Transcript 2006– Silver DBQ

2006
DBQ: SILVER
• Historical Background: Spanish colonial America and Tokugawa Japan
led the world in silver production From 1500 to 1750. In the Early
1570’s, the Ming Chinese government required that all domestic taxes
and trade fees be paid in silver.
2006 is the first time a World History DBQ included a map. The map was at times used
erroneously as a document. Even with the map, some students mistook Ming China as
Japanese, and treated the Philippines as an independentstate rather than a colony of Spain.
The Thesis Should…
1. Address all parts of the question
2. Take a position on the question
3. Set out categories for discussion
4. Include Historical Context reference
Sample Thesis #1:
• “During the years 1500 to 1750, silver production became very
popular. Spanish colonial America and Tokugawa Japan led the world
in silver production. As a result, there were many social and economic
effects of the global silver trade around the world. These effects
impacted the whole world both positively and negatively at that
time.”
Thesis is Unacceptable:
• Thesis merely restates the question.
• First Sentence uses the wrong timeframe
• Second sentence just restates the historical background provided.
• Third sentence is just a restatement of the question and the writer does not take a position.
• Use of “Many” is a virtually meaningless qualifier. You need to specify the types of effect.
• Use of “Impacted” is not needed since the question does not ask about the impact of trade.
Sample Thesis #2:
• “The flow of silver during the mid-16th century to the early 18th
century had a great impact on the social and economic aspects of
many countries through trade, effect on land and the value of silver.”
Thesis is Acceptable:
• Not especially strong, but does establish the proper historical context (timeframe).
• Thesis shows that the student understands the question.
• The Student has framed a response that lends itself to grouping in the body of the essay.
Sample Thesis #3:
“The increased flow of silver during the mid-16th century to the early
18th century caused social and economic effects in all regions
connected with the trade by increasing the integration of Europeans in
the globalization of world trade, while creating greater economic
opportunities and causing growing social divisions within China.”
Thesis is Excellent:
• Thesis established the proper historical context (timeframe).
• Thesis succinctly sums up the different social and economic effects facing different regions.
• Thesis previews the POV within the several documents to be analyzed by later in the essay
• Thesis would likely be eligible for the “Expanded Core” as a “clear, analytical, comprehensive
thesis.”
Look at Documents!
QUESTION: “Using the documents, analyze
the social and economic effects of the global
flow of silver from the mid-sixteenth century
to the early eighteenth century. Explain how
another type of document would help you
analyze the effects of the flow of silver bullion
in this period.”
The Essay Should:
Addresses all of the documents
and demonstrates understanding of all or all but one.
Biggest Mistake: Listing the documents separately or listing the documents as part
of a group does not sufficiently demonstrate an understanding of basic meaning.
Unacceptable Demonstrations of Understanding:
• “Docs 1, 3, and 5 all reflect the social impacts on China.”
• “The global flow of silver during this time period caused many
disputes and changes between involved countries as seen in Docs 4,
8, and 2.”
Note: While the grouping of these documents is acceptable, they have not been
addressed properly using specific quotes or examples from each individual
document.
Acceptable Demonstrations of
Understanding:
• “The economic impact of the global flow of silver in Spain during this
time period can be easily seen in Docs 2 and 6. Document 2 [Tomas
de Mercado] shows that the ballast stones used in the ships on the
outgoing trip were replaced by the large amount of silver during their
return trips; while document #6 [Antonio Vazquez de Espinos] claims
that between 1545 and 1624 a total of approximately 326,000,000
silver coins were taken out of the mines in Potosi.”
The Essay Should
Supports thesis with appropriate evidence
from all or all but one document.
Unacceptable: In doc #8 Charles D’Avenant notes that the British had been
supplanted by the Dutch in the spice trade, but have continued trade in the East
Indies for “dyed cotton cloth, silks, drugs, cotton-yarn, and wool…”
 This is merely a (correct) summary of the document’s meaning, not evidence used
IN SUPPORT OF a thesis that has to do with the flow of silver.
 The quotation accurately supports the summarization, not a thesis statement.
Common Mistakes:
• Student fails to connect the document evidence to the focus of their thesis
• Student merely quotes, summarizes, or paraphrases the document
Acceptable:
“Spain was one of the countries that participated the most in the global
flow of silver because of its numerous colonies, highly developed
trading systems, and overlying sense of mercantilism during the 16th to
18th centuries. For example, the Spanish colonies in Mesoamerica
experienced drastic changes in economy and exploitation of natural
resources, as Spanish conquerors put Indian laborers to work mining
silver. The exchange of currency was beneficial for the Spanish while
detrimental to the natives. Mass amounts of silver left the mines of
America for Spain and these amounts were produced by the labor of
Indians. (Doc 6).”
• The evidence from the document is used to support the thesis/topic sentence.
• The document is used to support the essay, rather than the other way around.
The Essay Should
Analyzes Point of View (POV)
In at least TWO documents.
KEY ISSUES WITH POV:
1. Explains why this particular person might have this particular opinion OR what
particular feature informs the author’s / intended audience’s POV.
