Name: _____________________________________ Date:___________________________ 

 
What is the QUESTION we are ANSWERING in this DBQ? 
 
 
 

What INFORMATION are we LOOKING FOR in the DBQ to answer the QUESTION? 
 
 
 
 
Write your essay below: 
 
It was no rain which is they can't grow crops and they has nothing to eat and they starve to death
there were diseases they had that they could not fix because of they had no jobs they had no jobs to
get the money to get to places with food jamestown didn't have any water or food for themselves so
they starved and died the jamestown drought has to be able to make all the things listed on this list
happen Most people died from the drought and they had starved to death they can not make any
crops so they can starve to death and no water so they can die of thirst the drought was most of the
reason people died
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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: 4/32
Percentage: 12.5%
Rank: Limited
 
1. What can you infer about ​who lived in this area​ before the arrival of the English? 
 
2. Why do you think the English would ​choose to settle here? 
 
 
3. Is there any evidence that the​ English expected trouble? 
 
 
 
 
1. Why did the​ English come to America in 1607?  

 
 
 
2. Who helped ​pay for settling the James River colony? 

 
 
3. How many ​settlers died ​in the ​first six months? 

 
 
 
Putting our ideas into buckets: 
DBQ QUESTION:  

 
 
 
 
 

REASON #1 REASON #2 REASON #3 

 
  
DOCUMENT 1 
1. What does “drought” mean? Google the definition.  

 
 
2. How does drought affect food and growing crops? 

 
 
 
3. In the winter of 1609-1610, Jamestown experienced what settlers called the “starving time.” Based 
on this document, what do you think caused the “starving time?” 

 
 
 
4. Is there any way lack of rain might create fights between the English and the Powhatans (Native 
Americans)? Explain. 

 
 
5. Based on this document, ​why did so many colonists die at Jamestown? 

 
 
 DOCUMENT 2 
1. How many settlers arrived in May 1607? 1608? How many settlers total? 

 
2. What is a “gentleman”? Why were so many settlers “gentlemen?” 

 
3. Are there any jobs missing from the list that would help settlers? What are they? 

 
4. From looking at this chart, ​why did so many colonists die at Jamestown?  

 
 DOCUMENT 3 
1. What is the ​highest number​ for​ total population of settlers ​ever at Jamestown? 

 
2. In 1607 and 1608 how many settlers died from disease? How many were killed by Indians? 

 
3. What are the two main reasons why settlers died from 1609-1610? 

 
 
4. From looking at this chart, ​why did so many colonists die at Jamestown?  

 
 
 
 
 Preparing Your Essay  
WHY DID SO MANY COLONISTS DIE IN EARLY JAMESTOWN? 
Reason #1:  

 
 

What document is this reason from? Document _____________ 

Reason #2:  

 
 
 

What document is this reason from? Document __________ 

Reason #3:  

 
 

What document is this reason from? Document ____________ 

 
 
 
 Thesis Statement 
A thesis statement is your MAIN SENTENCE. It ANSWERS the DBQ with your 
THREE REASONS. 
 

So many colonists died in Jamestown because 

1. No rain  

2. NO food 

3. Being killed by the native americans and dying a lot 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
A. Grabber ​(Ask a question to get your reader’s attention OR state an interesting or 
surprising fact) 
 
Jamestown is a place  
 
B. Background information on Jamestown (date, place, situation) ​Write one background 
sentence on Jamestown. 
 
Lots of people died there 
 
C. Rewrite the DBQ Question 
 
Why did so many people die in Jamestown? 
 
E. Thesis Sentence  
So many colonists died in Jamestown because  
 
 
II. BODY PARAGRAPH #1​ (Reason One:)  
 
A. Baby Thesis:   
One reason so many colonists died in Jamestown is 
 
 
B. Evidence: Use evidence from the documents to provide details about Reason One.  
Document ____ supports this claim because  
 
 
C. Argument:  
This reason supports why so many colonists died in Jamestown because 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
III. BODY PARAGRAPH #2 ​(Reason Two: )  
 
A. Baby Thesis:   
The second so many colonists died in Jamestown is 
 
 
B. Evidence: Use evidence from the documents to provide details about Reason One.  
Document ____ supports this claim because  
 
 
C. Argument:  
This reason supports why so many colonists died in Jamestown because 
 
 
IV. BODY PARAGRAPH #3​ (Reason Three:)  
A. Baby Thesis:   
The third reason so many colonists died in Jamestown is 
 
 
B. Evidence: Use evidence from the documents to provide details about Reason One.  
Document ____ supports this claim because  
 
 
C. Argument:  
This reason supports why so many colonists died in Jamestown because 
 
 
V. CONCLUSION 
A. Rewrite your thesis sentence  
 
 
 
B. Summarize key idea of your argument