Download DBQ ESSAY TOPICS DBQ THEMATIC ESSAY TOPICS Thematic

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Year
DBQ ESSAY TOPICS
DBQ
THEMATIC ESSAY TOPICS Thematic
2004
Revolutions - {Jan}
Imperialism/Colonialism {June}
Spread of Diseases/Epidemics {August}
Change
Turning Points
Economic Systems
2005
Impact of Conquest
War
Technological Changes
20th Century Political Events
Global Problems
Change
2006
Imperialism
Industrial Revolution
Cold War
Philosophical Beliefs & Ideas
Conflict
Movement of People & Goods: Trade
2007
French Revolution
Economic Systems
Natural Resources
Human Rights Violations
Political Change
Political Systems
2008
Autocratic Governments
Global Challenges/Issues
Human Migration
Non-Political Revolutions
Belief Systems
Geography {Changing Human Environments}
2009
Human Achievements
Impact of Economic Systems
Global Water Systems
Geography and Cultural Diffusion
Human Rights Violations
Belief Systems
2010
Non-Political Revolutions
Belief Systems
Philosophical Writings/Ideas
Nationalistic Movements
Choices for
THEMATIC
Regents
DBQ
Month/Year
January
2004
Thematic
Thematic Choices
Revolutions
Change – Beliefs and Achievements
Some Choices:
Discuss two of these revolutions: the
Neolithic Revolution, the Scientific
Revolution, the Green Revolution
• Explain the significant social, intellectual,
and/or economic changes resulting
from each of the two revolutions
Identify two individuals who have changed global
history and for each:
• Explain one belief or achievement of that
individual
• Discuss the positive and/or negative effects of
the individual’s belief or achievement
Hammurabi, Confucius,
Aristotle,
Alexander the Great,
Muhammad, Johannes
Gutenberg, Queen Isabella,
Leonardo da Vinci,
John Locke, Catherine the
Great, Simón Bolívar, or
Nelson Mandela.
Martin Luther –
Protestant Reformation
[16th c]
William Wallace – Brave
Heart – Scottish Resistance
Movement [13th c]
Jesus Christ – Responsible
for sparking a backlash
against Roman empire and
ancient Judaism [corruption
of religion by the
Pharisees]
Siddhartha Gautama
[Buddha]
June
2004
Imperialism/Colonialism
Turning Points
Some Choices:
Discuss the political, social, and/or
economic causes of British imperialism
• Discuss the positive effects and the
negative effects of British colonial rule
Identify two major turning points in global history
and for each:
Neolithic Revolution,
Crusades, Renaissance,
Encounter, French
Revolution, Russian
Revolution of 1917, World
War I, creation of
the modern state of Israel,
Nelson Mandela elected
president of South Africa,
and the fall of the Berlin
Wall.
• Describe the historical circumstances
surrounding the turning point
• Explain how each turning point changed the
course of history
Digital Revolution
Creation of high speed
computers and the internet
Invention of the wheel by
the Phoenicians
Revolutionizes
transportation and adds
tools to facilitate human
construction projects
August
2004
Spread of Diseases/Epidemics
Economic Systems
Some Choices:
Choose two epidemics and for each
Identify one society and one economic system
that has been used or is being used in that
society and
Europe during the Middle
Ages, western Europe
during the
Industrial Revolution, the
Soviet Union between
• Explain why the epidemic spread
• Discuss the effects of the epidemic on a
specific society or societies
Black Death in the 14th century, smallpox in
the
16th century, and AIDS in the 20th and 21st
centuries have had significant effects
on societies.
• Discuss the historical circumstances
surrounding the development of
that economic system
• Describe two features of the economic system
• Evaluate the impact the economic system had
on this society during a
specific historical period
Topic: Impact of Conquest
January
2005
Groups such as the Mongols, the Spanish,
and the French have
Brought many changes to conquered areas.
1917 and 1990, Japan
after World War II,
China since 1949 and
Cuba since 1959.
