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Tackling the Document Based Questions (DBQs) on the APUSH Exam

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what's up a bush people today were going to be taking a look at the DBQ portion of the APUSH exam or going to be breaking down all of the things you need to do to get the high more in May so what is this DBQ I know you probably saw that and thought what is this a new game DBQ and here it is it's a question document-based question that is going to be 25% of the total exam score so it's play important there's going to be a prompt a question and maybe more than one part to the prompter question so make sure you answer the entire thing that they're asking and Y have you provided a set of documents no more than 7 documents is what I've been told and you're going to have 55 minutes to complete this is the DBQ on most basic level but remember nothing in APUSH is basic because no matter which question you get you're going to need to show some skills skills the DBQ will have one of the following historical thinking skills as its main focus France you make it a question about historic causation why did stuff happen you need to break down the reasons why it happened the impact of those things the long-term and the short-term consequences under the scale you may be tested on is patterns of change and continuity over time what changed what stayed the same why did it happen in was the extent of those changes are some of the things you're going to need to be able to do in that type of question you make it a question that test your skill of comparison you need to identify similarities Prince's between perhaps time periods regions of the country you-name-it interpretation how are events perceived why do different hiss fans or individuals receive historical events in different ways how is interpretations changed you may need to identify different viewpoints and then finally pureed is Asian why do historians call certain periods such as the Era of Good Feelings the Progressive Era are these terms appropriate are there turning point skin. That cause change in someone no matter what question you get all DBQ also always assess the historical thinking skills of Oracle argumentation you're going to have to look at conflicting evidence and create an argument appropriate use of relevant historical evidence you're going to need to be able to show Ray able to use evidence from documents outside information to draw conclusions and making historical argument contextualization and synthesis going to take a look at both of those in a little bit keep in mind this is going to be difficult for most of us it's going to be a struggle we got your back here at Joe's Productions and we are in training now getting ready for the exam in May but here's the basics you must formulate a thesis that answers all parts of the question and support it with storical evidence the documents you must analyze and synthesize historical sources and include outside information as historical evidence to support your awesome dope thesis now that's the basic but we're not trying to be basic we want to master the BQ we want to get that score of the Magnificent Seven  7 that's how many points can get on the DBQ list try to get them all here is how your essay is going to be graded first things first alright alright alright that I say alright alright your first point is in part A of the rubric which is thesis and argument development you can get 1 Point if you present a thesis that makes it historically defensible claim something that you can prove with your evidence and you respond to all parts of the question so make sure you're answering the question they're asking you you're staying within the time frames and you're giving them an argument that you can support and that you're going to fight work throughout your essay it's important to note that the thesis must consist of one or more senses located in one place we're going to tell you put it in the intro doesn't quite make a whole lot of sense in the conclusion now remember your thesis must be strong direct and clear if you do those things going to get one point what's that second point this is where you get fancy the second point in part 8 is actually for argument development in other words your thesis is fancy it takes into account it develops supports a cohesive argument that recognizes and accounts for historical complexity by explicitly illustrating and you could read the rest what this means is you have a thesis that is complex that it for example May address a counter argument and you substantiate this kind of complexity throughout your essay throughout your writing not only are you putting forth an argument you're recognizing contradictions and your qualifying didn't you using your explaining it on a much higher level this must not only be done in the intro paragraph out are you may argue some of that in history is a massive turning point but you may qualify it with well it wasn't a complete turning point in here some evidence that's why so that's the first two points you can get in part A of the rubric now really important point to keep in mind is not only did I think that AP stood for advanced placement so did Keanu Reeves mine was blown when  well realize it actually stands for answer the prompt and I mention this because a lot of students answer the question that is not being why the college board so make sure once again you stick to the time. You answer the question if there's many components to the question that you answered the whole so what about those documents and here's another mistake people make the DBQ is not an essay about the documents your how could I write an essay in which you say about this about this these documents exist for you nothing where's your evidence analyze the documents and to use them to provide evidence to support your so once again don't summarize the documents do not quote them or Denzel Washington will smack you don't explain the documents don't jump around turn the documents goal is to make connections between the documents to create an argument and to support your claim which leads us to Part B call the rubric document analysis you can get two points for this section and remember just like the Hunger Games we are hungry for those so you can get one point