For the dbq we need to include outside information not given in the documents. For the long essay, we need to include evidence, but they don’t provide any sources at all! Does this mean I have to memorize/be really familiar with documents so that I can quote/paraphrase them in my writing? How do I know which documents are most important to know?
You won’t need to quote any outside information but it can be beneficial to know a few specific sources to talk about within your essay.
I agree with @zbthsjunior . Last year, it was really easy because the DBQ was all about feminism. Hopefully it’s that easy this year. however, if you’re really good at the multiple choice section and FRQ, you should be fine with either a 4 or 5.