DBQ Refresher

As we progress towards our sixth week of USHAP and third unit test, I thought it would be a good time to refresh our memories(or learn) about the documents of a DBQ a.k.a. Document Based Question.

Let’s begin by analyzing the directions: “Directions: The following question requires you to construct a coherent essay that integrates your interpretation of Documents A-J and your knowledge of the period referred to in the question. High scores will be earned only by essays that both cite key pieces of evidence from the documents and draw on outside knowledge of the period.”  One of the most important things to analyze here is the amount of sources you must use within your analysis and interpretation.  Although the prompt counsels you to use all the documents, the criteria for an 8-9 essay states that the essay “effectively uses a substantial number of documents.”  This means that you do not have to use all the sources in order to receive a high score, but rather you must use the documents effectively.  One common problem that students face when writing a DBQ is that they stray off the topic and/or distort the documents to their favor(i.e. a document about religious tolerance was ineffectively linked to a topic about slavery).  Another key element that must be included in your analysis is the use of an auxiliary source or piece of information that is not presented within documents A-J.  This could be as simple as the phrase “All men are created equal.”

Here is a graphic from Chapter 16 in the American Pageant.  

To start,

I’m going to brainstorm some ideas that this document represents, keep in mind that when you are taking the AP test you will have a designated time period to read the documents and brainstorm.

Document Information:

• The graphic shows the effect of alcohol during circa 1850.
• Depicted are two young women, the one in the red dress is tempting the man in the middle with alcohol.  This is perhaps an allusion to the reforms in Maine regarding the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquor.
• The two women contrast each other; one represents female purity by wearing white and the other represents the deceptive nature of the devil wearing red.  Because women are being depicted like this, one could argue this is a matter of liberty not alcohol.
• The man in the middle has chosen to be with the “drink bearing temptress” instead of the pure maiden and the background even shows a snake which alludes to Adam and Eve’s betrayal in the Garden of Eden.

Document Inferences:

• One could analyze the influence of religion on modern propaganda and art as it is evident that themes of the Bible are present.
• This is most related to the Maine Law enacted by Neal S. Dow circa 1851.
• One could argue that this is a product of the Second Great Awakening.
• Lastly, it is possible to show that hindering the sale of alcohol greatly hurt the economy.

Although I would not actually make a list like this for each document, I think it helps to kind of visualize what you are going to write in the time period provided(45 minutes).  It is difficult to analyze all the documents, but it is definitely not impossible.  If you stay focused and brainstorm well in the first 15 minutes, you’re well on your way to a 5 on the AP test.

Check out this link to see where I discerned my information and to look at last year’s prompt:

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/apcentral/ap13_frq_us_history.pdf