HAPPy Histories: Navigating AP History Analysis on the DBQ

In this episode, Wendy delves into the intricacies of earning the analysis point on the DBQ Essay. Through her signature blend of academic insight and relatable examples, she demystifies the process, guiding listeners through the key components of historical analysis and sourcing. With the help of the HAPPy acronym—exploring Historical Situation, Audience, Point of View, and Purpose—Wendy equips students with the tools they need to excel on exam day.

 

But "HAPPy Histories" goes beyond theory, providing practical examples and tips to reinforce learning. Wendy shares real AP exam-ples and offers valuable strategies for maximizing points, ensuring listeners are well-prepared for success.

 

So whether you're a seasoned AP History student or just embarking on your journey, join Wendy on "HAPPy Histories" as she transforms history lessons into moments of discovery and triumph. Don't miss out—listen now and embark on your path to AP History excellence!

Show Links/Notes:

Website: www.APHistoryHelp.com

Amazon link to AP Student Success Journal: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CR8FSHY5

AP History Help on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@APHistoryHelp

Historical situation is looking at what is going on in the time period that the document was created. And how was the document influenced by the time period.

Audience can be audience or intended audience. For whom is this document written? And how does the audience influence the message in the document.

Point of view is not opinion. Look at any biases. But we ask, why is this author putting forth this message at this time. In other words, why does the document or author say what it does the way it does.

Purpose asks what the author is trying to achieve. What impact is the author or creator trying to have on the intended audience?

In this episode I will hold your hand through HAPPy-land. Eww. That sounds creepy doesn’t it? Let’s make it sound a little more academic. In this episode, I will help you understand how to get the analysis point on the DBQ Essay. This doesn’t apply to the LEQ because the rubric is just different (and you’re not using documents). But the sourcing point, also called analysis, is easy if you just understand what it is and how to get it.
But before we get too far along, if you haven’t done so already, make sure that you listen to my last episode, where I explained the difference between summarizing the documents and using them to support your thesis. There were lots of examples for each of the AP History courses. I managed to work in the Constitution a couple times and even shared which amendment is my favorite. You could go back and listen to it to find out because… they’re all on demand for your listening and/or watching pleasure. 
Last week, I wondered out loud if you were sick of documents and then proceeded to spend our time together in class talking about summarizing them and using them as support. So hopefully you’ve come back for more. Because we are going to build on that summary and support piece with some analysis. Like I was saying before, earning this point is easy. All it takes is an acronym and some practice to be happy when it comes to sourcing.  We’re first going to explore what those words, analysis and sourcing, mean wholistically and in the context of the AP exam. Then we’re going to explore that happy acronym and put it into practice. Then just like the last few episodes, we’ll close out with some real AP exam-ples. Ha-ha – see what I did there. Exam pulls! Like they are actually from past AP exams. Huh? Oh. Sorry. Did I tell you that I was going to start including some bad teacher jokes in class? Laughter is so good for remembering what you’re learning. I won’t get into the brain science behind it, but we remember things better when we are in a happy mood. 
Analysis. What does it mean to analyze something? It is the process of breaking something into smaller parts in order to gain a better understanding of it. We start to do that when we look at the parts of a document. Who wrote it. When. To whom? What were the circumstances. Where was it written from and about? But historical analysis adds a new piece to this. Historical analysis is examining evidence from the past to create a deeper understanding of and picture of that time, place, event, etc. I want to repeat that for emphasis. A deeper understanding. Grabbing author, time, place is like swimming over the surface of the water. You really don’t know what lies beneath. But when you dive down deeper. You gain a better understanding of this body of water. Is it cooler? Darker? What kind of fish are there? Is it clear? Murky? Same with historical events. You gain a deeper understanding of the topic by diving into these pieces of evidence, better known as documents. 
And what about Sourcing. What does it mean to source something? It is the act of understanding who the author is, their purpose, who they wrote it for, all for the purpose of analysis or interpretation. You are putting yourself, as best you can, into the shoes of that author and looking around at your situation, the place you’re in, what’s happening around you all to analyze, gain that deeper understanding of the topic. 
And so to try and clear up any confusion, teachers can, will, and do use those two terms interchangeably as it pertains to this point on the DBQ Essay. 
So, don’t worry about it. Call it what you want to call it. The College Board groups it with the complexity point and calls them both “Analysis and Reasoning.”  It is much more important that you know what to do rather than you know what to call it. The scoring criteria for this point states, “For at least two documents, explains how or why the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience is relevant to an argument.” And they go on to provide what they call their decision rules. Those state, “To earn this point, the response must explain how or why (rather than simply identifying) the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, or audience is relevant to an argument about the prompt for each of the two documents sourced.”
And this is where HAPPy comes in. The letters H-A-P-P stand for historical situation, Audience, Point of view, and Purpose.  And we add the why because that is where we answer the question why. Or to use the words of College Board, the response must explain how or why it’s relevant to your argument.”  You guys. This is super easy. To get this point you only need to do this twice in your essay! Not all four things either! You could do one point of view and one historical situation. You could do two audiences. It doesn’t matter the combination, but for two different documents, you pick one way to analyze it… one letter from H-A-P-P.  And we’ll get to how, momentarily. Now, you can’t analyze one document in two different ways. It does specifically say, “for each of the two documents sourced.”     This is where I tell you that if they ask for two, it’s a really good idea to do it three times. Yes, you are smart, but on the day of the exam, sometimes your brain gets a little mushy and wires get crossed. Analyze three documents for insurance… just in case. Oh, what’s that? You want a PERFECT score? You’re going for that last complexity point? One way to do it is to analyze four documents. Or again, for insurance, analyze five. So, when you are reading the documents, look for how you might analyze every single one and then pick the two that you feel least comfortable about and don’t analyze them. Yep. I want you to analyze five out of the seven documents for maximum points!
 

