DBQ Essay Instructions
Adapted from
Benjamin Freeman
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Source: The Greco-Roman Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, First Century C.E.
Below Ptolemais of the Hunts*…there is Adulis [a port city of Axum], a port
established by law, lying at the inner end of a bay that runs toward the south…
There are imported into these places, undressed cloth made in Egypt for the Berbers;
robes from Arsinoe; cloaks of poor quality dyed in colors; double-fringed linen
mantles; many articles of flint glass, and others of murrhine, made in Diospolis;* and
brass, which is used for ornament and in cut pieces instead of coin; sheets of soft
copper, used for cooking utensils and cut up for bracelets and anklets for the women;
iron, which is made into spears used against the elephants and other wild beasts, and
in their wars. Besides these, small axes are imported, and adzes and swords; copper
drinking-cups, round and large; a little coin for those coming to the market; wine of
Laodicea and Italy, not much; olive oil, not much; for the king, gold and silver plate
made after the fashion of the country, and for clothing, military cloaks, and thin coats
of skin, of no great value …There are exported from these places ivory, and tortoise
shell and rhinoceros-horn. The most from Egypt is brought to this market from the
month of January, to September, that is, from Tybi to Thoth; but seasonably they put
to sea about the month of September.
* Ptolemais of the Hunts: near modern Sudan on the Red Sea
* Diospolis: Thebes
The Purpose of the DBQ Essay…
• "The primary purpose of the document-based
essay question is not to test students’ prior
knowledge of subject matter but rather to
evaluate their ability to formulate and
support an answer from documentary
evidence.”
• NOT ABOUT PRIOR KNOWLEDGE (though
that can be helpful)…ITS ABOUT THE
DOUCMENTS!
Step 1: Read the Questions
“Using the following documents, analyze the
cultural, economic, and environmental
activities of Classical Era civilizations.”
What is the VERB?
What CIVILIZATIONS/SOCIETIES are addressed?
What THEMES or CONCEPTS are you asked to
address? (Sometimes this will be explicit,
other times you will have to figure it out)
Step 2: Read and Analyze Documents
•You're going to be staring down the barrel of 6-12 documents. These documents
are meant to help you reach a conclusion based on the question asked.
•Read the question.
•Read through the documents in the 10 minute period provided.
• Butcher the test booklet. Start underlining key words, authors, dates.
Step 2: Read and Analyze Documents
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Source: The Greco-Roman Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, First Century C.E.
Below Ptolemais of the Hunts*…there is Adulis [a port city of Axum], a port
established by law, lying at the inner end of a bay that runs toward the south…
There are imported into these places, undressed cloth made in Egypt for the
Berbers; robes from Arsinoe; cloaks of poor quality dyed in colors; doublefringed linen mantles; many articles of flint glass, and others of murrhine, made
in Diospolis;* and brass, which is used for ornament and in cut pieces instead of
coin; sheets of soft copper, used for cooking utensils and cut up for bracelets and
anklets for the women; iron, which is made into spears used against the
elephants and other wild beasts, and in their wars. Besides these, small axes are
imported, and adzes and swords; copper drinking-cups, round and large; a little
coin for those coming to the market; wine of Laodicea and Italy, not much; olive
oil, not much; for the king, gold and silver plate made after the fashion of the
country, and for clothing, military cloaks, and thin coats of skin, of no great
value …There are exported from these places ivory, and tortoise shell and
rhinoceros-horn. The most from Egypt is brought to this market from the month
of January, to September, that is, from Tybi to Thoth; but seasonably they put to
sea about the month of September.
* Ptolemais of the Hunts: near modern Sudan on the Red Sea
* Diospolis: Thebes
Step 3: Group the Documents
• Your PRIME DIRECTIVE is to group. There will be
multiple ways to group the documents.
• You are NOT expected to find them all.
• You only need to find two or three ways that the
documents work together. Once you've found
your groups, the rest of the essay writes itself.
• Your groups are your backbone. Mention them in
the THESIS and then elaborate on why each
document fits into the group (and therefore
answers the question) in the body. This is the
bulk of the DBQ.
