DBQ SAMPLES

RELIABILITY

Doc 2 is especially reliable because the government official goes against his bias. Instead of going along with the state, he criticizes the quality of their products and questions the responsibility of other government officials.

 This document could also prove to be reliable, since he is a water commissioner, and most likely has seen numerous other water structures, and seeks for the best one to commission from.

RELIABILITY

1. Document 5 is unreliable, and although a political leader wrote it, it was full of bias information. This document was also written for the upper class gentlemen to explain how awful and vulgar the job is of a craftsman.

2. This document in not very reliable because this is written in a book and most likely contain a lot of bias in it.

MISSING DOCUMENT

What would be helpful is a chart showing data of production before and after the invention of easy labor machines, and it would show an increase in productivity and a decrease in worker injuries.

A graph showing the average life span of a Roman craftsman or peasant, versus a Han craftsman or peasant, would show that poorer Han peoples lived longer due to technological advancements that benefited them (not only the wealthy), whereas the Romans died earlier due to over exhaustion, since they didn’t have enough technological equipment that benefited them as well.

MISSING DOCUMENT

3. A report by a Han government official would talk about the greatness of technology which would show how Han admires and is all for technology.

4. A letter from a person in the Han Empire explaining how the pestle and mortar influenced his life to make it better would prove that they were for technology advancement.

ANALYSIS

In this it is evident that Frontius not only thinks of the Aqueducts as a helpful structure for bringing in water, an essential for life, into Rome efficiently, but hat he also thinks that the structure itself is something grand and beautiful, thus fells superior for having them towards other societies.  The Han Dynasty wanted to reduce the labor and effort of the common people. Although excellent quality tools made work easier, a bad quality tool makes work more difficult. The concern expressed by government officials shows that the Han Dynasty cared for even the lowest of peasants. By making work easier for the common folk, the majority of the peasants would remain loyal to the Han Dynasty.

ANALYSIS

5. Doc 4 states that the invention of the “water powered blowing engine… allowed people to enjoy great benefit for little labor”. This made the peoples job easier and faster which they enjoyed.

6. Doc 6 written by a Roman citizen and high official talks about a different leader who liked how now “bridges were built across whatever wintry streams or ravines cut the roads”, it made getting around easier.