Engage your students this Halloween with a unique set of five mini DBQs designed to explore how fear, superstition, and hysteria have shaped key moments in history. This DBQ bundle is perfect for high school history classes, connecting historical inquiry with a Halloween twist. Each mini DBQ focuses on a different event, allowing students to analyze primary sources and think critically about the impact of fear and belief on societies throughout history.

The bundle includes:

1. Salem Witch Trials (1692): Investigate how religious extremism and fear of witchcraft led to mass hysteria in colonial America.
2. The Spanish Inquisition (1478-1834): Analyze how fear and persecution were used to enforce religious conformity and political control in Spain.
3. The Black Death (1347-1351): Examine the social, religious, and economic impacts of the plague and the scapegoating of Jewish communities.
4. The Mummy’s Curse (1920s): Explore how media sensationalism and public superstition created widespread belief in the "curse" of King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
5. The Panic of 1835: The Great Moon Hoax: Investigate how a series of fabricated newspaper articles stirred public hysteria about life on the moon.

Each DBQ includes 4 primary sources with analysis questions, a short answer prompt, and a final essay prompt connecting all five events. An answer key is also provided to make grading easier and support deeper discussions in class.
This resource is perfect for fostering critical thinking, historical analysis, and evidence-based writing. It can also serve as a great sub plan or engaging classroom activity around Halloween.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will critically analyze historical events shaped by fear, superstition, and hysteria.
• Students will develop historical thinking skills by examining primary sources and constructing evidence-based arguments.
• Students will connect past events to larger themes of how fear influences societal and political decisions.

Common Core Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Courses this product is great for:

• U.S. History
• World History
• AP European History
• AP U.S. History
• Social Studies

Why This Resource?

This Halloween-themed DBQ bundle offers a creative way to dive into historical analysis and critical thinking. It’s a versatile tool that promotes deeper learning and can also be used as an engaging, ready-to-go sub plan.

Support a fellow educator and get rewarded!
Purchase this resource, leave a review, and earn TeachShare credits you can use on any product on the platform. Your feedback helps others and benefits you too!

Ready to unlock your students' critical thinking potential? Explore my store for a treasure trove of reading comprehensions that tackle diverse themes and inspire insightful discussions. From historical mysteries to scientific explorations, there's something for every classroom!