Name: ____________________________________________________________________

How Democratic Was Andrew Jackson?

Document-Based Question Essay Organizer

CP
BC

SECOND DRAFT
Directions: Complete the graphic organizer using your FIRST draft, planning sheet, and document packet. This
will help you write out the second draft of your essay.
PARAGRAPH #1: INTRODUCTION

1. What are you trying to answer? Re-read the Prompt:

How democratic was Andrew Jackson?

2) HOOK: Before you answer the prompt you will need some an introductory sentence which invites the
reader in (Think about making controversial or surprising statements, giving a quote, asking questions, or stating some
shocking facts)

3.) BACKGROUND: Who was Andrew Jackson? What is he famous for?

Andrew Jackson was president of the United States from ____ to ____. His most famous
accomplishments include

4.) Your THESIS will be your position on the question above. Answer the question in the box above in 1
sentence.

Andrew Jackson ___________ democratic because

Was or was not

PARAGRAPH #2/BODY PARAGRAPH #1:

CLAIM #1:
Write out your first claim (i.e., from your thesis statement and the thesis roadmap) in a complete sentence.

Introduce the document

youre using:

Cite the EVIDENCE that supports

your choice:

EXPLAIN how this evidence supports your

choice:

According to (author of
document)
In (name of document) it
shows

(Provide a quote or a SPECIFIC DETAIL

from one of the visual sources!)

This means
It is evident that
Clearly

Clearly, this document shows that Andrew

Jackson

According to ________

____________ democratic
(was or was not)

[tie analysis back to Claim 1]

because

_______________,

[Name of source]
(Document _____).
Citation

Write a connecting statement to bridge this paragraph and the next in 1-2 sentences:

1. Look at topic of
next paragraph
2. Create a statement
that connects topic
of this paragraph to
the next one

Depending on your argument (i.e., whether or not he was

democratic), you need to explain how the evidence shows he
did or did not meet at least one of the criteria for being
democratic:
Government actions reflect the voice wishes of the People
promotes social, political, and economic equality for all
(including equal OPPORTUNITY)

PARAGRAPH #3/BODY PARAGRAPH #2:

CLAIM #2:
Write out your second claim (i.e., from your thesis statement and the thesis roadmap) in a complete
sentence.

Introduce the document

youre using:

Cite the EVIDENCE that supports

your choice:

EXPLAIN how this evidence supports your

choice:

According to (author of
document)
In (name of document) it
shows

(Provide a quote or a SPECIFIC DETAIL

from one of the visual sources!)

This means
It is evident that
Clearly

Clearly, this document shows that Andrew

Jackson

____________ democratic
(was or was not)

According to ________

tie analysis back to Claim 2]

because

_______________,

Write a connecting statement to bridge this paragraph and the next in 1-2 sentences:

PARAGRAPH #4/BODY PARAGRAPH #3:

CLAIM #3:
Write out your third claim (i.e., from your thesis statement and the thesis roadmap) in a complete sentence.

Introduce the document

youre using:

Cite the EVIDENCE that supports

your choice:

EXPLAIN how this evidence supports your

choice:

According to (author of
document)
In (name of document) it
shows

(Provide a quote or a SPECIFIC DETAIL

from one of the visual sources!)

This means
It is evident that
Clearly

Clearly, this document shows that Andrew

According to ________

Jackson

____________ democratic
(was or was not)

_______________,

tie analysis back to Claim 3]

because

Write a connecting statement to bridge this paragraph and the next in 1-2 sentences:

BODY PARAGRAPH #5: COUNTERCLAIM

COUNTERCLAIM:
What possible argument might an opponent pose against your argument and/or some aspect of your reasoning? Insert one or
more of those arguments here.

REMEMBER,
the counterclaim
argues the
OPPOSITE of
what you are

On the other contrary, some people argue that Andrew Jackson

EVIDENCE to support Counterclaim:

Find evidence
from the
document packet
to support the
counterclaim
above

They would defend this point of view with

Refute [respond to and disprove] that claim in the organizer below with evidence from one of the documents.
Introduce the document
youre using:

Cite the EVIDENCE that supports

your choice:

EXPLAIN how this evidence supports your

choice:

According to (author of
document)
In (name of document) it
shows

(Provide a quote or a SPECIFIC DETAIL

from one of the visual sources!)

This means
It is evident that
Clearly
Clearly, this document shows that Andrew
Jackson

____________ democratic
(was or was not)

However, according to

________________
[tie analysis back to counterclaim to prove it
wrong--do not simply repeat the evidence
and/or claim]
because

_______________,

Now, introduce evidence to

support YOUR side

PARAGRAPH #6: CONCLUSION

Transition to the Conclusion

(Use a transitional phrase then Make a statement about your topics importance and/or restate your main points.)

In conclusion, Andrew Jackson was a controversial figure because he had many sides to him.
Restate your Thesis
(Restate your thesis that you wrote in the introduction paragraph in a slightly new way highlighting the new evidence presented in the
body.)

Clincher

(Write a sentence or two that will keep the reader thinking. You might make a controversial statement about the topic, , call the reader to
action about your problem, postulate what could happen if your problem was NOT solved. Think about: why is it important to have
democratic leaders? Who could we compare Jackson to today? )