Name: _________________________ Ms.

Ecker
Date: __________________________ World History Honors
Impact of Industrialization
Document Based Essay
The prompt below is based on the accompanying documents. The documents have been edited for the purpose
of this exercise.

In your response you should do the following:

● Respond to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis or claim that establishes a line of reasoning.
● Describe a broader historical context relevant to the prompt.
● Support an argument in response to the prompt using at least six documents.
● Describe the content in an expanded discussion of at least three documents.
● Use at least three additional pieces of specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents)
relevant to an argument about the prompt.

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which industrialization fundamentally altered people’s way of life in the period
1750-1900.

Document 1
Source: Documents from the Luddite movement. The first is a threat from a Luddite to an industrialized fabric
workshop, ca. 1811. The second is a song entitled “General Ludd’s Triumph,” explaining the purpose of the
Luddite Movement.

“If you do Not Cause those Dressing Machines to be Remov’d Within the Bounds of Seven Days… your factory
and all that it Contains Will and Shall Surely Be Set on fire… it is Not our Desire to Do you the Least Injury, But
We are fully Determin’d to Destroy Both Dressing Machines and Steam Looms.”

“These Engines of mischief were sentenced to die / By unanimous vote of the Trade / And Ludd who can all
opposition defy / Was the Grand executioner made.”

Document 2
Source: Changing Lives: Women in European History Since 1700, written by Bonnie G. Smith, an American
historian of Europe, 1989

“Dislocated and impoverished, many urban newcomers [including women] lived in the utmost misery. Working
women started political groups of their own. Many kept alive the language and dreams of revolutionary Europe
in an ongoing series of strikes, political movements, and new waves of revolution. Filled with ambition for liberty,
working women started political groups of their own and engaged in political struggle. Simultaneously,
middle-class women began organizing a mass feminist movement to obtain education, property and marital
rights, and the vote.”
Document 3
Source: “Death’s Dispensary,” a cartoon drawn by George Pinwell for a London magazine decrying water
pollution as a source of disease, especially among the poor, 1866. The caption reads, “Open to the poor, gratis
[free], by permission of the Parish.”

Document 4
Source: The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in response to the devastating
social results of industrialization, 1848.

“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. … Our epoch, the epoch of the
bourgeoisie, possesses, however, this distinct feature: it has simplified class antagonisms. Society as a whole is
more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other -
bourgeoisie and proletariat. The need of a constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie
over the entire surface of the globe. It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections
everywhere. … All old-established national industries have been destroyed or are daily being destroyed. They
are dislodged by new industrious …, that [use] raw material drawn from the remotest zones; industries whose
products are consumed, not only at home, but in every quarter of the globe.
Document 5
Source: Map of the world showing migration patterns out of Europe as the world industrialized in the 19th
century.

Context: Between 1815 and 1939 some 50 to 55 million people left Europe for foreign lands due to various
factors, such as poverty, rapid population growth, and a decline in peasant farming and artisan manufacturing
due to mechanization. In contrast, foreign lands offered employment opportunities and readily available land
with relatively cheap transportation options.

Document 6
Source: The Working Man’s Companion: The Results of Machinery, Namely Cheap Production and Increased
Employment written by Charles Knight, 1831.

“You are surrounded, as we have constantly shown you throughout this book, with an infinite number of
comforts and conveniences which had no existence two or three centuries ago and those comforts are not used
only by a few, but are within the reach of almost all men. Every day is adding something to your comforts. Your
houses are better built, your clothes are cheaper, you have an infinite number of domestic utensils. You can
travel cheaply from place to place , and not only travel at less expense, but travel ten times quicker than two
hundred years ago.”
Document 7
Source: Chart showing the share of economic output by country, 1750-1900.

Share of Total World Manufacturing Output (percentage)

1750 1800 1860 1880 1900

EUROPE AS A WHOLE 23.2 28.1 53.2 61.3 62.0

United Kingdom 1.9 4.3 19.9 22.9 18.5

France 4.0 4.2 7.9 7.8 6.8

Germany 2.9 3.5 4.9 8.5 13.2

Russia 5.0 5.6 7.0 7.6 8.8

UNITED STATES 0.1 0.8 7.2 14.7 23.6

JAPAN 3.8 3.5 2.6 2.4 2.4

THE REST OF THE WORLD 73.0 67.7 36.6 20.9 11.0

China 32.8 33.3 19.7 12.5 6.2

South Asia (India/Pakistan) 24.5 19.7 8.6 2.8 1.7

 DOCUMENT BASED QUESTION GRADING CHECKLIST
CONTEXTUALIZATION _____ / 1
Describes a broader historical context relevant to the prompt.
The response must relate the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments, or processes that
occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question. This point is not awarded for merely a
phrase or a reference.

