Writing Time

3 key points THESIS

Thesis : Contextualization

Introduce basic background information to help the

reader understand the time, place, or idea youre
talking about
2-3 sentences, usually at the very beginning of your
essay
Look to the DBQ question for clues: How did the
Spanish view Native Americans as they developed
their global empire in the 16th and 17th centuries?

Thesis : Contextualization

Example:
Following

the Fall of Constantinople, European nations

desperately sought an alternative route to Asia and the
wealth of the Asian spice trade. Ferdinand and Isabella,
having just completed the Reconquista of Spain,
financed a daring voyage to explore a western route but
discovered instead a continent of unfamiliar people and
cultures. Determined to profit from the discovery, the
Spanish began to extract resources from the Americas
while also attempting to convert the population to
Catholicism.

Thesis : Contextualization

Follow with your thesis statement usually the final

sentence of your 1st paragraph

Body #1: 1st Key Point

1st
Sentence:
Key Point

Almost universally, the Spanish saw American Indians

as barbarians because their culture was so different
from European civilization and appeared to be
significantly inferior. Some, like the Spanish priest
Juan Gines de Sepulveda, even claimed that the
Indians were less than human, nearly animals (Doc
D). He felt that this gave the Spanish the right to rule
over the Indians. In the same way, Christopher
Columbus stated that the Indians could be easily put
to work to serve the Spanish king and queen (Doc A).
He clearly considered them to be inferior and
specifically mentions their lack of advanced
technology or even clothing as his evidence. Even
though other Spaniards felt differently, most still
agreed with the basic idea that Indians were inferior.

Body #1: 1st Key Point

2nd
Sentence:
Evidence
#1

Almost universally, the Spanish saw American Indians

as barbarians because their culture was so different
from European civilization and appeared to be
significantly inferior. Some, like the Spanish priest
Juan Gines de Sepulveda, even claimed that the
Indians were less than human, nearly animals (Doc
D). He felt that this gave the Spanish the right to rule
over the Indians. In the same way, Christopher
Columbus stated that the Indians could be easily put
to work to serve the Spanish king and queen (Doc A).
He clearly considered them to be inferior and
specifically mentions their lack of advanced
technology or even clothing as his evidence. Even
though other Spaniards felt differently, most still
agreed with the basic idea that Indians were inferior.

Body #1: 1st Key Point

3rd
Sentence:
Analyze

Almost universally, the Spanish saw American Indians

as barbarians because their culture was so different
from European civilization and appeared to be
significantly inferior. Some, like the Spanish priest
Juan Gines de Sepulveda, even claimed that the
Indians were less than human, nearly animals (Doc
D). He felt that this gave the Spanish the right to rule
over the Indians. In the same way, Christopher
Columbus stated that the Indians could be easily put
to work to serve the Spanish king and queen (Doc A).
He clearly considered them to be inferior and
specifically mentions their lack of advanced
technology or even clothing as his evidence. Even
though other Spaniards felt differently, most still
agreed with the basic idea that Indians were inferior.

Body #1: 1st Key Point

4th
Sentence:
Transition

Almost universally, the Spanish saw American Indians

as barbarians because their culture was so different
from European civilization and appeared to be
significantly inferior. Some, like the Spanish priest
Juan Gines de Sepulveda, even claimed that the
Indians were less than human, nearly animals (Doc
D). He felt that this gave the Spanish the right to rule
over the Indians. In the same way, Christopher
Columbus stated that the Indians could be easily put
to work to serve the Spanish king and queen (Doc A).
He clearly considered them to be inferior and
specifically mentions their lack of advanced
technology or even clothing as his evidence. Even
though other Spaniards felt differently, most still
agreed with the basic idea that Indians were inferior.

Body #1: 1st Key Point

5th
Sentence:
Evidence
#2

Almost universally, the Spanish saw American Indians

as barbarians because their culture was so different
from European civilization and appeared to be
significantly inferior. Some, like the Spanish priest
Juan Gines de Sepulveda, even claimed that the
Indians were less than human, nearly animals (Doc
D). He felt that this gave the Spanish the right to rule
over the Indians. In the same way, Christopher
Columbus stated that the Indians could be easily put
to work to serve the Spanish king and queen (Doc A).
He clearly considered them to be inferior and
specifically mentions their lack of advanced
technology or even clothing as his evidence. Even
though other Spaniards felt differently, most still
agreed with the basic idea that Indians were inferior.

Body #1: 1st Key Point

6th
Sentence:
Analyze

Almost universally, the Spanish saw American Indians

as barbarians because their culture was so different
from European civilization and appeared to be
significantly inferior. Some, like the Spanish priest
Juan Gines de Sepulveda, even claimed that the
Indians were less than human, nearly animals (Doc
D). He felt that this gave the Spanish the right to rule
over the Indians. In the same way, Christopher
Columbus stated that the Indians could be easily put
to work to serve the Spanish king and queen (Doc A).
He clearly considered them to be inferior and
specifically mentions their lack of advanced
technology or even clothing as his evidence. Even
though other Spaniards felt differently, most still
agreed with the basic idea that Indians were inferior.

Body #1: 1st Key Point

7th
Sentence:
Link

Almost universally, the Spanish saw American Indians

as barbarians because their culture was so different
from European civilization and appeared to be
significantly inferior. Some, like the Spanish priest
Juan Gines de Sepulveda, even claimed that the
Indians were less than human, nearly animals (Doc
D). He felt that this gave the Spanish the right to rule
over the Indians. In the same way, Christopher
Columbus stated that the Indians could be easily put
to work to serve the Spanish king and queen (Doc A).
He clearly considered them to be inferior and
specifically mentions their lack of advanced
technology or even clothing as his evidence. Even
though other Spaniards felt differently, most still
agreed with the basic idea that Indians were inferior.