AP World History
2006 DBQ Documents Summaries
Document 1: Ye Chunji, Ming county officials, wedding expenses, 1570s
Ye Chunji noted the differences between the “frugal” and the “extravagant” man in an
order limiting wedding expenses. Students will often equate “frugal” with poor and
“extravagant” with rich. The document is often connected with the other Ming sources
represented in Documents 3, 5, and 7. “Frugal” in this document and “venerable” in
Document 3 are sometimes used to analyze a Confucian POV.
Document 2: Tomas de Mercado, Spanish scholar, Seville, 1571
Mercado, in Seville, wrote about the trade from China to the Spanish Philippines. His
indicated location sometimes triggers a POV analysis or a request for an additional
document. Students often note the use of “ruined” at the beginning of the document and
pair it with Documents 3, 5, and 6, but the document is most commonly paired with the
European sources in Documents 4, 6, and 8. Students often refer to granite cobblestones
as luxury items exchanged for silver. This is a misread of the document.
Document 3: Wang Xijue, Ming court official‘s report to the emperor, 1593
Wang Xijue attributed falling grain prices to the scarcity of silver in China. The Chinese
government required that taxes be paid in silver but the government spends little of the
silver that it collects. More broadly, the document is used to explain the decline of
traditional Chinese society and economy and is grouped with Documents 1 and 5.
“Venerable” in this document and “frugal” in Document 1 are sometimes used to analyze
a Confucian POV.
Document 4: Ralph Fitch, British merchant in the East Indies, 1599
Fitch described trade conducted by the Portuguese between Macao and Japan noting that
the Portuguese enjoyed a “great advantage in China.” Students use the document to
describe the types of products traded or the amount of silver acquired in Japan. The more
sophisticated essays note the mercantilist tone of the document regarding the Portuguese
“great advantage” It is often paired with documents 6, 7, and 8.
Document 5: Xu Dunqiu, Ming writer in commercial Hangzhou, 1610
The document was punctuated incorrectly on the examination. As a result, students will
often alter the author’s name to Xu Dunqiu Ming rather than Xu Dunqiu. The author
describes the change from a barter economy to a market economy as customers now
“receive a bill, which must be obtained with silver obtained from a moneylender.” The
document is used to explain the decline of traditional Chinese society and economy and is
grouped with Documents 1 and 3.
Document 6: Antonia Vázquez de Espinosa, Spanish priest, 1620s
Espinosa described the impact of the silver trade on the “Indians” while providing
general economic information. Students often note the negative effect of the silver trade
on the Indians and sometimes group this document with Documents 1, 3, and 5 to
demonstrate the social effects of the silver trade. An additional grouping includes
Documents 4, 7, and 8 regarding trade. Student attempting POV will generally use this
document noting the views of a Spaniard, a priest, or more importantly a Spanish priest.
This POV is often cued by Espinosa’s use of the term “poor fellows.”
Document 7: He Qiaoyuan, Ming official on resuming foreign trade ban, 1630
He Qiaoyuan reported the inflated price of Chinese products in the Philippines. Students
will often connect the document to Documents 4 and 8. The more sophisticated essays
note that this document when taken with the other Ming documents illustrates changeover-time in the sense of China moving away from its traditional ideas about the
economy and trade.
Document 8: Charles D’Avenant, English scholar on trade restrictions, 1697
D’Avenant described the English position on trade in 1697. While noting that the
demand for luxury goods remains high, D’Avenant is concerned about the amount of
silver that is leaving the country to be “buried” in China. Sophisticated essays are
making use of the document to discuss mercantilism and the English view of trade during
the time period. There are some POV discussions noting that the author is English and a
scholar. The document is often paired with Document 4 in a trade discussion.