1. German Peasants’ Revolt
Dissecting the DBQ
German Peasants’ Revolt

2. The Question: Identifying the task
Analyze the causes of and the responses to the peasants’ revolts in the German states,
You should underline required tasks.
Your thesis AND body paragraphs should address ALL PARTS of this question.

3. A Sample Thesis
“Both religious and economic causes were responsible for the German Peasants’ Revolt. Other German citizens had positive, and varying degrees of negative responses to these widespread rebellions.”
What makes this an effective thesis?
How can we improve it?

4. Grouping Documents (Developing “Themes”)
Look to the required tasks of the question to help guide how you form groups.
Your thesis should SET UP your groups. e.g. if we take the previous thesis, “Both religious and economic causes were responsible for the German Peasants’ Revolt. Other German citizens had positive, and varying degrees of negative responses to these widespread rebellions,” this group has wisely created 4 groups:
Religious Causes (docs. 1, 3, 6)
Economic Causes (docs. 2, 8, 5)
Positive Responses (docs. 5, 6, 10)
Negative Responses (docs. 8, 11, 4, 9, 7, 12, AND 10)

5. POV?? WHY does THIS PERSON have the opinion s/he does?
WHAT PURPOSE does this document serve?
e.g. “As Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V sought to maintain his authority over religion and class…”
e.g. “As a protestant preacher and theologian, Muntzer sought to incite an uprising and religious reform in the midst of chaos”
e.g. “Because Luther had been protected by the German princes, he spoke against the peasants who had rebelled against these princes in order to continue to have the princes’ protection.”
e.g. The Peasant Parliament of Swabia sought to persuade their Lords to heed their demands for increased privileges and freedoms by appealing to the common Christian faith and beliefs of both peasants and lords alike. Lords who refused may appear “un-Christian.”