i posted earlier about my DBQ for my us history class, and i just need to know how i should go about opening and closing what i am saying.

it's the only part i have trouble on.
heres the question again: In what ways and to what extent did constitutional and social developements between 1860 and 1877 amount to a revolution?

my stance on it is that it made drastic developments constitutionally but not so much socially.

I suggested a beginning sentence.

I think there was a great social change -- especially in the South. African Americans were freed from slavery after the Civil War. That made drastic changes in the social life in the South.

well the question can go 4 ways:

drastic developement constitutionally and socially

drastic developement constitutionally and not socially (my choice)

drastic devel. socially and not constitutionally

and no drastic devel. for both parts

and since this is a DBQ we have to use documents given to back up why we think that.

I think it's drastic development constitutionally and socially. For documents, you can use the Constitutional Amendments. Then check out the social changes brought by the Civil War and the end of slavery.

To open and close your DBQ essay, you can follow these steps:

1. Introduction:
To begin your essay, you can start with a strong opening sentence as you've suggested: "I think there was a great social change -- especially in the South. African Americans were freed from slavery after the Civil War. That made drastic changes in the social life in the South."

After your opening sentence, you can provide a brief historical context or background information about the time period between 1860 and 1877, such as mentioning the Civil War, Reconstruction era, and the changes happening in American society during that time.

2. Thesis Statement:
Next, you need to clearly state your thesis statement that reflects your chosen stance: "I believe that the constitutional developments between 1860 and 1877 had a drastic impact, and while there were social changes, they were not as significant."

Make sure your thesis statement is concise, specific, and clearly states your position on the extent of revolution during that period.

3. Body Paragraphs:
In the body of your essay, you can divide your argument into several paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of constitutional or social development. It's important to support your arguments with evidence from the provided documents.

For the first type of radical development (constitutional and social), discuss how the constitutional amendments, such as the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, affected both the legal and social status of African Americans. Use specific evidence from the documents to support your claims.

For the second type of development (constitutional development, not much social change), focus on the political and legal changes brought by Reconstruction, such as the establishment of new state governments and the adoption of new constitutions. However, highlight the limitations and obstacles faced by African Americans in achieving social equality, using evidence from the documents to support your arguments.

4. Conclusion:
In your conclusion, restate your thesis statement and summarize the main points from your body paragraphs. You can emphasize the extent of the revolution that occurred, highlighting the significant constitutional changes and acknowledging the limited social progress made during the period.

Remember to weave in the evidence from the documents throughout your essay to support your claims and arguments effectively.

By structuring your essay in this manner, you can provide a clear and organized response to the question while incorporating relevant evidence from the provided documents.