AP European History DBQ

9 Steps to a 9

It is all about looking closely at the evidence and

explaining what you see!

What is a DBQ?• The name has it: this essay uses

documents as persuasive evidence in your response to the question.

• If you don’t answer the question by carefully analyzing and incorporating the documents, you have missed the task.

What do you need to do?• Answer the historical question directly• Provide a clear, complex thesis that does

not simply rephrase the question• Outline your supporting arguments• Use the documents persuasively as

evidence for your arguments• Show awareness of how point-of-view

affects the information in documents• Find themes and connections between

documents

This sounds

impossible!

Fear not!• DBQs are not impossible. They are

challenging but also fun.• You get to condense all of your historical

skills into short bursts of interpretation• The more you practice, the easier they get• There are 9 steps to a perfect 9…

–Practice these every time and your score will continue to improve!

Step 1: Read the Instructions

• An AP DBQ will typically provide you with several handy pieces of information– Timing guidelines– Reminders (a “checklist” of skills)

• Thesis answers question• Majority of documents specifically used• POV and Groupings

– A question or prompt that breaks down the tasks into several parts

– Historical background information

Step 2. Read and Interpret the Question

• Read the question for what is says and what it implies

• Rephrase the question for yourself

• List the tasks individually (describe, analyze…)

• List the parts of your answer you will need

• Rewrite dates (17th century 1600s)

Step 3. Background to Foreground

Frame the time and place with hub dates

—list them!

List the

background

knowledge you

have in a

graphic

organizer

Use “PERSIA”!

Jot down a preliminary

thesis—how would you

answer this without

documents?

Step 4. Skim the Documents for Key Information

Document 3

Source: Jacques Bossuet, French Bishop, Politics Taken from the Very Word of Scripture, 1679

The power of God makes itself felt in a moment from one extremity of the earth to another. Royal power works at the same time throughout all the realm. It holds all the realm in position, as God holds the earth. Should God withdraw his hand, the earth would fall to pieces; should the king's authority cease in the realm, all would be in confusion.

Information about nationality and occupation of

author

Hey! You know this guy! Always skim for known authors

and documents

Check for years on

each document and keep

them grouped

around hub dates, and early to late

If the main idea is easy to identify on

first glance, highlight or note it

Step 5. Mark-up the Documents, keeping organizers

as you go• Highlight or

underline only CRITICAL info, the summarize in margins

• Group by date, by nationality, by topic, by author, by type

• POV indicators: sex/ gender, class, occupation, religion, political affiliation, age

Don’t waste time summarizing each document—just the stuff you might use.

Create a “T-chart” or web to establish groups, and let the question guide you.

Always ask: what do I (think I) know about the author, and how would that influence the perspective here?

Step 6. Analyze the documents

Sola Scriptura?… Now it is just you and the text.

So what are the documents saying in

response to the question?

What are the documents saying to each other?

You are responsible for helping your readers see what you see—analysis is not just about observing, but also

describing and explaining!

Step 7. Revise and Clarify your THESIS

A great DBQ thesis must…Fully and directly answer the questionGo beyond restating the questionTake a stand that is debatable and

defensibleClearly preview (outline) where you are

going with your argumentsBe based on the evidence at hand

If you can’t support it with the documents, it isn’t a great DBQ thesis!

Step 8. Set the StageSet the time clearly for

readers—what has come

before.

Give a sense of place and

context—what are the big

themes, and where are we,

literally?

What are the issues in the background

that frame your thesis?

Get to the heart of the matter: State

your thesis clearly, and outline your

arguments to come.

Step 9. Persuade with Evidence and Write with Flair!

• Write your essay in an organized, 5-P format

• Underline your thesis• State your claims and

back them up with sound argumentation

• Always explain your evidence

• Write with enthusiasm and energy!

A few follow-up points

• Remember to introduce your evidence as you would introduce a guest…with relevant information and thoughtful details.

“Immanuel Kant, an influential Prussian philosopher in the time of Frederick II,

believed that a free press was a necessary pre-condition to an Enlightened Society.”

NOT: Document 4 says there should be a free press.

Describe POV with care• Explain WHY the

person’s identity would influence his or her understanding…

“Elizabeth I, who as a young monarch struggled to control

religious dissenters, understood the stability of the state to be more important than personal

religious conviction. This is seen in…”

Check Yourself!

? Did you underline your thesis?? Did you answer all parts of the question?? Did you outline your arguments in the

opening paragraph?? Did you set the time and place?? Did you describe and explain documents?? Did you introduce your people with relevant

information?? Did you use a majority of the documents?