AP US History DBQ

Overview
What will the DBQ look like
on the test?
So What Will I Be Graded
On?
 7 Points Possible
Thesis/ Claim: 1 point
Contextualization: 1 point
Evidence from Documents: 1 OR 2 points
Evidence from Beyond the Document: 1 point
Analysis and Reasoning: 1 OR 2 points
 Thesis/ Claim

● Usually found in your introduction paragraph

● What is the argument you are making in response to the prompt?
● Do not simply restate the question, make an actual argument
● At least 1 sentence
● Sets up the parts of your argument that will be your body
paragraphs
 Examples of Good Thesis Statements

Prompt: Explain why new conservatism rose to prominence in

the United States between 1960 and 1989.
Thesis: Although the rise of new conservatism came partly
through economic conservatism, many people were also
reacting against political excess and liberal social culture.
Thesis: Citizens did not trust big government and the failure of
the government both domestically and internationally caused
American citizens to vote for more conservative ideas.
 Practice Activity

1. Look at the DBQ sample essay in front of you

2. Read the prompt of the essay
3. Read the introduction paragraph and highlight the thesis
statement PINK
a. Where do they talk about causes for the expansion of
America’s role in the world?
4. What were the 3 categories they set up for their body
paragraphs?
 Contextualization

● How does the subject of the prompt relate to other historical events?
○ If someone knows nothing about the topic, what would they need to know?
○ what’s going on in the rest of the world or what just happened in history that’s important
to know, etc.
● Should be found in the introduction
○ Most of the time it takes up the first couple sentences of the intro paragraph before the
thesis
● Needs to be specific and more than 2 sentences
 Practice Activity

1. Read the introduction paragraph again

2. Lightly shade anywhere you think they wrote the
contextualization in PURPLE
a. Where do they write about things going on before the
time period?
 Evidence from the Document

● 1 point describes 3 Documents accurately

○ What is the document saying and what does that mean?
● 2 points describe 6 Documents accurately AND uses them to support your
argument
○ What is the document saying and what does that mean? AND How does the document support my
argument?
 Practice Activity

1. Read the body paragraphs (pages 2-4)

2. Underline where they cited the documents ORANGE
3. Highlight where they used a document to support their
argument ORANGE
a. Look for sentences directly after they cite the
document
b. Look for sentences that explain how or why America
wanted to increase their role in the world
 Evidence from Beyond the Documents

● Use at least 1 piece of outside evidence to support your argument

● This piece of evidence must be more than just a reference- Be
specific!
● The evidence must be different from the evidence used in the
contextualization part of your essay
 Practice Activity

1. Read the 1st paragraph of page 3 again

2. Lightly shade anything that might be outside evidence
YELLOW
a. This one might be more difficult since we didn’t read
the documents
 Analysis and Reasoning

● Explain how or why a SOAPSTone supports your argument for

at least 3 Documents
● Identify the SOAPSTone you chose and then explain how or
why it is relevant to your argument
 Practice Activity

1. Read the body paragraphs (pages 2-4) again

2. Highlight where the writer used a SOAPSTone to explain
their argument GREEN
a. Look for words like “point of view”, “theme”, and
“motive”
 Analysis and Reasoning
● You gain 1 point by
showing “complex
understanding”
● There are many ways
to gain this point
○ explaining cause and
effect, change and
continuity, similarity and
differences etc.
○ Connect across time
periods
○ Giving a diverse or
alternate point of view
 Practice Activity

1. Read the conclusion paragraph (last 4 lines of page 4 and

all of page 5)
2. Highlight anything that might be complex understanding
BLUE
a. Remember the things we just went over: explaining
cause and effect, change and continuity, similarity and
differences, connect across time periods, giving a
diverse or alternate point of view
 7 Points Possible

Thesis/ Claim: 1 point

Contextualization: 1 point

Evidence from Documents: 1 OR 2 points

Evidence from Beyond the Document: 1 point

Analysis and Reasoning: 1 OR 2 points

 DBQ Wrap-Up

1. Read the Prompt

2. Read the documents
3. Make an outline About
a. What will your 3 body paragraphs be about? 15
b. Which documents will you use for each body minutes
paragraph?
c. What will your context and outside evidence be?
d. What will your argument/thesis be?
4. Start writing!