Question

\what were the causes of the civil war?\

consider the above research question and choose the secondary source that is best suited to answer it.

• a hollywood film about the life of abraham lincoln
• maps of the united states that were produced prior to 1860
• a 2018 biography of general robert e. lee, who led the souths army
• first-hand accounts from formerly enslaved people following the civil war

Explanation:

Distinguish primary and secondary sources

Using the Primary Sources and Historical Evidence knowledge points

• Primary sources are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic from people who had a direct connection with it (e.g., maps from the era, first-hand accounts).
• Secondary sources are one step removed from the event. They analyze, interpret, or synthesize primary sources (e.g., biographies, scholarly books, documentaries).

Evaluate the options against the research question

• A Hollywood film about the life of Abraham Lincoln: While a secondary/tertiary source, Hollywood films are dramatized for entertainment and are not reliable academic secondary sources for analyzing historical causes.
• Maps of the United States that were produced prior to 1860: These are primary sources from the period before the war.
• A 2018 biography of General Robert E. Lee, who led the South's army: This is a modern academic secondary source. It synthesizes primary evidence to analyze the historical context, decisions, and underlying causes of the conflict through Lee's life.
• First-hand accounts from formerly enslaved people following the Civil War: These are primary sources providing direct personal testimonies.

Select the best-suited secondary source

The research question asks for a secondary source best suited to answer "What were the causes of the Civil War?". The 2018 biography of Robert E. Lee is a scholarly secondary source that provides the necessary historical analysis and synthesis to address these broad causes.

Answer:

• (A) A Hollywood film about the life of Abraham Lincoln
• (B) Maps of the United States that were produced prior to 1860
• (C) A 2018 biography of General Robert E. Lee, who led the South's army (Correct answer)
• (D) First-hand accounts from formerly enslaved people following the Civil War