Step 3: Group the Documents
• Determine what your groups will be based on
categories that will ANSWER THE QUESTION!
ECONOMIC
ENVIRONMENTAL
CULTURAL
ANOTHER WAY TO ORGANIZE IT
Step 4: Include POV in each paragraph
• Do you believe everything you hear? People lie to your face every
single day.
• The documents are no different. The sources of the documents may
have hidden agendas as to why they are telling you what they are
telling you. The AP wants you to be able to recognize that not
everything you read is 100% true.
• So, analyze the sources of the documents. The introduction to each
document will be your #1 source of the author's point of view. Look
at their occupation, name, title, job, rank, or whatever is listed there.
There will be at least two or three documents with blatant bias based
on their point of views. As you bring up the documents in your essay
(and you have to use all of them), immediately list after each
document if it is trustworthy. For example, "The Emperor of Rome
(Document 1) thinks that Rome is the greatest city on the planet.
However, the Emperor may be biased due to the fact that he is the
ruler of Rome and would therefore not be the most trustworthy
source on Rome."
Step 5: Include ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENT in each paragraph
• WHO's VOICE IS NOT BEING HEARD?
THIS IS THE EASIEST POINT OF THE AP TEST...
• After analyzing the documents you have and
identifying POV, look back through the documents and
determine who is not there.
• What would help you shape your opinion on this topic?
You are only getting 6-12 documents. If you had the
opportunity to get two or three or four more
documents to help you out, what would they be? and
how would they be helpful?
Step 5: Include ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT in
each paragraph
Here are a few generic answers that may help you out
(WARNING: DO NOT USE THESE IF THEY ALREADY EXIST WITHIN THE DBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
(WARNING: ONLY USE THESE IF THEY WILL ACTUALLY HELP ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
(NOTE: THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A SPECIFIC DOCUMENT LIKE THE MAGNA CARTA OR
CONSTITUTION. MAKE UP A GENERIC ONE!)
TEMPLATE: IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM BLANK BECAUSE BLANK. OR AN ADDITIONAL
DOCUMENT NEEDED TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND THIS TOPIC WOULD BE FROM A BLANK
BECAUSE BLANK.
•IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM A WOMAN BECAUSE A FEMININE PERSPECTIVE WOULD
AID IN THE ANALYSIS OF THIS TOPIC.
•IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM A MERCHANT BECAUSE A MERCHANT FROM A FOREIGN
LAND WOULD BRING A DIFFERENT VIEW
•IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM A KING/EMPEROR BECAUSE THE LEADER OF ONE OF
THESE LANDS WOULD ADD A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE.
•IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM A MAP/CHART/GRAPH ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE A
VISUALIZATION OF THE TOPIC AT HAND WOULD AID IN THE ANALYSIS BY PRESENTING ????
INFORMATION
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEA.
• FROM A RELIGIOUS TEXT BECAUSE (THE RELIGION OF THE AREA)'s PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ISSUE
IS CRUCIAL.
•IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HEAR FROM A TRAVELLING MONK BECAUSE A FOREIGN, LITERATE
PERSON FROM ANOTHER LAND WOULD HAVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE.
Step 6: Write Your THESIS
• There is not a specific format for this type of
essay.
• You must be sure to include names of
CIVILIZATIONS, TOPICS/THEMES, DATE ETC. as
listed in the question.
• Answer the question, don’t just reword it.
Step 7: Write Your BODY PARAGRAPHS
• TOPIC SENTENCE – What is the grouping?
• Discuss each document in that group–
ANALYZING NOT JUST DESCRIBING.
• CITE THE DOCUMENT at the end of the sentence
EX:(Doc 2)
• AVOID “In document 2”
• Include POV and ADDITIONAL DOCUMENT
statements.
• Move on to the next one…
Step 8: Write Your CONCLUSION
• SAME RULE, the conclusion will help you
restate and clarify your thesis.
• Don’t sweat it if you don’t get to it.
• Could save you if you don’t have an
acceptable thesis in the beginning.