There are many means by which a student can demonstrate point-of-view analysis in this DBQ. Students must make a reasonable effort to address point of view by referring to at least three documents.
Examples of ACCEPTABLE point-of-view analysis:
Relating authorial point of view to author’s place in society:
“Leonard von Eck, as a chancellor, would likely hold this view since as a government official he is probably very concerned with preserving order and the stability of the political structure. (doc. 1)”
“Since Martin Luther had been deemed a heretic and was dependent upon local princes for protection, it is not surprising that he would be so vehement in condemning events that many linked to him and that were causing such civil unrest. (doc. 7)”
Evaluating the reliability of the source:
“Lichtenstein may not be a completely reliable source, however, since he was pleading his own case and clearly had something to gain. (doc. 10)”
“Since Caspar Nutzel is a local government official writing to a superior, his acknowledgement of “excessive” actions by authorities seems credible since it may have been somewhat risky to offer criticism of authority during this time period. (doc. 9)”
Recognizing that different kinds of documents serve different purposes:
“It is important to note that Lorenz Fries is commenting in a secret report probably not meant for publication; therefore, he is likely able to be more frank and honest than he might have been in a public document. (doc. 8)”
| “The demands of the Peasant Parliament of Swabia were announced in Articles of the Peasants of Memmingen to the town council; since these demands came from a group of peasants, it is reasonable to assume that these were widely held views among the peasantry of this area. (doc. 3)” |
Analyzing the tone of the documents:
“The passionate tone of Muntzer’s open letter was clearly designed to incite further reaction among an already agitated peasant population.” (what counts here is not merely the mention of “tone,” but a clear link to the intention of the author)
Examples of UNACCEPTABLE point-of-view analysis:
“Count Wilhelm von Hennenberg, in a letter to Duke Albert of Prussia, noted that nobles were surprised when peasants turned from attacking priests and monks to the property of the nobility. (doc. 11)”
Why unacceptable? This is merely attribution with no attempt at further analysis beyond the stated information from the document itself; the statement does not explain why Hennenberg held these views.
“Because this is a statement written by two preachers, it accurately reflects the attitudes of the people during this time period. (doc. 5)”
Why unacceptable? Again, this is really just attribution, since the statement makes no effort to explain how or why these two preachers would be authoritative voices of the people.
