Name:____________________________________ Bell:__________________________ 

 
What is the QUESTION we are ANSWERING in this DBQ? 

If you were a soldier at valley forge would you have quit? 

 
What INFORMATION are we LOOKING FOR in the DBQ to answer the QUESTION? 
We need to read the documents to decide if we would have quit.  
 
 
 
Leaving Valley Forge To Go Home  
 
Have you ever heard about Valley Forge? Valley Forge was a military fort when 
George Washington was president. Valley Forge was an unbelievably cold place. If you 
were a soldier at Valley Forge would you have quit? Quitting means you give up on a job or 
task because you can no longer do it. ​I have decided to quit as a soldier at Valley Forge for 
three reasons which are ​the large numbers of soldiers that died, the lack of food and 
clothing, and the extremely cold temperatures. 
 
The first reason I will quit being a soldier is the due to the large number of ill soldiers. 
Document A supports this claim because the difference in soldiers who died during 
encampment is 4,000 soldiers. This reason is causing me to quit because the large number 
of soldiers there was such a large number of soldiers that died from illness at Valley Forge 
and I would not want to become ill and die. 
 
The second reason I will quit being a soldier at Valley Forge is because of the lack of 
food and clothing. Document B supports this claim because the congressional committee 
had to come to Valley Forge to bring the soldiers food and clothing because they were 
extremely low on supplies. This reason is causing me to quit because I am afraid that I 
would die from not having enough food and not having enough clothing to keep me warm 
during the winter.  
 
The third reason I will quit being a soldier at Valley Forge is because it was extremely 
cold and there were no blankets to protect the soldiers bodies. Document C supports this 
claim because it is a diary entry from Dr. Waldo where he talks about not having enough 
blankets at camp and soldier’s body parts freezing. This reason is causing me to quit 
because I will freeze to death if I stay. 
 
I have decided to quit being a soldier at Valley Forge for three reasons which are ​the 
large numbers of all soldiers that died, the lack of food and clothing, and the extremely cold 
temperatures. ​I have made this decision because we did not have food and water and I do 
not want to stay in the cold and possibly die. I will feel bad for leaving the other soldiers but 
this is what’s right for me. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Student A Rubric Score 
2 
(Approaching 
4 (Mastery)  3 (Proficient)  Proficiency)  1 (Basic)  0 (Limited) 
  (80%-100%)  (70%-80%)  (60%70%)  (50%-60%)  (0%-50%) 

Complete  Thesis is  Has a 

thesis with  provided with  recognizable  Has an 
strong claim  a claim and  thesis with a  introductory 
and 3 strong  three  claim and 1-2  claim that is  Has no thesis 
supporting  supporting  supporting  not developed  or introduction 
Thesis  details.  details.  details.  into a thesis.  claim. 

Includes most 
of the 
Includes  following: 
restatement of  restatement of 
question,  question, 
definition of  definition of  Functional 
terms (when  terms (when  introductory 
appropriate),  appropriate),  paragraph 
and a thesis  and a thesis  containing a  Introduction to 
that introduces  that introduces  stated or  essay lacks in 
the analytical  the analytical  recognizable  structure, form,  Has no 
categories to  categories to  thesis and  and detail, but  introductory 
Introduction  be developed.  be developed.  roadmap.  is present.  paragraph. 

Has 
Clearly  Clearly  recognizable  Has unclear 
organized with  organized with  organization  organization. 
body  body  with main  This may 
paragraphs  paragraphs  ideas divided  include no 
arranged in the  from the ideas  into  body 
order of the  in the thesis,  paragraphs;  paragraphs 
thesis.  but out of  body  that do not 
Contains clear  order. Contains  paragraphs  follow in an 
topic sentence  topic sentence  may not be in  order  Body 
Body  for each body  for each body  the same order  suggested by  paragraphs are 
Paragraphs  paragraph.  paragraph.  as thesis.  the thesis.  not present. 

Makes 
reference to 
few 
Uses a  Incorporates a  documents. 
reasonable  reasonable  Contains  Citations are 
number of the  number of the  reference to  missing. 
documents  documents but  several  Documents are 
and includes  may not  documents but  often 
document  always include  there could  misunderstood Document use 
Document Use  citation.  citation.  easily be more.  .  is not present. 
 Provides 
evidence from 
the documents 
that supports 
the claim of 
the topic 
sentences. 
Demonstrates 
analytical skills 
such as seeing 
close detail, 
synthesis, 
finding 
inconsistencies Accurately 
, questioning  interprets most  Contains some 
author bias,  but not all  effort at  Very little  No evidence 
and making  documents  document  evidence  provided to 
Evidence  judgments.  cited.  analysis.  provided.  support claims. 

Most body  Includes an 

paragraphs  argumentative 
Provides an  include an  statement but 
argument in  argument that  does not 
each body  ties the  clearly explain  The argument 
paragraph that  evidence to  how evidence  is present but 
addresses the  the baby  answers the  is not  No argument 
Argument  baby thesis.  thesis.  question.  explained.  provided. 

Concludes 
with a 
paragraph that  Concludes 
clinches  with a  Has some sort 
argument with  paragraph that  of concluding  Includes 
succinct  restates thesis  paragraph.  concluding 
summary  and may  May be  statement, but 
and/or fresh  summarize  unnecessarily  not a strong  No conclusion 
Conclusion  wrinkle  argument.  repetitive.  paragraph.  provided. 

Is generally 
Is well-written  written with 
with few or no  complete  Contains errors 
errors in  sentences, but  in sentence  Extreme 
sentence  Is quite  contains errors  structure and  mechanics 
structure,  well-written  in verb tense,  mechanics  errors that 
spelling,  but includes  agreement,  which make  make the 
punctuation,  some errors in  punctuation,  the essay hard  essay 
and  grammar and  spelling, and  to  incomprehensi
Mechanics  capitalization.  spelling.  capitalization.  comprehend.  ble. 

 
Raw Score: 29/32 
Percentage: 90.6% 
Rank: Mastery 
 
 
 

 
1. What is the DIFFERENCE (number) in the number of soldiers from DECEMBER 1777 
to FEBRUARY 1778?  
The difference in soldiers is 4,000 there are soldiers less.  
 
2. What do you notice about the ILLNESS ESTIMATES DURING ENCAMPMENT from 
December 1777 to FEBRUARY 1778? 
I notice that 1,000 more people got sick.  
 
3. How did most soldiers DIE during ENCAMPMENT?  
Most of the soldiers died from illness during encampment. 
 
4. Based on this document, ​if you were a soldier at Valley Forge, would you have 
quit? Why or why not? 

If I was a soldier at valley forge. I would have quit because people were dying 
because of illness at high numbers. 
 Document B 

 
1. Read the caption. What is happening in this source? 
In this source, George Washington is introducing the congressional committee to the 
army.  
2. Why did the Congressional Committee come to Valley Forge? 
The congressional committee came to valley forge to bring the soldiers food and 
clothing because they were suffering.  
3. Why did the soldiers at Valley Forge need “more food and clothing?” 
The soldiers at valley forge needed more food and clothing to survive the winter 
because of the harsh conditions. 
4. ​Based on this document, ​if you were a soldier at Valley Forge, would you have quit? 
Why or why not? 

If i was a soldier at valley forge I would think about staying because the committee 
brought the soldiers food and supplies so they could survive. 

 
 DOCUMENT C  
 
 

 
 
 
1. Who wrote this source? What was his job? 
Dr. waldo wrote this source. He was a surgeon. 
 
2. How does Dr. Waldo feel at Valley Forge?  
Dr. waldo feels sick tired and angry.  
3. List 2 of the struggles soldiers are facing at Valley Forge. 
Two of the struggles the soldiers faced were being extremely cold and not having any 
food.  
4. ​Based on this document, ​if you were a soldier at Valley Forge, would you have quit? 
Why or why not? 

If I was a soldier at valley forge I would have quit because there was no food to eat and 
I don't want to freeze to death. Dr. Waldo also described how terrible it was at Valley 
Forge.  
 
