merchant’s place in each religion was very different (Docs 1,2,6, and was very different (Docs 1,2,6, and 7).7).

Argument 3Argument 3

Over time both of these religions’ Over time both of these religions’ views changed, as Christian attitude views changed, as Christian attitude became more lenient and Muslim’s became more lenient and Muslim’s attitude toward merchants became attitude toward merchants became more strict (Doc 1,2,6 and 7).more strict (Doc 1,2,6 and 7).

Missing VoiceMissing Voice

A Christian king was not represented in A Christian king was not represented in the documents. He might support trade the documents. He might support trade because it gives him the ability to acquire because it gives him the ability to acquire wealth in his state. wealth in his state.

A patron of both Christian and Muslim A patron of both Christian and Muslim goods was not documented. He might goods was not documented. He might reveal that Muslims are more honest and reveal that Muslims are more honest and fair because sharia law protects him from fair because sharia law protects him from being exploited by greedy merchants, being exploited by greedy merchants, unlike Christianity. unlike Christianity.