KentuckySocial Studies Corner
★ Inquiry DBQ Series · #15

The Valladolid Debate DBQ

The Valladolid Debate (1550): did Spain have the right to rule the Americas?

In 1550, Spain put its own conquest on trial. Students argue both sides of the Valladolid Debate in a structured academic controversy, then write their own argument.

Grade 7World Civilizations 600–1600Google Slides3 class periods

License: one teacher and their own students.

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What's included

  • Teacher presentation (13 slides) with speaker notes
  • Full DBQ packet (40 pages): hook, background essay, documents with analysis questions, sourcing organizer, bucketing and outline, writing task, 4-point rubric, teacher guide with answer key and sample essay
  • Scaffolded version (16 pages): shorter excerpts, vocabulary support and sentence starters, with its own answer key

The documents

  • Bartolomé de las Casas
  • Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda
  • The Requerimiento (1513)
  • The New Laws of 1542
  • Las Casas on the Atlantic slave trade

Good to know

Class time
3 periods of 45–50 minutes
Pages
69 total
Format
Editable Google Slides
Answer key
Included

Standards: KAS Grade 7: 7.C.RR.1, 7.G.MM.1, 7.I.CC.2, 7.I.CC.4, 7.I.Q, 7.I.UE, 7.I.CC