DBQ - 2006: Women Revolution-Civil War
The 8–9 Essay
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Contains a well-developed thesis that examines the changing ideals of American womanhood between the
American Revolution (1770’s) and the Civil War and assesses the extent to which these ideals influenced the lives
of women.
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Supports the thesis with an effective analysis of these ideals (republican motherhood, cult of domesticity), the
reasons for their emergence, and the extent to which these ideals influenced the lives of women, considering issues
of race and class. May be stronger on some aspects than others.

Effectively uses a substantial number of documents.
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Supports thesis with substantial and relevant outside information.

May contain minor errors.

Is clearly organized and well written.
Sample: 1A
Score: 9

This essay contains an extremely well-developed and sophisticated thesis that effectively examines the changing
ideals of American womanhood. It has an outstanding analysis of the ideals of republican motherhood and the cult
of domesticity and the complex manner in which they impacted women’s lives, especially in regards to race and
class. Its use of outside information is particularly impressive and woven together with documents (most of which
are not mentioned by name but are effectively integrated into the analysis).
DBQ - 2005: Compromises to the Civil War
DBQ – 2011: The Nixon Presidency

Question 1 — Document-Based Question:
Analyze the international and domestic challenges the United States faced between 1968 and 1974, and evaluate
how President Richard Nixon’s administration responded to them.


The 8–9 Essay
Contains a clear, well-developed thesis that:
• Analyzes the international and domestic challenges the United States faced between 1968 and 1974.
• Evaluates the Nixon administration’s responses to those challenges.
 Presents an effective analysis of the:
• International and domestic challenges the United States faced between 1968 and 1974.
• Nixon administration’s responses to those challenges.
i. Treatment of international and domestic components may be somewhat uneven.
ii. Treatment of some aspects of international and domestic components may be intermingled.
 Effectively uses a substantial number of documents.
 Develops the thesis with substantial and relevant outside information.
 May contain minor errors that do not detract from the overall quality of the essay.
 Is well organized and well written.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Score: 8
This clearly organized and well-written essay uses a range of documents effectively, addressing and
analyzing both challenges and responses in Nixon’s foreign and domestic policies. It also accurately
incorporates rich outside information (OPEC, Israel, Pentagon Papers). Minor errors do not detract from the
overall strength of this essay.
DBQ - 2010: Puritans
DBQ – 2010: Puritans

In what ways did ideas and values held by Puritans influence the political, economic, and social development of the


New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660s?
The 8–9 Essay
Contains a well-developed thesis that analyzes the ways in which Puritan ideas and values influenced the political,
economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660s.

Presents an effective analysis of the ways in which Puritan ideas and values influenced the political, economic, and
social development of the New England colonies:
•
Discussion of the influence of Puritan ideas and values on the political, economic, and social development
of the New England colonies may be somewhat imbalanced.
•
Discussion of one factor may be embedded in the discussion of other factors.

Effectively uses a substantial number of documents.

Supports thesis with substantial and relevant outside information.

