Primary Sources and DBQs

Using Technology to Teach Social Studies

Presented at NECC 2001

Presenters: Ronnie DeSalvoLori Krane Margo Lorber

Primary Sources are:

•Published and Unpublished Documents•books, magazines, newspapers, government documents, literature, advertisements, political cartoons, maps, pamphlets, posters, laws, and court decisions•diaries, meeting minutes, speeches, police reports, community organizations, flyers•Oral Histories

•Archeological evidence

•Mediaphotographs, film, sound recordings

Direct evidence or firsthand testimony

•Provide the basis for secondary sources: textbooks, encyclopedias, CD ROMs

Use Primary Sources to:

develop skills of historical analysis and interpretation;

analyze, synthesize and evaluate historical accounts of events;

expose students to different perspectives and interpretations;

make comparisons, develop and apply concepts.

Evaluating Primary Sources

Creator of source: who, where, when and why was it

created what is the bias of the creator -

objective, neutral, credible, reliable?Reconstructing the past - “Each

generation writes its own history”, Carl Becker

Photograph as primary source

Compare these historical figures, they share a commonality of deeds. What is their place in history, how do you view their role? How are they portrayed in the photos?

Col. Paul W. Tibbets, Jr., pilot of the ENOLA GAY, waves from his cockpit before the takeoff, 6 August 1945.

Fuhrer und Duce in Munchen. Hitler and Mussolini in Munich, Germany, ca. June 1940.

Timothy McVeigh, Reno, Okla., on June 22, 1955

Selecting Sources for students

Interest levelReading level and length Excerpting portions, restatementPoints of view - variety of

representation and types of sources

Document Based Questions

Focus on interpretation and analysis Identify a historical theme Provide a variety of primary documents for the

students to analyze and interpret: make comparisons and draw analogies

Require application of prior knowledge Provide scaffolding questions Require development of a thesis, take positions

on issues to support conclusion

DBQ Questions and Tasks

Focus on Critical Thinking: compare/contrast illustrate similarities/differences illustrate point of view/bias describe change over time in an overall

theme explain cause and effect of historic events

Link to themes in Standards

Sample DBQ Task

Using information from the documents and your knowledge of global history, write an essay that compares and contrasts the different viewpoint societies have held about the process of governmental decision making and about the role of citizens in the political decision making process. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a political system that is under absolute control of a single individual or a few individuals and a political system that is a democracy.

NY State Global History Regents

Scaffolding Questions

Key Questions included after each document of the DBQ

Provide information and lead students to answer the main essay question.

The document helps provide the

answer

Scaffolding Question

How does this document justify to the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country? What political philosophy is expressed.

DBQ Scaffolding Question

'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.’

Throughout history, men have fought for the principles of liberty. Describe the circumstances that led the British to hang Nathan Hale.

Types of DBQ Documents

Graphs, charts, maps, cartoons, photographs, artwork eyewitness accounts, historical passages

Sources for documents: textbooks, primary sources, archives and

museums the Internet

Keep in mind: use visuals (2-3), passage length, provide

adaptations for difficult, dated or colloquial readings.

A NECC 2001 Presentation