DBQ
The Louisiana Purchase:
Would You Have Supported
The Purchase?
Introduction Paragraph
Hook
Historical Context
Background on the topic
(Louisiana Purchase) and
definition of major terms
Claim
Your stance on the essay
topic + your three main points
Body Paragraph #1
Topic Sentence
(Introduce your first reason)
Evidence from Documents/sources
●
●
●
Introduce the information by citing
the title/author of the source
Explain what the evidence says
and what it means
2-3 pieces of evidence
Reasoning/Argument
This comes for our brains
● Explain how your evidence
supports your thesis
● Explain why it matters
Body Paragraph #2
Topic Sentence
(Introduce your second reason)
Evidence from Documents/sources
●
●
●
Introduce the information by citing
the title/author of the source
Explain what the evidence says
and what it means
2-3 pieces of evidence
Reasoning/Argument
●
●
Explain how your evidence
supports your thesis
Explain why it matters
Body Paragraph #3 (Counterclaim + Refute)
Topic Sentence
Introduce a counterclaim
(What claim would someone on the
opposing side make?)
Evidence from Documents/sources to
support the counterclaim
●
●
●
Introduce the information by citing the
title/author of the source
Explain what the evidence says and
what it means
2-3 pieces of evidence
Reasoning/Argument
●
●
●
Explain how your evidence supports
the counterclaim
Explain why it matters
Refute the counterclaim - explain
why your original claim is still
correct, despite the counterclaim
Conclusion Paragraph
Conclusion
Restate your three reasons in a
different ways
Conclude your writing piece by...
● Make a modern day
connection
● “Finish the story”
● Hypothesize the differences
● Parting thought
● Call to action