if you utilize the content of at least six of the documents to support the stated thesis or rella argument you do that  you hit the bullseye so once again the documents that you're going to look at there's going to be a wide body of types of documents you're going to want to know who's the author what's the point being made what's going on during that time. And then you're going to try to figure out how does document help support your position or your thesis on to the second point in Part B of the rubric  who can get a second point if you would plain the significance of the author's point of view that to author's purpose three historical context and or four audience for at least four of the documents if you do those things you get  the second point of this extended analysis only needs to be done with four of the documents example number one who is the author describe them in relation to what's going on in history number to the author's purpose what was the reason what were they trying to accomplish and / 3 historical context what big events or Trends are going on during this time period and or number for who is the audience of this piece of work now if you're plane a little bit of a overload and going what the heck is this point all about just think about hippos so we talked about hip in a push so you can do historical context intended audience point of you purpose you do for at least four of the documents you were going to get that additional point the oh and hippo stands for organization how even use the document in I say so remember hippos have four legs you need to do this extended analysis for four of the documents you may want to do more just to be safe but don't forget that section B of the rubric section c has to deal with my favorite thing context which is a little strange is important see the rubric is using evidence beyond the documents you can get 2 points in this section and really the first one is all about contextualisation for employee  this basically means you provide historical background you situate the argument by explaining the broader historical events what's going on during the questions time. You're providing the reader with historical background you're setting your essay up and really this should be done in the opening sentences of your DBQ this needs to be multiple senses you can't just do one sentence that's can you cut it you can open up your essay and if you want to think about contextualisation in a simple way it's kind of like what they do in the movie Star Wars back in their late seventies they open up movie The do the screen crawl with all the background information so when the movie starts you know exactly what's going down you know all the things that have been happening understand the movie but in this case to understand why your thesis is what it is another reminder from Denzel Washington include outside information when supporting your thesis so you can't just use the documents you can't just set up the contextualisation you need it's not what you know it's what you can prove it outside information to advance your thesis which brings us second point in part C you can get a point for evidence beyond the documents this is the outside in Mission provides an example or additional piece of specific evidence Beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument in terms of how much outside information we're talking to solid pieces the more though the better and keep in mind you can't just blurt out something or mention it briefly you have to bring it back to how that outside information supports or qualifies your argument and the 10.4 the DBQ synthesis of the rubric you get one if you do synthesis in this means extends the argument by explaining the connections between the argument and one of the following have some choice a development in a different historical. This I think is the best way to earn your synthesis points or if your essays about. 2 Colonial. Maybe you compare it to something that happened in the 20th century think about the same like in kind but different you can also compare it to a different situation era or geographical area or for example a course theme and or approached tree that is not the focus of the essay such as political economic social cultural or intellectual history of your ass to analyze political and economic perhaps you bring in a cultural component to get that synthesis point but once again I really suggest that you go with a different historical time. If the how long does a bout the struggle between the federal and the state governments and you can Perry knit 19 century perhaps you show an example in the 20th century of something very cooler between the struggle between the feds and the states and we really suggestion you put the synthesis component of your essay but that's a whole lot of information on how to get the seven points for other videos that explain things in way more detail but if quick BBQ overview so first paragraph you should shoot for contextualisation remember a couple of sentences setting this whole thing up and at the end of the first paragraph or perhaps you want to kind of drop it down to a second raps of the reader doesn't get confused you're going to introduce your super awesome complex thesis you can possibly get 2 points if you argue it throughout y a say so there's three right there in your body paragraphs you can be proving your thesis with historical evidence you're going to use at least six documents to what your thesis you'll get one point remember you're not explaining the documents but you're showing how it supports your argument you're going to do a specific hip analysis of at least four documents more is better but for is the minimum to get the point you're going to provide some outside information in those body paragraphs supporting your thesis do it he's too but more the better and then the closing paragraph you're going to drop in your synthesis comparing it most likely to a different time. Make it relevant make a good damn you got seven points we know the DBQ is going to be a struggle but remember we are doing this for America APUSH explained. We're going to have more video explaining things in way more detail if you like the video click like and make sure you subscribe have a beautiful day

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