DBQ Elements

AP WORLD HISTORY

Thesis

A good thesis does two things: 1). Specifically address the Question (answer

what they’re asking “Responses to the Spread of Buddhism” NOT “Spread of Buddhism”

2). Sets up the structure of the Thesis: “There were 3 main responses to Buddhism. People in China supported the spread of Buddhism (docs 1,2) , rejected the spread of Buddhism (docs 4,6) or were ambivalent about the spread of Buddhism (docs 3,5).

Grouping

At Least 3 groups in each DBQ Groupings should be based on the different

responses to Buddhism Be as specific as possible in descriptions of

groupings Are there any connections between reactions,

trends or events and the historical time period? All Documents must be used at least once Documents can be used in more than one grouping! At least two documents in each group

Point-of-View

Point-of-View statements should analyze how aspects of the author’s character/background or time period influence their statements in the given primary source.

Time-period, Background, Type of Document, class, religion, race, gender

Must have at least THREE Point of View Statements

Point-of-View

“In terms of point of view, a good essay would correctly analyze point of view in at least two documents, explaining the reasons that an author might have the opinion that he or she did or indicating how a particular factor informs the author’s point of view. It would link the position of the author to the expressed content of the document.” –from AP Central’s website

Tips for Writing POV Statements

WHY does the author have this opinion

What informs the author’s opinion or target audience?

Is the document trustworthy? Why or why not?

Examples of POV Statements

Unacceptable: Ralph Fitch is biased because he is British. Why this is wrong: You must go beyond a

mere description of the individual and explain WHY this fact is significant in the analysis of the document.

Examples of POV Statements

Acceptable: “As an English scholar, D’Avenant would certainly have wanted to support England’s own economic gain and any Parliamentary movement that would accomplish this.”

Excellent: He Qiaoyuan, a Ming court official wrote to the emperor that the trade ban should be lifted because there are very high prices for Chinese goods on the market. His motives are suspicious since goods from his native provinces are desirable and he stands to gain from the lift of the ban, but this also shows a changing attitude of the Chinese on trade with foreigners.”

Additional Document Recommendation

Need to recommend at least one additional document

More than one could help you get into an expanded core if done correctly

Does NOT have to be a specific author or title of document

Can be placed anywhere in your response Makes for a good conclusion

Question for Additional Document

Whose voice is missing from this discussion? What could that additional voice tell you about the topic?

Can NOT be someone who is similar to the given authors or information/POV similar to the given sources

Examples of Additional Document

Unacceptable: “It would be good to have a document from a peasant”Does not explain WHY it would be good to

hear from a peasant? How do you think a peasant might have thought about these issues differently from any of the given authors?

Examples of Additional Documents

Acceptable: “It would help to have a document from a Japanese merchant, to see if the effects of the silver trade affected the Japanese economy as much as it did the Chinese and Spanish.”Description and explanation provided

Thesis Statements

Good DBQ Thesis Statements: Takes a stand Answers the question Previews the

argument Details Time and

Place Groupings Can be more than one

sentence

What Your Thesis Needs to Have: Time Region(S) Topic Groups Previews (brief

descriptions of groups)

What Your DBQ Thesis Should NOT Include:

References to specific documents

Quotes from specific documents

Examples of Thesis Statements

Unacceptable: “There were many social and economic effects of the global trade in silver around the world.” Only restates the question Vague

Barely Acceptable: “The global silver trade from the mid-16th century to the early 18th century produced profound social changes in Spain, Ming China, Tokugawa Japan, England and the Netherlands, and geratly reshaped the world economy.” Ok, but so vague that it really doesn’t demonstrate a

strong understanding of the topic.

Examples of Thesis Statements

Acceptable: “The global flow of silver between 1500 and 1750 CE had many social and economic effects, such as increasing class distinctions in China and Europe, as well as hurting Spain’s economy.” More specific, with distinctions between social and economic effects.

Excellent: “The increased flow of silver during the mid-16th century to the early 18th century caused social and economic effects in all regions connected with the trade by increasing the integration of Europeans in the globalization of world trade and creating greater economic opportunities but also growing social divisions within China.” Sums up different social and economic effects facing different regions,

and also previews the POV several documents will be analyzed later in the essay. This thesis would likely be eligible for the “Expanded Core” as a “clear, analytical, comprehensive thesis.”

Outline for DBQ

1st Paragraph: INTRO: Thesis

2nd Paragraph: First Group: Document Analysis/POV/Additional Doc

3rd: Second Group First Group: Document Analysis/POV/Additional Doc

4th: Third Group First Group: Document Analysis/POV/Additional Doc 5th: Conclusion: Restate Thesis

Outline for DBQ

1st Paragraph: Thesis

2nd Paragraph: First Group

3rd: Second Group

4th: Third Group

5th: Conclusion

Additional document can go anywhere most people put it in conclusion

Should have at least one POV in each body paragraph

Do not analyze docs in Intro or Conclusion

Do NOT refer to sources by anything other than title or author. Cite sources in Parentheses. Ex (Doc #5)