THESIS / CLAIM _____ / 1

Responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.
The thesis must make a claim that responds to the prompt, rather than merely restating or rephrasing the
prompt. The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introduction or the
conclusion.

DOCUMENTS, EVIDENCE, & ANALYSIS _____ / 3

Use / Support Describe

Doc 1

Doc 2

Doc 3

Doc 4

Doc 5

Doc 6

Doc 7

Outside Evidence

1. 2. 3.

USES/SUPPORTS an argument in response to the prompt using at least SIX documents. Document is explicitly
and clearly connected to the primary argument / thesis

Accurately DESCRIBES the content of at least THREE documents to address the topic of the prompt. Content of
the document is clearly described. Quotes are insufficient to earn this point.

Uses at least three additional pieces of specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents)
relevant to an argument about the prompt. The response must describe the evidence and must use more than a
phrase or reference. It should be clearly connected to the central argument you are making. This additional piece
of evidence must be different from the evidence used to earn the point for contextualization.
 GRADING RUBRIC

5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point

Thesis Strong thesis - Thesis stated - Addresses the Poor focus; fails No clear thesis or
responds directly answers the question but has to answer the line of reasoning
to the question question and weak structure question established.
with a clearly establishes a line and focus. adequately. Vague
established line of of reasoning Somewhat line of reasoning.
reasoning confusing line of
reasoning

Context Topic is clearly Topic is mostly Topic is Topic is minimally Topic is

framed within the framed within the somewhat framed framed within the inaccurately
broader historical historical setting within the historical setting framed within
setting with with historical historical setting with some detail; historical setting,
relevant historical detail; more than with some detail; passing reference. lacks detail;
detail; more than a passing more than a passing reference.
a passing reference. passing reference.
reference.

Uses Docs At least 6 docs At least 6 docs At least 4 docs Less than 4 docs Less than 4 docs
used correctly to used mostly used mostly used to support used that
clearly & explicitly correctly to correctly to an argument. inaccurately
support / advance clearly support clearly support Vague connection support an
argument argument argument to argument argument.

Describes Content of at Content of at Content of at Content of 2 docs Content of 2 or

Docs least 3 docs are least 3 docs are least 2 docs are are minimally fewer docs are
clearly & explicitly clearly described somewhat addressed & minimally
described & tied & tied to the accurately vaguely tied to addressed &
to the argument argument with described & tied the argument inaccurately tied
with specific specific evidence to the argument to the argument
evidence beyond that may be a
a quote quote

Outside 3 pieces of highly 3 pieces of 3 pieces of mostly Less than 3 pieces Less than 3 pieces
Evidence relevant historical relevant historical relevant historical of relevant of relevant
detail clearly & detail clearly detail explained historical detail historical detail
thoroughly explained to to help advance explained – OR – explained –AND–
explained to provide context to argument Historical detail Historical detail
provide context to docs and advance inaccurate / does inaccurate / does
docs and advance argument not help argue. not help argue.
argument

Spelling / Well structured, Clearly written Weaker Poorly organized; Disorganized;

Grammar well written; no and coherent; organization; many errors in littered with
errors in spelling, some minor some errors in standard English. errors in standard
grammar, or errors in writing. writing that English.
mechanics that detract from the
detract from essay's meaning.
meaning
 DOCUMENT BASED QUESTION ORGANIZATIONAL PLANNER
Complete the following chart to help organize your response to the prompt and determine your thesis:

Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which industrialization fundamentally altered people’s way of life in the period
1750-1900.

Arguments Supporting Docs Analysis / Connect to Claim

(Strongest Argument)

(2nd Strongest Argument)

(Counter Argument)

Claim:

Use the following format:

X. However, A and B. Therefore, Y.
Each of these is not necessarily a standalone sentence, they are concepts. ‘X’ represents the strongest point against
your argument. We call this the counter-argument. ‘A and B’ represent the two strongest points for your argument. We
call these your organization categories. ‘Y’ represents the position you will be taking – in other words, your stand on the
prompt.

Context Statement:

Full Thesis Statement: