Name:______________________________________
Date:____________
Period:______
Reconstruction DBQ Writing Template
After analyzing and breaking down your documents, it is time to draft your paper. Use the template below to help
guide you as you draft your essay.
Essay Prompt: The Constitution set out the standard for equality following the Civil War;
how did Reconstruction fail that standard politically, socially, or economically?
Thesis Statement: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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Introduction Paragraph- provide background on Reconstruction, include a definition, time period, events leading up to
Reconstruction (the Civil War), the goals of Reconstruction, etc and your thesis:
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Thesis- Remember to place your thesis as the last sentence of your introduction
Body Paragraph 1- This paragraph should discuss the 1st piece of evidence you listed in your thesis.
Check off all the boxes as you include them in your paragraph to make sure you are including all you need to
Topic Sentence
Evidence from a document
Explanation/Analysis of your evidence
Quote sandwich
Citation
Explanation of how evidence shows amendments weren’t met
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Body Paragraph 2- This paragraph should discuss the 2nd piece of evidence you listed in your thesis.
Check off all the boxes as you include them in your paragraph to make sure you are including all you need to
Topic Sentence
Evidence from a document
Explanation and Analysis of your evidence
Quote sandwich
Citation
Explanation of how evidence shows amendments weren’t met
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Body Paragraph 3- This paragraph should discuss the 3rd piece of evidence you listed in your thesis.
Check off all the boxes as you include them in your paragraph to make sure you are including all you need to
Topic Sentence
Evidence from a document
Explanation and Analysis of your evidence
Quote sandwich
Citation
Explanation of how evidence shows amendments weren’t met
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Conclusion- Restate the main points of your paper and summarize your main arguments, discuss the lasting impact of
Reconstruction, make recommendations for how Reconstruction could have been more successful (this should really
be the focus of this paragraph-what could have been done to make Reconstruction successful- this may be your
opinion or researched)
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Check your Draft: Look back over your draft as your first step of proofreading.
Check off each box below after you have made sure you have included it:
A thesis statement that is the last sentence of my introduction paragraph
No first person pro-nouns- No saying I think, My opinion, My evidence is
A topic sentence for each body paragraph
Each quote is used in a quote sandwich and is cited, explained and analyzed
Final Paper Formatting:
Typed
Times New Roman Font, size 12
Double Spaced
Heading on Top Left Corner: Name, Date, Class Period, Course
Appropriate Title- Times New Roman Font, size 12, underlined
Reconstruction DBQ Rubric
Category
Claim 20 points
Exceeds
Meets
Expectations
Expectations
Formulates a
persuasive analysis
based on effective
and convincing
textual evidence.
Generates a
reasonable
interpretation,
argument or claim
based on evidence
found in textual
evidence.
20 pts
18 pts
Working Towards
Expectations
Does Not Meet
Expectations
Missing
States an
interpretation,
argument or claim
that is based on
textual evidence,
but the textual
evidence is misused
or misinterpreted.
States an
interpretation,
argument or claim
that may or may not
be based on textual
evidence.
States an incorrect
interpretation,
argument or claim
that is not based on
textual evidence.
8 pts
15 pts
17 pts
Inclusion of
Evidence
20 pts
Justifies claims
using specific,
detailed and varied
evidence from a
variety of reliable
sources.
Justifies claims
using appropriate
specific evidence
from a variety of
reliable sources.
18 pts
20 pts
Attempt to justify
claim using some
appropriate
evidence. Majority
of evidence used is
indirect, and only
partially supports
claim.
Justifies claims using
generalizations or
limited appropriate
direct evidence.
Justifies claims
without the use of
direct evidence.
8 pts
15 pts
17 pts
Perspective
10 pts
Evaluates the
reliability sources
based on author’s
perspective and
when and why
they were
produced.
10 pts
Examines the
reliability of
sources based on
the author’s
perspective and
when and why
they were
produced.
8 pts
Attempts to
evaluate the
reliability of
sources.
7 pts
Vague attempt to
evaluate the
reliability of sources
Sources used is not
from an appropriate
perspective.
6 pts
4 pts
Correctly identifies
the type historical
source;
Correctly identifies
the type historical
source;
Attempts to identify
the type historical
source;
Applies prior and
new knowledge to
determine the
validity and
correctly interprets
the source to
support claim.
Applies new
knowledge to
determine the
validity and
correctly interprets
the source to
support claim.
Applies limited
knowledge to
determine the
validity and
correctly interprets
the source to
support claim.
10 pts
8 pts
7 pts
6 pts
Mostly Accurate; a
few inconsistencies
or errors in
grammar of
citations
Somewhat accurate;
more than a few
inconsistencies or
errors in
information.
Completely
inaccurate; the
format was not MLA.
Part III
Completely
accurate with in
text citations
included in MLA
format
Works Cited
(10 points)
( 8 points)
(6 points)
Final paper is clear
and coherent and
the style in which
the audience is
addressed is
effective
Student could
improve on
technique but
writing structure
does not distract
from content of
the paper
Student uses mostly
clear writing but
mistakes do detract
from the overall
focus of the paper
Interpretation
10pts
Attempts to
determine the
historical setting of
sources without fully
understanding the
historical context OR
does not correctly
interpret the source
to support the claim.
Misinterprets the
historical setting of
sources AND does
not correctly
interpret the source
to support the
claim.
4 pts
Works Cited is
missing.
( 0 points)
(4 points)
(10 points)
Part IV
Organization
and Clarity
(10 pts)
(6 pts)
Student frequently
uses unclear and
incoherent language,
style is not
appropriate for
audience of paper
Paper shows little
thought towards
organization,
structure and style
is not appropriate
(0 pts)
(4 pts)
(8 pts)
(10 pts)
Proper Heading ( ____ 2 pts)
Appropriate Title (_____ 2 pts )
Double Spaced (____ 2 pts)
Part V
Formatting,
spelling, and
grammar
Proper Spacing between paragraphs (_____ 2 pts)
No personal pro-nouns (____ 2 pts)
Grammar Errors:
( 20 points)
1-3 Errors (_____ 10 pts)
4-6 Errors (______ 6 pts)
Total: ______________/ 100 points
7-10 Errors (_____ 4 pts)
Letter Grade: _____________
More than 10 ( ____ 0 pts)