Renaissance DBQ_honors

In a CER response, what is the purpose of a Claim?

• To state the main argument or answer the question being asked.

• To provide specific facts and examples that support the argument.

• To explain how the evidence proves the argument is true.

• To summarize the response by restating key points.

In a CER response, what is the purpose of the Evidence?

• To provide specific facts, examples, or data that support the claim.

• To introduce the main argument or answer the question.

• To explain how the claim and evidence are connected.

• To restate the main idea and summarize key points.

In a CER response, what is the purpose of the Reasoning?

• To explain how the evidence supports the claim by making logical connections.

• To provide more facts, examples, or data that support the claim.

• To introduce the main argument or answer the question.

• To restate the main idea and summarize key points.

#1. Part A: According to the text, what could the Middle Ages be described as?

• The Middle Ages could generally be described as a time when the Church was the most powerful and the source of knowledge.

• The Middle Ages could generally be described as a time when art and literature was used to teach about religion.

• The Middle Ages could generally be described as a time when scientific discoveries flourished and challenged traditional beliefs.

• The Middle Ages could generally be described as a time when most people were literate and had access to a wide variety of books.

#1, Part B: What text evidence proves the previous answer the best? The Middle Ages could generally be described as a time when the Church was the most powerful and the source of knowledge.

• "During the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope were the primary players in Europe."

• "The custodians of culture - that is the people who owned and cared for most of the books and made handwritten copies of the Bible - were monks who often lived a closed existence inside the walls of monasteries."

• "Schools were few. Illiteracy was widespread. Most of the population, more than 85%, consisted of peasant farmers and serfs who worked for a lord and his land."

• "All levels of society looked to the Catholic Church to explain the world."

#1, Part C: Why was that the best choice to prove the argument so far? The Middle Ages could generally be described as a time when the Church was the most powerful and the source of knowledge. According to the text, "all levels of society looked to the Catholic Church to explain the world."

• This confirms that the Church was the main source of knowledge, as people depended on it for explanations about life and the universe.

• This reinforces that the Church controlled not only education but also artistic and literary expression.

• Since education was not widespread, most people relied on the Church for knowledge and understanding of the world.

• This proves that knowledge and learning were controlled by the Church, as monks were responsible for preserving and copying texts.

#2, Part A: Why did education start to increase in the 1300s?

• Education started to increase in the 1300s because the Church built more schools for peasants.

• Education started to increase in the 1300s because the printing press made books widely available.

• Education started to increase in the 1300s because the number of merchants and bankers increased.

• Education started to increase in the 1300s because it was required for more advanced jobs.

#2, Part B: What is the best text evidence to prove that answer? Education started to increase in the 1300s because it was required for more advanced jobs.

• “The number of merchants and bankers increased. Since these people needed to have an education to effectively carry on their work, literacy spread.”

• "The custodians of culture - that is the people who owned and cared for most of the books and made handwritten copies of the Bible - were monks who often lived a closed existence inside the walls of monasteries."

• "The invention of the printing press in the mid-1400s gave the Renaissance and humanism even more momentum."

• "The art and literature that existed focused on Jesus Christ and sin because it was used to celebrate and teach religious values."

(multiple answers) #2, Part C: Why was that the best choice to prove the argument so far: Education started to increase in the 1300s because it was required for more advanced jobs. “The number of merchants and bankers increased. Since these people needed to have an education to effectively carry on their work, literacy spread.”

• It explicitly states that people needed education to perform specialized jobs like merchants and bankers.

• It connects the increase in literacy directly to the rise of advanced professions rather than other unrelated factors.

• It provides a logical cause-and-effect relationship between job specialization and education growth.

• It shows that the Church was responsible for increasing education through religious teachings.

#3, Part A: Why did the Renaissance become its own distinct time period?

• The Renaissance became its own distinct historical time period because feudalism became stronger.

• The Renaissance became its own distinct historical time period because the Catholic Church gained more power.

• The Renaissance became its own distinct historical time period because the social structure changed.

• The Renaissance became its own distinct historical time period because humanism changed society.