2. Must move beyond a mere description of that individual by considering and explaining:
 Tone,
 Characteristics of the author,
 Intended audience,
 Intended Outcome that may have influenced the author’s opinion.
3. Mere attribution (copying or repeating info verbatim from the source line of the doc) is
not sufficient.
Unacceptable POV Analysis:
• “Ralph Fitch (Doc #4) is biased because he is British.”
OR
• “He Qiaoyuan (Doc #7) is biased because he was a Ming dynasty court
official.”
• Many students simply state that “an individual is biased because they are X, Y, or Z.”
• Students must go beyond a mere description of an individual or defining characteristics.
• Student must explain why this fact is significant in the analysis of the document.
• Mere attribution does NOT constitute POV.
Acceptable POV Analysis:
• “As an English scholar, D’Avenant (Doc #8) would certainly have
wanted to support England’s own economic gain and any
Parliamentary movement that would accomplish this.”
This example not only recognizes the author’s occupation, but explains how that relates
to the author’s POV.
• “Qiaoyuan, a Ming court official, wrote to the emperor that the trade
ban should be lifted because there are very high prices for Chinese
goods on the market. His motives are suspicious since goods from his
native province are desirable and he stands to gain from the lift of the
ban, but this also shows a changing attitude of the Chinese on trade
with foreigners.”
This statement would apply toward rubric categories #2 (Meaning), #3 (Evidence)
and #4 (POV) simultaneously.
GROUPING ACTIVITY!
The Essay Should
Analyzes documents by grouping them in
two or THREE ways, depending on the question.
Unacceptable: “Documents 1, 3, and 5 all reflect the social impacts on China, while
Document 7 is the only one that deals with the economic effect on China.”
A single document cannot be a “group.” However, a single document CAN belong to
more than one grouping.
Acceptable : “The global flow of silver during this time period caused many
disputes & changes economically between involved countries as seen in Docs 4, 8, & 2.”
This topic sentence lends itself to document analysis and appropriately ties back to the
economic aspects of a thesis.
The Essay Should
Identifies and explains the need for one type of
appropriate additional document or source.
**Students must identify an appropriate additional document or source
and Explain HOW that document or source will contribute to an analysis of the topic.**
Unacceptable: “It would be good to have a
document from a peasant.”
WHY would it be good to hear from a peasant?
How do you think a peasant might have thought about these issues
DIFFERENTLY from any of the given documents?
What questions would an historian be able to answer with a
peasant’s PERSPECTIVE that aren’t possible to answer now?
Acceptable: “It would be nice to see a document from a
Chinese farmer/peasant to see if the increased flow of
silver affected their lifestyles as Document 3 or 5
suggests.”
This takes the unacceptable answer from the previous example and
simply adds a rationale for how it would aid an historian.
Acceptable: “It would help to have a document from a Japanese
merchant, to see if the effects of the silver trade affected the
Japanese economy as much as it did the Chinese and Spanish.”
Simple, effective description of an additional document and an explanation of
the use/need of it, especially since there were many references to Japan’s role in
the trade, but no documents to reflect it.
Overview
• The document-based question asked students to use eight documents to
analyze the social and economic effects of the silver trade while
demonstrating specific analytical skills. The documents contained ample
evidence to support a number of different thesis statements ranging from
class divisions to the effects of inflation to globalizing international trade.
Each of the documents offered a clear opportunity for point-of-view
analysis. Moreover, the language of many documents prompted such
analysis based on tone. None of the documents could be categorized as
purely social or purely economic, which resulted in a variety of grouping
opportunities. The need for additional documents was clear, given the
absence of documentary evidence from Japan, Portugal, Chinese peasant
farmers, or South American miners.
•Read Document 1A &
attempt to score!!
Sample: 1A
Score: 9
• The thesis in the first paragraph, spread across two sentences, addresses social
and economic effects (1 point).
• All of the documents are addressed in the essay as is the meaning of each
document (1 point).
• Evidence from each of the documents supports the thesis (2 points).
• Note that the reference to the encomienda system does not affect the use of evidence in the
essay.
• The analysis of point of view is evident for Documents 4 and 6 (1 point).
• The documents are analyzed in three groups: Chinese, Spanish, and middlemen
(1 point).
• Both suggestions for additional documents (Ming peasants and a Japanese
perspective on silver mining) are appropriate and adequately explained (1 point).
• Expanded core points were earned for the use of historical context, the analytical
nature of the thesis, and additional documents (2 points).
•Read Document 1B &
attempt to score!!
Sample: 1B
Score: 6
• The thesis, linking silver to trade connections as well as to increasing labor
and social unrest, comprises the last two sentences of the first paragraph
(1 point).
• All of the documents are addressed in the essay as is the meaning of each
document (1 point).
• Evidence from each of the documents supports the thesis (2 points).
• The documents are analyzed in three groups: effects on China, the
European advantage, and European observers (1 point).
• The additional document is well explained at the end of the essay (1 point).
• The essay attempts to discuss point of view, but the analysis does not meet
the minimum standard.