Name ______________________________________ Teacher_______________________ Social Studies 7

The New NationDocument Based Essay

Directions:

Read the documents and answer the scaffolding questions after each document as completely as possible. Once you have finished the scaffolding questions, read the task and write your essay.

Historical Context:

In the early years of the United States, leaders needed to make many new decisions. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, America’s founding fathers made choices that had a lasting impact on the United States.

Task:

Explain how early leaders built a strong nation through their domestic and foreign policies.

What do we already know about this topic?Domestic Policy Foreign Policy

George Washington/Alexander Hamilton:

John Adams:

Thomas Jefferson:

George Washington/Alexander Hamilton:

John Adams:

Thomas Jefferson:

DOCUMENT 1

Source: George Washington letter to Henry Lee, August 1794George Washington was president of the United States when the Whiskey Rebellion broke out in 1794. In a letter to Henry Lee, Washington explains what he plans to do about the rebellion in western Pennsylvania.

1. A. What was the historical context (the Occasion) of the Whiskey Rebellion? (What is the background? What events led up to the Whiskey Rebellion?)

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B. Based on document 1, what was Washington’s (the Speaker) point of view about the Whiskey Rebellion? Why did he feel this way (the Purpose)?

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C.How did Washington’s position as President shape his opinion/point of view?

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“There has been an uprising [against] the [tax] laws placed on whiskey in some of the western parts of Pennsylvania … These uprisings have been dangerous and have resulted in injury to persons and property…Therefore I, George Washington, President of the United States, command all of these rebels to disperse…and do require all officers to work to suppress these insurgents.”

DOCUMENT 2

Source: George Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality,

In 1793, Great Britain and France were at war against each other. Each country was pressuring the United States to form an alliance with them. George Washington addressed the issue through his Proclamation of Neutrality.

“Whereas it appears that a state of war exists between Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands on the one part and France on the other, the duty and interest of the United States require that we should remain friendly to both sides.

Therefore, I warn all citizens of the United States carefully to avoid all actions which may seem to take sides among the warring parties.

And I do hereby make known that anyone who helps the war effort of any of the parties or who provides them with forbidden merchandise will not be protected by the United States from punishment.”

2. Based on document 2, what was George Washington’s point of view about taking a side in the war in Europe? Why did he feel this way?

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DOCUMENT 3

Source: John Adams’ Special Session Message to Congress, May 1797

Faced with a dilemma with France known as the XYZ Affair, John Adams responded with the following message to Congress:

“It is my sincere desire…to preserve peace and friendship with all nations; I shall institute a fresh attempt at negotiation [with France], and shall not fail to promote and accelerate [a result] compatible with the rights, duties, interests, and honor of the nation. If we have committed errors…we shall be willing…to redress [correct] them; and we have a right to expect [the same] from France and every other nation…

3. Based on document 3, what was John Adams’ point of view about how the United States should react to the XYZ Affair? Why did he feel this way?

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Document 4

DBQ Essay Organizer

1. A. What was the historical context (the Occasion) of the Louisiana Purchase? (What is the background? What events led up to the Louisiana Purchase?)

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B. What was Thomas Jefferson’s Purpose in buying the Louisiana Territory?

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The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 brought into the United States about 828,000 square miles of territory from France. What was known about the land at the time was the Louisiana Territory stretched from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west and from the Gulf of Mexico in the south to the Canadian border in the North.

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Historical Context:

In the early years of the United States, leaders needed to make many new decisions. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, America’s founding fathers made choices that had a lasting impact on the United States.

Task: Explain how early leaders built a strong nation through their domestic

and foreign policies.

INTRODUCTION

Historical Context(“Occasion”)

This is not about the documents themselves, but rather the events leading up to the documents. What was happening in the country that led to the creation of the two political parties?

Try to write two sentences of background information. You can use the historical context as a guide, but use your own words!

Thesis

Turn the task into a statement. Identify the main idea based on the

task.

Body Paragraph 1: Domestic PoliciesTopic Sentence (look to the first part of your thesis statement):

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Document

Explanation/Analysis of Each Document (Your interpretation/what it means):

Relevant Outside Knowledge

(connected or related to the document):

Document

______

Document

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Closing Sentence for Body Paragraph 1:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Body Paragraph 2: Foreign PoliciesTopic Sentence (this should be the second part of your thesis statement):

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Document

Explanation/Analysis of Each Document (Your interpretation/what it means):

Relevant Outside Knowledge

(connected or related to the document):

Document

______

Document

_______

Closing Sentence for Body Paragraph 2:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion

Topic Sentence (Summarize the historical context in one sentence from your introduction paragraph):__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summarize body paragraphs in 2 sentences. (Summarize each body paragraph- look at your topic or closing sentences for help.)

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Closing Sentence (Re-word your thesis from your introduction paragraph):________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________