Process Overview
You will use a variety of skills and work through many stages as you complete this task.
Skills you will need to respond to this question include critical thinking and reading skills, document analysis skills, and writing process skills.
The stages you must work through to complete this task are: 1) reading the background information on the Introduction page, 2) grouping the documents 3) analyzing the documents, 4) developing a thesis, 5) planning your argument, and 6) using the writing process to present your work.
Skills you will need to respond to this question include critical thinking and reading skills, document analysis skills, and writing process skills.
The stages you must work through to complete this task are: 1) reading the background information on the Introduction page, 2) grouping the documents 3) analyzing the documents, 4) developing a thesis, 5) planning your argument, and 6) using the writing process to present your work.
Grouping the Documents
Begin by browsing through the list of document names on the Resources page. Try to sort them into categories based on the document names. You may also wish to take a quick look at each document. It is easiest to sort them into the four categories suggested in the Introduction: mapping the West, cataloging flora and fauna, Indian affairs, and valuing cooperation. If a document relates to the category but seems to provide evidence against the argument that this was the Corps of Discovery's greatest achievement, it can still be grouped as part of that category. Some documents may fit into more than one category. The point of grouping the documents is to become acquainted with the scope of the evidence before you begin analyzing the resources.
Document Analysis
The Resources page includes several documents related to the Corps of Discovery. Use the document analysis templates from the National Archives website to help you interpret them. Choose a template based on the kind of resource you are examining. As you work, keep in mind that you will be forming an answer to the question, "What was the Corps of Discovery's greatest achievement?" and supporting it with evidence from these documents.
Writing a Thesis Statement
When you have analyzed the evidence and formed a response to the DBQ question, you must write a thesis statement with a road map showing the three main points of your argument. The thesis provides your position. This is where you will choose one of the four accomplishments as the Corps' greatest achievement. Then you will provide a road map showing the main points in the order that they will be presented in your essay. An example for a different DBQ is provided below.
Suppose that a DBQ asked "Did Meriwether Lewis commit suicide or was he murdered?" Your thesis, or basic position, might be something like the following, "Meriwether Lewis committed suicide" and the roadmap might say "because he was plagued by financial and political problems, an unhappy social life, and was reputed to have had a history of mental illness." The body paragraphs of the essay would provide the evidence to support these three assertions. Of course, one could take the opposing position with a road map and thesis along these lines, "Meriwether Lewis was clearly the victim of murder based on the numerous suspects with motives, unusual circumstances surrounding Lewis in the period just prior to and after his death, and evidence at the scene of the crime."
Suppose that a DBQ asked "Did Meriwether Lewis commit suicide or was he murdered?" Your thesis, or basic position, might be something like the following, "Meriwether Lewis committed suicide" and the roadmap might say "because he was plagued by financial and political problems, an unhappy social life, and was reputed to have had a history of mental illness." The body paragraphs of the essay would provide the evidence to support these three assertions. Of course, one could take the opposing position with a road map and thesis along these lines, "Meriwether Lewis was clearly the victim of murder based on the numerous suspects with motives, unusual circumstances surrounding Lewis in the period just prior to and after his death, and evidence at the scene of the crime."
Planning Your Essay
Use the DBQ Essay Planning Organizer, which can be accessed by clicking on this link, to plan your essay. Then, start drafting your brilliant response to the DBQ question, "The Corps of Discovery: What Was Its Greatest Achievement?"
A DBQ by Monica Kavanagh, 2010