 
 
 If you were a soldier at Valley Forge, would you have quit? Why or why not? 

 
Reason #1:  

I would have quit because of the many soldiers that died of illness. 
 
What document is this reason from? Document A 

 
Reason #2:  

I would have quit because there was a lack of supplies such as clothing and food and 
it was during the harsh winter. 
 
 
What document is this reason from? Document B  

 
Reason #3:  

I would have quit because valley forge was extremely cold and there were no blankets 
to stay warm which made many soldiers become ill.  
 
What document is this reason from? Document C  
 Thesis Statement 
A thesis statement is your MAIN SENTENCE. It ANSWERS the DBQ with your 
THREE REASONS. 
 
 

I have decided to ​quit ​being a soldier at Valley Forge for three reasons which are... 
 

1. The large number of soldiers that died from illness. 

2. The lack of food and clothing. 

3. And the extremely cold tempenbess.  

 
I have decided to ​quit ​being a soldier at Valley Forge for three reasons which are ​the 
large numbers of soldiers who died of illness, the lack of food and clothing, and 
the extremely cold temperatures. 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
A. Grabber ​(Ask a question to get your reader’s attention OR state an interesting or 
surprising fact) 
Have you ever heard about Valley Forge? 
 
 
B. Background information on Valley Forge (date, place, situation) ​Write one background 
sentence on Valley Forge. USE YOUR BATTLE NOTES. 
Valley Forge was a military fort when George Washington was president. Valley Forge 
was an unbelievably cold place.  
 
 
C. Rewrite the DBQ Question 
If you were a soldier at Valley Forge would you have quit?   
 
 
D. Definition of “quit” (put the definition of quitting in your own words) 
Quitting means you give up on a job or task because you can no longer do it.  
 
 
 
E. Thesis Sentence  

I have decided to quit as a soldier at Valley Forge for three reasons which are ​the 
large numbers of soldiers that died, the lack of food and clothing, and the 
extremely cold temperatures. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
II. BODY PARAGRAPH #1​ (Reason One:)  
 
A. Baby Thesis:   
The first reason I will quit being a soldier is the due to the large number of ill soldiers. 
 
 
B. Evidence: Use evidence from the documents to provide details about Reason One.  
Document A supports this claim because the difference in soldiers who died during 
encampment is 4,000 soldiers.  
 
 
C. Argument:  
This reason is causing me to quit because the large number of soldiers there was such a 
large number of soldiers that died from illness at Valley Forge and I would not want to 
become ill and die. 
 
 
III. BODY PARAGRAPH #2 ​(Reason Two: )  
 
A. Baby Thesis:   
The second reason I will quit being a soldier at Valley Forge is because of the lack of food 
and clothing. 
 
B. Evidence: Use evidence from the documents to provide details about Reason One.  
Document B supports this claim because the congressional committee had to come to 
Valley Forge to bring the soldiers food and clothing because they were extremely low on 
supplies. 
 
 
C. Argument:  
This reason is causing me to quit because I am afraid that I would die from not having 
enough food and not having enough clothing to keep me warm during the winter.  
 
 
 
 
 
IV. BODY PARAGRAPH #3​ (Reason Three:)  
A. Baby Thesis:   
The third reason I will quit being a soldier at Valley Forge is because it was extremely cold 
and there were no blankets to protect the soldiers bodies. 
 
 
B. Evidence: Use evidence from the documents to provide details about Reason One.  
Document C supports this claim because it is a diary entry from Dr. Waldo where he talks 
about not having enough blankets at camp and soldier’s body parts freezing.  
 
 
C. Argument:  
This reason is causing me to quit because I will freeze to death if I stay. 
 
 
V. CONCLUSION 
A. Rewrite your thesis sentence  
I have decided to ​quit ​being a soldier at Valley Forge for three reasons which are ​the 
large numbers of all soldiers that died, the lack of food and clothing, and the 
extremely cold temperatures. 
 
 
 
B. Summarize key idea of your argument 
I have made this decision because we did not have food and water and I do not want to 
stay in the cold and possibly die. I will feel bad for leaving the other soldiers but this is 
what’s right for me.