Unit 2 DBQ Debrief: Attitudes
Toward Technology in Rome
and Han China
Has Acceptable Thesis-1 Core Point
• Thesis needed to address one specific
attitude toward tech. in Rome and one
specific attitude toward tech. in Han China.
• Should have been essay intro. or last 1-2
sentences of intro. para.
Unacceptable Theses
A) “Although the Han and Roman attitudes
toward technology are different in some
ways, they are also alike.”
B) “The Roman upper class admired
technological innovation, but the Han upper
class looked down on those who created
technology.”
C) “Han China and Rome had both
positive and negative attitudes toward
technology.”
D) “Both the Han Chinese and Romans
had positive attitudes toward
technology.”
Acceptable Thesis
“Throughout China there was a majority
appreciation of technological
advancement with a few against it, while
in the Roman empire, the view was split
between support and pessimism.”
Excellent Thesis
“Han China’s attitude toward
manufacturing and labor was more
open and positive than the Roman
upper class’s disdain for labor. The
Romans had a more class-divided
society, causing general attitudes of
labor and technology to be low.”
Understands the Basic Meaning of the
Documents-1 Core Point
• Had to address all 8 documents.
• Could misinterpret no more than 1.
• Documents must each be addressed
individually.
• Listing, attributing, quoting, etc. does not
demonstrate understanding.
Unacceptable
“Huan Guan (Doc. 2) clearly blames
technology for making the peasants so
poor that “now they have no choice but
to till the soil with wooden plows and
cannot afford salt to season their food.”
Acceptable
A) “In Han China, technology was an essential
part of the empire and required government
intervention. (Doc. 1)”
B) “In Rome, technology had a practical side,
but its appearance was important as well
(Doc. 6)”
C) “The production of technology in Rome took
a clever mind, but was not considered
“enlightened” by the Roman upper class.
(Doc. 8)”
Excellent
“In Han China, technology was
considered a gift from enlightened
leadership, reflecting Confucian
benevolence and harmony. (Doc 4)”
Supports Thesis with Appropriate
Evidence from the Documents2 Core Points
Two Core Points: Supports thesis with
evidence from all 8 documents.
One Core Point: Supports thesis with
evidence from 7 documents.
Unacceptable
“Document 2 says that the government
has monopolized the tool-making
industry, but has done so in an inferior
way, resulting in useless, crude, brittle
tools.”
Acceptable
“Huan Guan (Doc. 2) embodies the Han
view that technology is good, as long as
the government uses technology to
benefit the people. Crude or brittle tools
are of no help, and reflect poorly on the
government.”
Analyzes Point of View in at Least Two
Documents-1 Core Point
1) Explains why an individual person,
organization, etc., might have had a
particular opinion.
2) Must move beyond a mere description of
the individual or organization.
Unacceptable
A) “The source, though, was a Greek-born
Roman citizen, so it is questionable exactly
how reliable the source is.”
B) “Huan Tan was an upper class philosopher
who had the point of view that the invention
of the pestle and the mortar was made by
the great and mythological emperor.”
Acceptable
“This is interesting, because although one
would expect a Han government official
to praise the current government and its
decisions, he is opposed to what the
government is doing and is showing
concern for the poor peasants.”
“The writer (Doc. 4) could have possibly
been trying to please the emperor in
order to obtain or maintain a higher
ranking office.”
Analyzes documents by grouping them
in two or three ways depending on the
question-1 Core Point
• Documents must be grouped in three ways.
-Author?
-Subject matter?
-POV?
Unacceptable
A) “Documents 1-4 are all from Han China,
while documents 5-8 are all from Rome.”
B) “Documents 1,2 and 4-8 are all written by
gov’t officials.”
C) “Document 5 reflects a Roman upper class
attitude. Document 7 also reflects an upper
class attitude typical of Rome.”
Acceptable
“Roman government officials’ (Docs 5 and
7) attitude toward technology was
consistently colored by their attitudes
toward the ‘vulgar’ or ‘not elevated’
people that used that technology.”
Identifies and explains the need for one
type of appropriate additional document
or source-1 Core Point
• Identifies and explains the need for one
type of appropriate additional document
or source
Unacceptable
A) “It would be good to have a document
from a peasant.”
B) “None of these documents represent a
woman’s perspective.”
Acceptable
A) “Docs 5 and 7 reflect only the opinion of the
upper class. An additional document
explaining the view of a craftsman would
provide a balance of opinions.”
B) “After seeing the opinions of high
government officials and upper class
philosophers who didn’t use technology, it is
clear that the opinion of a common worker
or civilian who actually used technology
would be helpful.”