Some Choices:
20th century political events
Identify two 20th-century political events and
for each
Lenin’s establishment of a
Communist government in
Russia, rise of totalitarian
Select two of the groups mentioned in the
historical context and for each
• Discuss the political, economic, and/or
social changes that resulted from the
conquest
• Discuss the historical circumstances
surrounding the event
• Evaluate the extent to which this event has
had a positive or a negative effect on global
history
governments in Europe, Ho
Chi Minh’s unification of
Vietnam
against imperialism,
increasing support for
Islamic fundamentalism in
the Middle East, Mao
Zedong’s Cultural
Revolution in China, the
dismantling of the Berlin
Wall, development of
Nuclear weapons in India
and Pakistan, and Nelson
Mandela’s opposition to
apartheid in South Africa.
Fidel Castro and Che
Guevara’s Communist
takeover of Cuba
9-11 – Attack on the Twin
Towers
June 2005
Topic: War
Global Problems
Select two different global problems and for
Throughout history, many different
reasons for wars exist. These wars have led each
to both expected and unexpected
Some Choices
Environmental pollution,
desertification,
deforestation,
outcomes.
Discuss the economic, social, and/or
political reasons for wars
• Describe one major cause of the global
problem
• Discuss one effect of the global problem on a
specific nation or region
• Discuss the expected outcomes and the
unexpected outcomes of wars
Topic: Technological Changes
August
2005
Throughout history, changes in technology
have had a great influence on society.
Development of the printing press, steampowered machinery, and the atomic
bomb had a major impact on specific
societies and the world.
Identify two of the technological changes
mentioned in the historical context and for
each
• Explain how the new technology changed
the existing technology
• Discuss the impact of this new
technology on a specific society or the
overpopulation, refugees,
spread of disease,
international drug
trafficking, and ethnic
conflicts.
Global
Warming/Greenhouse
Gases
Global Poverty
Africa
Haiti
India
Theme: Change
Identify two leaders who changed the society in
which they lived and for Each
• Describe one situation the leader attempted to
change
• Describe one action the leader took to change
this situation
• Discuss the impact of that action on the
society in which the leader lived
Some Choices
Martin Luther, Queen
Elizabeth I, Toussaint
L’Ouverture, Napoleon
Bonaparte, Simón Bolívar,
Otto von Bismarck,
Mohandas Gandhi, Mao
Zedong, Ho Chi Minh,
Fidel Castro, and Nelson
Mandela.
William Wallace: Brave
Heart
Cecil Rhodes:
imperialism of South
Africa and creation of
Rhodesia: started the rush
to dominate Africa
world
January
2006
Topic: Imperialism
Perspectives on imperialism differed
depending on a person’s point of view.
• Discuss imperialism from the point of
view of the imperialist power
• Discuss imperialism from the point of
Theme: Philosophical beliefs and ideas
Some Choices
Choose two philosophers and/or leaders and for
each
Confucius, John Locke,
Adam Smith, Simón
Bolívar, Otto von
Bismarck, Vladimir
Lenin, Mohandas Gandhi,
Mao Zedong, Fidel
Castro, or Nelson
Mandela.
• Explain a major idea or belief of that
philosopher or leader
• Discuss how that idea or belief changed one
nation or region
view of the colonized people
Karl Marx
Siddhartha Gautama
[Buddha]
Socrates
Topic: Industrial Revolution
June
2006
The Industrial Revolution that began in
Europe changed society in many ways. Some
of these changes were positive while others
were negative.
Discuss both the positive effects and the
negative effects of the Industrial
Revolution on European society
Theme: Conflict
Some Choices
• Discuss one major cause of that conflict
• Identify two opposing groups involved in the
conflict and discuss one
viewpoint of each group
• Discuss the extent to which the conflict was or
was not resolved
Crusades {Muslims and
Christians}, French
Revolution,
World War I, Russian
Revolution, Chinese civil
war, partition of India
{Muslim/Hindu Conflict},
the policy of apartheid in
South Africa,
the Rwandan civil war,
and the Bosnian War.
August
2006
Topic: Cold War
As World War II came to an end, a new
conflict emerged between the United States
and the Soviet Union. This conflict, known
as the Cold War, affected many regions of
the world, including Europe, Asia, and
Latin America.

January
2007
Discuss how the Cold War between
the United States and the Soviet
Union affected other nations and/or
regions of the world
Theme: Movement of people and
goods: Trade
Identify two trade routes and/or trade
organizations and for each
• Explain one reason for the establishment of
the trade route or trade organization
• Discuss one positive effect or one negative
effect of the trade route or trade organization on
a specific nation or region
Some Choices
Silk Roads, the transSaharan trade routes of the
African kingdoms,
Mediterranean trade routes,
the Hanseatic League, the
British East India
Company, the Organization
of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC), and the
European
Union (EU).
