Name: ______Class:______

Performance Task: Civil Rights Document Based Essay

What is a document based Question?

  • A document based question is a type of short response question that follows a primary or secondary document. A document may be a painting, photograph, artifact or reading from someone who was actually at the historical event.

What is a document based essay?

  • A document based essay is when the historian or student uses several of the document and document questions to write several summary paragraphs on a specific historical event.

Your DBQ Performance Task includes two parts:

  • Part 1: Answer 16 short response questions from 8 documents on the Civil Rights Movement
  • Part 2: Use 4 documents as evidence to support your answer to the essay questions in 4 paragraph essay.

Essay Questions:

  • What were the barriers to equality faced by African Americans in the South?
  • What were the methods used by African Americans to win their civil rights?

Suggested Paragraph Format:

  • Paragraph 1: Introduction
  • Paragraph 2: Barriers to Civil Rights (2 documents)
  • Paragraph 3: Methods to achieving Civil Rights (2 documents)
  • Paragraph 4: Conclusion

In-Text Citations:

  • In this project, you will have to make 4 in-text citations from 4 different documents (#’s 1-8).
  • In-text citations tell the reader where you got your evidence and information from, which also help you to answer the essay questions.
  • Below are examples of how to make the proper in-text citations in your document based essay:
  • EXAMPLES:According to the document 2, “______” (Document 2).
  • Evidence from document 7 suggests that the barriers to civil rights were difficult to overcome because, “______” (Document 7).

Introduction Sentence Starters:

  • Step 1: Create a catchy sentence that will grab the readers attention.
  • Example: “The Civil Rights Movement was a long and arduous journey with many barriers and methods along the way.”
  • Step 2: Restate the main idea of the documents you read.
  • Example: “The African Americans used several methods to gain equal rights including______, ______and ______. Because the Southern states did not want to end segregation and did not want to grant equal rights to blacks, they imposed barriers like, ______, ______and______.?
  • Step 3: State what the essay will be about without using the words I, me or my…. USE COMMAS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
  • “There have been many movements that have changed the way in which people have lived but the Civil Rights Movement______.....”

Paragraph 2: Barriers to Civil Rights Sentence Starters

  • Write the title for this paragraph in bold like this…..

Barriers to Civil Rights

  • In your first sentence, explain what barriers were……….Give examples……
  • Discuss key dates, events and people.
  • Example: “Bull Connor used fire houses and police dogs to prevent blacks from getting ______in Birmingham Alabama in 1965 during the March to Selma…….”
  • Use Transitional Phrases in each body paragraph, especially when beginning and ending each paragraph.
  • Example: First, secondly, last or lastly, then, after, later…………
  • Never end a paragraph with a citation of explanation of a citation.
  • Include 2 in-text citations from 2 different documents that show or explain barriers to civil rights….. Example….. (Document # ___).

Paragraph 3: Methods to Achieving Civil Rights Sentence Starters

  • Type the title bold, size 12 and center like this……

Methods to Achieving Equal Rights

  • In your first sentence, explain what methods were…Give examples of methods that were used………. Non-violent protest, sit-ins, marches….
  • Discuss key events, people and dates
  • Example: Martin Luther King used the method of non-violent protest in the Montgomery Bus boycott in 1955-1956 when he inspired others to use other forms of transportation instead of riding the bus……
  • Use Transitional Phrases in each body paragraph, especially when beginning and ending each paragraph.
  • Example: First, secondly, last or lastly, then, after, later…………
  • Never end a paragraph with a citation of explanation of a citation.
  • Include 2 in-text citations from 2 different documents that show or explain barriers to civil rights….. Example….. (Document # ___).

Conclusion Sentence Starters

  • Begin with a concluding phrase…. It is evident that ….. In conclusion, It is clear that……..
  • Sum up the main idea of how African Americans achieved equal rights and how Southern Whites tried to prevent them with their barriers. “African Americans sought equal rights through a variety of methods including, ______, ______and ______. Because of these methods, Southern Whites attempted to prevent equality through certain barriers which included, ______, ______and ______.
  • Develop a concluding statement that sums up the importance of what you have discussed. Sample: (The methods have forever changed America……)
  • The methods used in the 1960’s are still being used today……..