May contain minor errors but is clearly organized and well written.
Score: 8
This is an exceptionally well-written essay that effortlessly analyzes every document except one and addresses all parts of
the question thoroughly and effectively. It provides a great deal of relevant outside information, such as discussion of
representative government, “Yankee frugality,” Rhode Island, the church as the “religious and social center” of the community,
Puritans seeing themselves as “anointed” people, and Harvard College. This is clearly a superior essay.
2011: FRQ – British Colonial Slavery
Analyze the origins and development of slavery in Britain’s North American colonies in the period 1607 to 1776.
The 8–9 Essay
• Contains a clear, well-developed thesis that addresses both the origins and development of slavery in
British North America from 1607 to 1776.
• Develops the thesis with substantial and relevant historical information from most of the time period
1607–1776.
• Provides effective analysis of the origins and development; treatment of origins and development may
be somewhat uneven and/or overlapping.
• May contain minor errors that do not detract from the quality of the essay.
• Is well organized and well written.
Score: 7
This response has a clear thesis that is supported with some relevant historical information from throughout the
time period. The answer is well-organized, and the writing is acceptable. The essay has a good analysis of the
importance of Bacon’s Rebellion, but it lacks a broader effective analysis of the development of slavery, which
kept this response at the top of the second-highest category.
2011: FRQ – Early Political Parties
To what extent did political parties contribute to the development of national unity in the United States between
1790 and 1840?
The 8–9 Essay
• Contains a clear, well-developed thesis that addresses the extent to which political parties contributed to
the development of national unity in the United States between 1790 and 1840.
•
Develops the thesis with substantial and relevant historical information on the extent to which political
parties contributed to the development of national unity in the United States between 1790 and 1840.
•
Provides effective analysis of the extent to which political parties contributed to the development of
national unity in the United States between 1790 and 1840; coverage of the time period may be
somewhat uneven.
•
May contain minor errors that do not detract from the quality of the answer.
•
Is well organized and well written.
Score: 7
This essay develops its thesis with a solid discussion, arranged chronologically and thematically, of how political
parties threatened national unity. It supports the thesis with relevant historical information (a good party history
from the rise and fall of the Federalists to the rise of the Whigs and the sectionalism evident during Jackson’s
presidency) and a fairly balanced treatment of both the first and the second party systems. The reference to the
“alleged secret deal” between Adams and Clay is confusing but not necessarily incorrect.
FRQ 2011 – Immigration
Compare and contrast the ways that many Americans expressed their opposition to immigrants in the 1840s–
1850s with the ways that many Americans expressed their opposition to immigrants in the 1910s–1920s.
The 8–9 Essay
•
Contains a clear, well-developed thesis that compares and contrasts the ways that many Americans
expressed their opposition to immigrants in the 1840s–1850s with the ways Americans expressed their
opposition in the 1910s–1920s.
•
Develops the thesis with substantial relevant and specific historical information related to the ways that
many Americans expressed opposition to immigration in both the 1840s–1850s and the 1910s–1920s.
•
Provides effective analysis of the ways Americans expressed their opposition in both periods; treatment
of time periods may be somewhat uneven.
•
May contain minor errors that do not detract from the overall quality of the essay.
•
Is well organized and well written.
Score: 7
The essay’s thesis clearly states the similar and different expressions of opposition to immigrants in the two time
periods. Although there is more factual information on the 1910s and 1920s, there is a sufficient amount on the
1840s and 1850s, including the Miners Tax and the Know-Nothing Party. Discussion of opposition in both time
periods shows similarities, and the mention of “more radical and violent” opposition in the later period shows
contrast. This essay is well written, and the thesis is developed throughout.
2011 FRQ – Civil Rights Leaders
African American leaders have responded to racial discrimination in the United States in a variety of
ways. Compare and contrast the goals and strategies of African American leaders in the 1890s–1920s with the goals and
strategies of African American leaders in the 1950s–1960s.
The 8–9 Essay
•
Contains a clear, well-developed thesis that examines the response of African American leaders to racial
discrimination by comparing and contrasting the goals and the strategies of African American leaders in the 1890s–
1920s with the goals and strategies of African American leaders in the 1950s–1960s.
•
Develops the thesis with substantial and relevant historical information regarding the goals and strategies of African
American leaders in the 1890s–1920s and the goals and strategies of African American leaders in the 1950s–1960s.
•
Provides effective analysis of the response of African American leaders to racial discrimination during the two time
periods; treatment of the two time periods and/or the goals and strategies may be somewhat uneven.
•
May contain minor errors that do not detract from the overall quality of the essay.
•
Is well organized and well written.
Score: 7
This essay has a partially developed thesis that addresses goals and strategies, with some analysis, in a well-organized
essay. It covers all parts of the question, occasionally with strong factual support; however, evidence is more superficial for
the first period. The focus is on Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. There are
minor errors, such as the claim that X was a leader in “a Black-Islamic union.”