I know how hard it is to keep track of all the things you need to know in an AP History class. So I spent a good chunk time trying to organize things in a way that you can reflect daily and see the big picture. I call it the AP History Student Success journal and it is available on Amazon. It is set up to be a user friendly, weekly companion on your journey to acing the AP exam. I want you to be able to focus on the important content each day – each week, the thinking skills that we cover in our class and in your AP classroom, and most importantly, you should always take time to reflect on the overall process of what you’re learning which skills you’re developing. I’ve put a bunch of other little tips and tricks in there to help answer a lot of questions that I think you might have. I will put the link to purchase the Student Success Planner in the show notes, but you can also access it through the APHistoryHelp.com website or head on over to Amazon and search on success planner for history students ap and it will be at the top of the search results! And podcast listeners heard it first… the price is going up soon. The price is low right now to get them out there plus it is toward the end of the school year. But the value is much more than that 14.97 price tag.  I want you to have a chance to grab one before the price goes up. So run, don’t walk to that Amazon add to cart button. And if you’re listening to this after I raised the price, get in contact with me and I’ll tell you how to get it for the original price. 
I heard you asking before that little break, “How do I know what each letter of HAPP even is. Yes, students, I am going to talk about each one. Get out your paper and pen and get ready to take notes. Unless of course you’re driving or somewhere else that you can’t take notes. Ok, yes, I’ll put it in the show notes. Historical situation is looking at what is going on in the time period that the document was created. And how was the document influenced by the time period. Is it responding to issues in this period? Think about Francis Scott Key writing the Star Spangled Banner as bombs were flying over head during the War of 1812. If he hadn’t been there at that moment in time… just imagine. He wrote, “And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave.”  Those words are so much more powerful knowing he was witnessing this battle and unsure if America was winning or not until he saw in the red glare of the rockets and bombs, the American flag still waving away. 
Next is audience. For this sometimes you know who it is written for and sometimes you have to say things like, “this was likely meant for this guy or this group.” It’s ok. It can be audience or intended audience. For whom is this document written? And how does the audience influence the message in the document. You’re going to write a letter to a teacher different from a friend. Think of the Declaration of Independence. Who were Jefferson, Franklin, Sherman, et al writing this to? Many people will say the King of England. That’s not wrong but my APUSH students know that it was a breakup letter to the King, an announcement to the world that America was declaring itself independent from England, and it was written to the colonists, to rally the troops. Either way, it might have been written differently if it were only intended for the King or only for the colonists. The words were chosen to appeal to all three groups. 
Point of view is not opinion. Repeat after me, students. Point of view is not opinion. Point of view is not opinion. Good. Point of view does look at any biases. But we ask, why is this author putting forth this message at this time. In other words, why does the document or author say what it does the way it does. Let’s say you’re listening to a podcast about how to succeed in your AP History class and the host is a college educated teacher with decades of experience teaching AP history and has graded more AP history essays than there are stars in the sky (yes, that’s hyperbole). In addition, she has a master’s degree, a website called AP History Help, has written a book and has hundreds, maybe thousands of hours of experience tutoring AP students. Last, she keeps giving you information for free just so you can learn more and succeed in your AP history class. This podcast is one that should have excellent reliable information in it. There is no hidden agenda except trying to be as informative as possible in about 20 minutes. On the other hand, there is a podcast hosted by a college student who is majoring in marketing. He passed APUSH with a 3 about 5 years ago. He makes some crazy claims about how if you buy his video series and review cram packet for $99, you will pass the exam. As a matter of fact, it seems like he talks more about what you will find in his videos than how to succeed on the exam. Which one is a better source of information on AP History? Which one will support an argument better? Well, I do suppose it depends on what the argument is. 
And last we have purpose. Purpose asks what the author is trying to achieve. What impact is the author or creator trying to have on the intended audience? The purpose of the Magna Carta was to limit the power of crazy King John. The purpose of King Henry’s Act of Supremacy was to name himself head of the Church of England and sever the country’s ties to the church in Rome. 
