DBQ
Construction: The Real Roaring Twenties
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Below is a typical essay prompt for
analysis of
the 1920s. Rather
than simply respond to it with an essay, we will be approaching it from
two different angles:
- Completing some of the "pre-writing" activities for such an
essay;
- Developing this simple essay question, called a Free Response
Question
or FRQ on the APUSH Exam, into a Document-Backed Question or DBQ.
Prompt
The stereotypical view of the decade
following World War I is the image of the Roaring Twenties where the roaring was the sound of jazz,
speakeasies and the celebration of
prosperity. Historians, however, disagree with this stereotypical
view and argue that the roar
of the 1920s was the sound of conflict.
To what degree and in what ways was the decade of the twenties defined
by a clash of cultures in America?
Required
Reading
The following web sites are not
provided for you to consult; they are for you to read.
Specifically, I want you to pay particular attention to the essays at
the Clash of Cultures web site, as it should be the primary source for
your thesis. Follow the essays through to the end, and if you
have difficulty with the web site, ask for assistance.
- The Scopes Trail
- Prohibition
- The "New Woman"
- Anti-Immigration & KKK
PART
1: Essay Pre-Writing
After reading
the essays at the web sites above, develop the following in response to
the prompt:
- A solid thesis in
response to the prompt:
- A list of outside information
for such a response, including
15-20 specific terms:
- Proper Nouns--Names of People, Places & Events
- Major Concepts--Theories, Paradigms, Underlying Ideas,
Philosophies
PART
2: Document-Backed Question
After completing the first task, select
Primary Sources to support your thesis, including:
- 2-3 Documents representing the
stereotypical view of the Roaring
Twenties.
- No more than two of the documents may be images.
- 6-7 Documents representing the Clash
of Cultures
- No more than three may be images;
- At least three must be text sources.
On a separate sheet of paper, provide an
explication of each document,
including the following:
- Your explanation of what the documents means;
- Why you chose the document, specifically whether it confirms or
challenges the Clash of Cultures analysis.
- Each explication should be a few sentences long.
Note: Primary sources may be taken directly
from the web site readings. Clicking on the "Index" link on the
left-hand navigation bar of each Clash of Cultures essay will take you
to a page with a wealth of primary source documents.
FINAL
PRODUCT
Your final submission should be put
together as a single, unified submission in the following manner:
- Prompt followed by your thesis statement;
- List of outside information;
- Primary sources excerpted (in the case of text) & inserted
into your word document;
- Explication of your primary source documents.