The documents only
presented Islamic and European perceptions. African or Asian impressions concerning
trade contacts would have been helpful.
Is there additional
information that would be valuable?
WHAT’S MISSING?
Let’s
look at what kind of information might help us get a better “picture.” Is
there a bias that needs to be balanced? Is there something that would make
the assessment more accurate?
As we
discussed earlier, all of the documents for this DBQ come from Europeans and
Muslims describing trade contacts from their point of view. Where are the
comments and perceptions of Africans, Asians, Mongols, and Aztecs? It would
be interesting to see how their perceptions compare with those of the
“outsiders.” Missing information can often provide the source for an
effective conclusion.
Note to
teacher: Keep in mind that students may develop other interpretations and
theses which should be encouraged and analyzed by the class as a whole.