Topic: French Revolution
Theme: Human Rights Violations
Some Choices
The French Revolution (1789–1814), which
included Napoleon’s reign, is
considered a major turning point in world
history. This revolution led to major changes
in France and other nations and regions of
the world.
Select two groups who have experienced human
rights violations in a specific nation or region and
for each
Christians under the
Roman Empire,
indigenous peoples in Latin
America {Guarani; Inca;
Aztec} Armenians under
the Ottoman Empire,
Ukrainians after the
Russian Revolution, Jews
in Europe, Cambodians
under Pol Pot, blacks under
apartheid in South Africa,
and Kurds in the Middle
East {chemical annihilation
of Iranians and Kurds by
Saddam Husain}
• Discuss the political, economic, and/or
social causes of the French Revolution
• Discuss how the French Revolution
affected the people of France
• Discuss one impact the French Revolution
had on the world outside France
• Describe one historical circumstance that led to
a human rights violation in the
nation or region
• Describe one example of a human rights
violation in that nation or region
• Discuss the extent to which a government, a
group, or an individual made an
attempt to resolve this human rights violation
June
2007
Topic: Economic Systems
Theme: Political Change
Throughout history, different economic
systems have influenced specific nations,
regions, and peoples. These systems
include manorialism during the Middle
Ages in Western Europe, mercantilism
during the Age of Exploration, and
communism in post–World War II China.
Choose one example from global history where a
government attempted to change society and
Choose two of the economic systems
mentioned in the historical context and for
Each
• Describe the characteristics of the
economic system
• Discuss the impact of the economic
system on a specific nation or region or on
a group of people
• Describe the change the government wanted to
bring about
• Explain why the government wanted to make
this change
• Describe one specific policy the government
used to try to bring about this change
• Discuss the extent to which this change was
achieved
Some Choices:
efforts to strengthen the
Empire of Mali under
Mansa Musa, Reformation
in England under Henry
VIII, westernization of
Russia under Peter the
Great, Reign of Terror
during the French
Revolution under
Robespierre, Meiji
Restoration in Japan under
the Emperor Meiji,
modernization of Turkey
under Atatürk, five-year
plans in the Soviet Union
under Lenin or Joseph
Stalin, fascism in Italy
under Benito Mussolini,
and oil policies in
Venezuela under Hugo
Chávez
President Obama’s Health
Care Reform – Universal
Health Care Coverage
Topic: Natural Resources
August
2007
Throughout history, natural resources such
as water, coal, oil, and diamonds have both
helped and hindered the development of
nations and regions.
• Discuss how natural resources have helped
and/or hindered the development of specific
nations or regions
Theme: Political Systems
Choose two different political systems and for
each
• Describe the characteristics of the political
system
• Discuss how the political system has affected
the history or culture of a specific
nation or society
Some Choices:
absolute monarchy,
constitutional monarchy,
parliamentary
democracy, direct
democracy, theocracy,
communism, and fascism.
Socialism: Charles Fourier
Karl Marx/Engels,
Phalanx System of
Independent Community
Development
Marx ideology and
influence on Russia and
other nations
January
2008
Topic: Autocratic Governments
Throughout history, governments have
sometimes attempted to control the
thoughts and actions of their people. Three
such governments include Russia under
Theme: Non-Political Revolutions
Some Choices:
Identify two nonpolitical revolutions that
brought important intellectual, economic,
and/or social changes to societies and for each
Neolithic Revolution
(10,000–6,000 B.C.),
Commercial Revolution
(11th–18th centuries),
Scientific Revolution
June
2008
• Describe one change brought about by this
nonpolitical revolution
• Discuss an impact this nonpolitical revolution
had on a specific society or societies
Choose two governments mentioned in the
historical context and for each
(16th–18th centuries),
Enlightenment
(17th–18th centuries),
Agricultural Revolution
(18th–19th centuries),
Industrial
Revolution in Europe
(18th–19th centuries), and
Green Revolution (late
20th century).
