Writing the APUSH DBQ Essay

12th GradeSocial Studies60 min

Learning Objective

I can construct an argumentative essay using historical evidence from provided documents.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

10 min

AP US history DBQ example 2 | The historian's toolkit | US History | Khan Academy

Khan Academy

Guided Notes

12 min

Key concepts students will learn:

  • The folk saying from the 1910s references sharecropping, the bull weevil, and a sense of dislocation due to economic hardship.

  • A prospective migrant in 1917 wrote a letter seeking help from the Chicago Defender to relocate to the North, expressing a desire for work and concern about being hoodwinked.

  • An article from 1918 advises factory owners to segregate black workers from white workers, suggesting that African-Americans moving to the North would face racism and potential violence.

Practice

18 min

12 questions • Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

Using the four documents presented in the video, construct a thesis statement that addresses the social and economic experiences of African Americans moving from the South to the North during the period of 1910 to 1930.

Teacher Guide

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  • Answer keys for all questions
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Extension activities
  • Printable student handouts