Document-Based Question: Influence of Geography on History
Directions: The following question is based on the accompanying Documents 1- 10 (The
documents have been edited for the purpose of this exercise.)
This question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical
documents. Write an essay that:
Has a relevant thesis and supports that thesis with evidence from the documents.
Uses all or all but one of the documents.
Analyzes the documents by grouping them in as many appropriate ways as
possible. Does not simply summarize the documents individually.
• Takes into account both the sources of the documents and the author’s points of
view.
You may refer to relevant historical information not mentioned in the documents but your
argument must be based on the documents.
•
•
•
Question:
QUESTION WILL APPEAR HERE
Document 1
Statistics regarding the Neolithic periods and human development
Old Stone Age
! 150,000 to 10,000 years ago
! made weapons and tools of stone and wood
! fished and hunted for food
! sewed clothing of animal skins
! lived in caves
! used fire for warmth and cooking
Middle Stone Age
! 10,000 to 8,000 years ago
! life much the same as Old Stone Age
! certain animals were domesticated (dogs and goats)
New Stone Age
! 8,000 to 6,000 years ago
! learned to farm
! raised animals
! learned to weave baskets, make clothing from plant fibers and wool, make clay pots
! invented the wheel
1
Document 2
Physical map of China
Document 3
From: Epic of Gilgamesh, Sumer epic
"Gilgamesh ... built a wall around his city to make it safe against attack. Its pinnacles
shone like brass. Its outer surface was armored with stone cladding [facing], every brick
had been hardened in the fire. The people of Uruk groaned beneath the burden of the
building of the wall, for Gilgamesh drove them on without pity. ... The drums that
summoned the people to work were sounded without pause, so that the son had no time to
spend with his father, nor the lover with his lady."
Document 4
From: The Legend of Yu, Xia Dynasty, China
“I opened passages for the streams throughout the nine provinces, and conducted them to
the sea. I deepened the channels and canals, and conducted them to the streams."
Document 5
From: Excerpt from the "Hymn of the Nile"
"Praise to thee, O Nile, that issues from the earth and comes to nourish Egypt ... That
waters the meadows, that nourishes all cattle, that gives drinks to desert places ... Lord of
fish, that makes the water fowl go upstream ... That makes barley and creates wheat, so
that he may cause temples to keep festivities. ... He that makes trees according to every
wish."
Document 6
2
From: Picture of Mohenjo-Daro
Document 7
From: Excerpt from the Bible, Book of Deuteronomy
“And when the Lord your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers,
to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob to give you, with great and goodly cities, which you
did not build, and houses full of all good things, which you did not fill…and vineyards
and olive trees which you did not plant, and when you eat and are full, then take heed lest
you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage.”
Document 8
From: Spodek, The World’s History – The origins of agriculture and domestic animals.
3
Document 9
From: Map of the Ancient Middle East
Document 10
From: The Book of Songs, Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1050 – 256 BC), China
“In the sixth month we eat fruits and berries.
In the seventh month we cook vegetables and beans.
In the eighth month we pick dates.
In the tenth month we harvest rice.
We use it to make spring wine
As a tonic for long life.
In the seventh month we eat melons.
In the eighth month we split the gourds.
In the ninth month we harvest the hemp seed.
We gather herbs and firewood.
And we feed our farm workers.
4
Generic Core-Scoring Guide for AP World History – Document Based Question
Basic Core
Expanded Core
Points
Points
1) Has acceptable thesis.
1
Expands beyond basic core of 1-7
0-2
points. A student must earn 7 points
2) Uses all, or all but one of the
1
in the basic core area before earning
documents.
points in the expanded core area.
3) Supports thesis from
appropriate evidence from
documents.
1
4.Understands the basic
meaning of documents cited in
the essay. (May misinterpret
one of the documents.)
1
5.Analyzes bias or point of view
in at least two or three
documents.
1
6.Analyzes documents by
grouping them in one or two or
three ways, depending on the
DBQ question.
1
7.Identifies one type of
appropriate additional
document.
1
Subtotal
7
Examples:
• Has a clear, analytical, and
comprehensive thesis.
• Uses all documents.
• Uses documents persuasively as
evidence.
• Shows careful and insightful
analysis of the documents.
• Analyzes point of view or bias in
most or all documents.
• Analyzes the documents in
additional ways -- groupings,
comparisons, synthesis.
• Brings in relevant "outside"
historical content.
• Identifies more than one type of
appropriate additional document.
Subtotal
TOTAL 9
5
2