Before we continue with examples, it’s time for Wendy Teaches History! Sit back students, it’s time for a story. This episode is released on February 12th. I’m torn between Abraham Lincoln, since it’s his birthday and Saint Valentine. Here’s why I’m choosing the latter. I feel like I’ve been favoring a lot of APUSH content. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good love story. So back in the days of the Roman Empire, after Christianity began but around when it barely could be legally practiced, the emperor Aurelius forbade the bishop, Valentine from continuing to perform marriage ceremonies for Christian soldiers because he needed them to fight in wars and if they were married, they would be reluctant to leave their new brides. But Valentine defied the emperor’s decree and was thrown in prison. While there, he performed a miracle. He cured the jailer’s daughter of blindness and allegedly the two fell in love.  This was not looked at favorably and the Bishop, Valentine was executed on February 14 of the following year. On the eve of his death, he sent a passionate letter to his beloved, signed simply, “your Valentine.” There is another version of his story. But I like this one. 
Alright, back to business. Remember that you have to connect the WHY of each analysis point. Tie it back to how your document supports your argument. Yep, that was last episode. Episode 14. Say the words this means, this is important because. This shows. This supports. This provides value or this detracts from. Got it? AND! I want you to realize that there can be overlap between these four areas. Going back to the Star Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key was at the battle, experiencing fear and not knowing who was winning. I used that as historical situation. But you could also talk about his point of view, full of fear, not knowing who was winning the battle. Don’t be afraid of that. If you say one or the other or both, you’ve met the requirement for 1 of the 2 examples of analysis. Another example is the Declaration of independence. I told you about the audience, but you could easily overlap with purpose. Why was it written to the King, the world, the colonists? And how did that influence what was said? 
And last, I promised some examples. I’ll give one example from each course, starting with AP Euro. This is from the 2019 exam and the prompt is, “Evaluate whether or not the Catholic Church in the 1600s was opposed to new ideas in science.” One of the documents is written by Galileo where he claims that contradictions between the Bible and heliocentrism are attributable to the abstruse language of the Bible. For point of view you could say that he is acting in his own self interest as an astronomer who believes in the heliocentric model and is persecuted as a result.  Or for audience, or purpose, you could say that Galileo seeks the support of political authorities as sponsors of science and to counterbalance the Church. 
Next up, APUSH. The 2019 DBQ prompt was, “Evaluate the extent to which the Progressive movement fostered political change in the United States from 1890 to 1920.” One of the documents is from Twenty Years at Hull-House, written by Jane Addams. The historical situation is that immigration and industrialization in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries led to rapid population growth in cities such as Chicago and an expansion in demand on political leaders for municipal services. Or for point of view you could say,  progressive reformers like Addams sought to exercise social control by cleaning up urban political machines and uplifting immigrants by Americanizing them.
And last for AP World, the prompt from 2021 asks you to evaluate the extent to which European imperialism affected economies in Africa and/or Asia in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. So one of the documents was a graph and these are probably the more challenging to analyze. So I wanted to give you two possibilities. First is purpose. As Great Britain was becoming an increasingly industrialized country during this period, the purpose of the EIC providing this data to Parliament may have been in part to show that it was playing its part in providing markets for British industrial goods, the most important one of which was cotton textiles. Notice the qualifier like may have been. And next, the historical situation: Because of the system of Company Rule in India, the EIC, rather than the British government, had effective control of large parts of the Indian subcontinent. That explains why it was the EIC’s responsibility to collect such trade information and report it to the British Parliament.
Want more? Want to see the whole DBQ? The prompt? The documents? The sample essays with commentary. Guess what!? I have them. Send me a DM on whichever platform you follow me on. Or contact me through my website. You could even call or text me – the number is on the website, APHistoryHelp.com.  I’ll be happy to send a sample. Or better yet, let’s get on Google Meet and look at one together. 

Next episode, we are going to jump into complexity. The college board sure made my life easier in August when they changed up how you can earn this point. I will go over the easy ways, as well as the not so easy ways. If you are striving for that 7 on your DBQ and that 5 on your AP exam, you are not going to want to miss Episode 16. It is being released on February 26. Hmm. What history will I teach in that one?? Anyway, hit that follow or subscribe button wherever you are listening or watching so you’ll be notified whenever it and any new episode is released. 
Don’t forget about that AP Student Success Journal only available at this low price for a short time. I’ll link to it in the show notes or just search for Student Success Journal AP on Amazon. And I would be so grateful if you would tell your friends who are taking or thinking about taking AP History classes about the podcast. I’m here to help as many students as possible to be successful in the course and on the exam.
That will do it for this episode. Don’t forget to come to Wendy for AP History Help. 
And this episode of the AP History Help podcast is now history.