• Describe the efforts of the government to
control the thoughts and/or actions of its
people
• Discuss an impact of this government’s
efforts on its society
Modern Day Digital
Revolution
Information Super
Highway
Social Networking Sites
[Facebook, My Space]
the rule of Peter the Great, Germany
under the rule of Adolf Hitler,
and China under the rule of Mao
Zedong. The efforts of these governments
greatly affected their societies.
Topic: Global Challenges
Genocide, threats to the environment, and
weapons of mass destruction are problems
that the world has had to face. Various
attempts have been made by the
international community and its members
to address and resolve these problems.
Select two problems mentioned in the
historical context and for each
• Describe the problem
Theme: Belief Systems
Some Choices:
Choose two major belief systems and for each
Animism, Buddhism,
Christianity, Confucianism,
Daoism, Islam, Judaism,
legalism, and Shinto.
• Explain key beliefs and/or practices
• Discuss an influence the belief system had on
the lives of its followers or the society in which
it was practiced
Hinduism
Caste System {untouchable
caste}
• Discuss attempts made to address and/or
resolve the problem
August
2008
Topic: Human Migration
Throughout history, migrations of people
have affected countries and regions.
These migrations have been both voluntary
and involuntary and include Africans to the
Americas, Jews to Palestine and Israel, and
Hindus/Muslims between India and
Pakistan.
Select two migrations mentioned in the
historical context and for each
• Describe the historical circumstances
surrounding the voluntary or involuntary
migration
• Discuss an impact the migration had on the
country or region from which the group left
and/or an impact the migration had on the
new destination
Theme: Geography: How Humans
Change the Environment
Select two different nations/regions and for
each
• Explain why the society modified their
environment
• Explain how the people of that specific
nation/region modified their physical
environment
• Discuss the effect this modification had on
that nation/region
Some Choices:
Middle East (modified the
land) {Israel building of a
wall and building
settlements around
Palestinian region},
Africa (modified the
land),
Japan (modified the land),
Great Britain (removed
resources), South Africa
(removed
resources),
Brazil (removed
vegetation),
China (built a structure),
and East Germany (built
structures).
Venice, Italy: Built houses
on stilt system and utilized
and developed canal
system for transportation
January
2009
Topic: Human Achievements
Throughout history, individuals have made
major contributions to the world. Their
achievements have had an impact on
global history. Three of these individuals
are
Leonardo da Vinci, Toussaint
L’Ouverture, and Mohandas Gandhi.
Select two individuals mentioned in the
historical context and for each
Theme: Geography & Cultural
Diffusion
Select two different geographic factors and for
each
• Explain how the geographic factor affected
the development of a specific
nation/region
• Discuss how that geographic factor promoted
or hindered cultural diffusion
• Describe the historical period during
which the individual lived
• Describe a major achievement of this
individual
• Discuss the impact of this achievement
on global history
Topic: Impact of Economic
Systems and Social Changes
June
2009
While economic and social changes have
occurred throughout history, certain time
periods have seen great changes. These time
periods include the Middle Ages, the
Industrial Revolution in England, and the
Age of Globalization.
Choose two time periods mentioned in the
historical context and for each
Theme: Human Rights Violations &
Crimes Against Humanity
Select two different examples from history where
human rights have been denied to groups of
people and for each
• Explain the historical circumstances that led to
the denial of human rights
• Describe how the human rights of that group
were denied
• Discuss an action taken by an individual, a
group, or a government that
Some Choices:
Deserts, rivers, mountains,
plains, islands, irregular
coastlines, straits,
rainforests, climate, and
location.
Sahara Desert {Africa}
Andes Mountains {SA}
Island Nation of Japan
Arctic Regions
Amazon Rainforests of
SA
Congo Regions of Africa
Some Choices:
indigenous people in Latin
America {Guarani people
of Brazil/Paraguay} The
movie “The Mission”}
during the Encounter,
Jews in Russia during the
pogroms,
Armenians under the
Ottomans,
blacks under apartheid in
South Africa,
Chinese students in
• Describe the economic and/or social
attempted to end the human rights violations
changes that occurred during that time
period
• Discuss an impact of a change on society or
on a specific group of people
Tiananmen Square,
Bosnian Muslims in the
former Yugoslavia, and
women under the Taliban
in Afghanistan.
