Name: ___________________________________________________ Date: _____________________

Fall of Rome: DBQ Essay Outline

Task: Using the information from the documents and your knowledge of global history, write an essay in which you:
Explain the causes of the fall of the Western Roman Empire. In your essay, be sure to include:
 Political Causes
 Economic Causes
 Social Causes
Introduction:
Historical Context/Background:
 Step 1: Read the Historical Context on the DBQ Essay Directions Page.
 Step 2: Then, restate the historical context in your own words using 2-3 sentences. This will be the beginning of your introduction.
 Your sentences should include answers to the 4 W’s: Who? What? When? Where?
o Who?

o What?

o When?

o Where?

Transition Sentence(s):
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Thesis:
 Remember, your thesis is your argument. It tells the reader what you are going to prove in this essay. It will be the last sentence of your
introduction!
 Step 1: Read the task on the DBQ Essay Directions Page or at the top of this outline. You will use the information in the Task bullets to write
your thesis.
 Step 2: Now, write 1 sentence that says what you will prove in this essay. In other words, what will you talk about? ***Your sentence should
talk about all of the bullets in the Task***
 Thesis:

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Body Paragraphs:
 The number of bullets in the task box=the number of body paragraphs in your essay
 You will need to include information from the documents AND outside information in your paragraphs.
 When you include information from the documents in your essay, you need to state the document number you got the information from. For
example: The invasions led by Germanic tribes, such as the Huns, were the immediate cause of the fall of the Roman Empire (Doc 1).
 Each body paragraph should include the following:
o Topic Sentence:
 This is the first sentence of each paragraph. It should explain what you will talk about in that paragraph.
 If you are not sure what the topic sentence should be, look at the DBQ Essay Directions Page. The topic sentence for Body
Paragraph 1 should summarize the first bullet. The topic sentence for Body Paragraph 2 should summarize the second bullet,
etc.
o Evidence from the documents and outside information
o Closing Sentence:
 This is the last sentence of each paragraph. It should summarize the information you talked about in that paragraph.
 Use the graphic organizers on the next few pages of this packet to help you outline your body paragraphs.
Body Paragraphs Outline:

Information from the documents (make sure you Outside information:

include document numbers!)
Body
Paragraph 1:
Political Causes
 Information from documents: (make sure you include Outside information:
document numbers!)
Body
Paragraph 2:
Economic
Causes
 Information from the documents(make sure you include Outside information
document numbers!)
Body
Paragraph 3:
Social Causes
Conclusion:
 Your conclusion should summarize your essay. In your conclusion, you need to:
o Restate your thesis:
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o Summarize your evidence:

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o Explain the importance of your argument/essay:

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