Russian People under the
Communist Regime of
Vladamir Lenin and/or
Joseph Stalin {Gulag
System}
August
2009
Topic: Global Water Systems
Theme: Belief System {Religion}
Some Choices:
Throughout history, the usage and control
of waterways such as rivers, canals,
straits, and seas have had economic and
political effects on many societies.
Select two belief systems from your study of
global history and for each
Buddhism, Christianity,
Confucianism, Daoism,
Hinduism, Islam, and
Judaism.
• Explain one major idea of the belief system
• Discuss the effects the belief system has had
January
2010
• Discuss how the usage or control of
waterways has had economic effects
and/or political effects on societies
on the politics, society, and/or the economy of
a specific nation or region
Protestant Religions
Martin Luther
Austere Practice of
Christianity
95 Theses – Man should
follow the Bible, his
conscience, and God not
the rituals and directives
of the Roman Catholic
Church and its political
hierarchy
Economic factor:
Catholic church lost
billions as German
Princes ceded from
Catholic control/taxes
and. Revenue loss from
reduction in sale of
indulgences
Topic: Non-Political Revolutions
Theme: Philosophical Writings and
Leaders
Some Choices:
Throughout history, many changes have
occurred in the way food is produced.
Some of the major changes occurred during
the Neolithic Revolution, Agrarian
(Agricultural) Revolution, and the Green
Revolution. These changes in food
production had political, social, and
Select two intellectuals, philosophers, and/or
leaders and a writing associated
with that person and for each
• Describe the historical circumstances
surrounding this writing
Bartolomé de las Casas—
Brief Report on the
Destruction of the Indians
Martin Luther—Ninety-five
Theses
John Locke—Two
Treatises on Government
Olympe de Gouges—The
economic effects on societies and regions.
Select two food production revolutions
mentioned in the historical context and
for each
• Describe a main idea found in this writing
• Discuss how this idea has influenced the
development of a nation or region
• Describe the change in food production
during that revolution
• Discuss political, social, and/or economic
effects the change in food
production had on society or a region
Declaration of the Rights of
Woman
Karl Marx—Communist
Manifesto
Theodor Herzl—On the
Jewish State
Adolf Hitler—Mein Kampf
Mao Zedong—Little Red
Book
Nelson Mandela—Long
Walk to Freedom
Jean Jacque Rousseau
The Social Contract
“Man is born free, yet
everywhere he is in chains”
Man agrees to give up his
natural freedoms so long as
the government provides
security and good
government
June 2010
Theme: Change & Ideas
The ideas of individuals have had a significant
influence on groups, nations,
and regions.
Select two individuals and for each
Confucius,
Niccolò Machiavelli,
Galileo Galilei, John
Locke, Simón Bolívar, Karl
Marx, Kemal Atatürk,
Nelson Mandela, Deng
Xiaoping, and Mikhail
• Explain a specific idea developed by the
individual
• Describe the historical circumstances that
surrounded the development of
the idea
• Discuss how the idea influenced a group or a
nation or a region
August
2010
Topic: Belief Systems
Theme: Nationalistic Movements
Throughout history, the spread of belief
systems has influenced social, economic,
and political developments in many regions.
These belief systems include Islam,
Christianity, and Buddhism.
Select two belief systems mentioned in the
historical context and for each
• Describe how the belief system spread to a
specific region or regions
• Discuss how the belief system influenced a
region or regions socially,
economically, and/or politically
Select one country or region and
• Describe the historical circumstances that led
the people of this country or
region to begin a nationalist movement
• Describe a goal of the nationalist movement
• Discuss a method used to achieve this goal
• Discuss the results of this nationalist movement
on this country or region
Gorbachev.
Jesus Christ
Siddhartha Gautama
Jean Jacque Rousseau
Voltaire
Jim Jones – Cults
Bob Dylan – Music
Thoreau and Emerson
Serbia WW I – desire for
independence against
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Germany WW II –
Nazism – ultra
Nationalism
Scotland in the 13th
century against England –
William Wallace
India’s desire for home
rule against the British –
Gandhi
Muslims during time of
Gandhi {1940s} – desire
for own state – Pakistan &
Bangladesh established
Japan during WW II –
imperialism of Asia
because of Nationalistic
aspirations