Question

question 1 of 10

which of the following is an example of a claim that a historian might make about the american civil war?

a. the american civil war had many causes, and this paper will explain them all.
b. former slaves fighting in the union army were essential to several northern victories.
c. president lincoln wrote in a letter, \if i could save the union without freeing any slave i would do it.\
d. the emancipation proclamation freed slaves only in states that had seceded from the union.

Explanation:

🆕 New Concept Discovered: Historical Claims vs. Facts
An arguable statement requiring evidence to prove.

Step 1: Define a historical claim

A historical claim is an arguable statement or interpretation about the past. It is not merely a statement of undisputed fact, a direct quote, or a simple announcement of a topic. Instead, it is an opinion or thesis that requires supporting evidence and analysis to prove.

Step 2: Evaluate the options

• Option A: "The American Civil War had many causes, and this paper will explain them all."

This is a statement of purpose or an announcement of what the paper will do, rather than an arguable interpretive claim.

• Option B: "Former slaves fighting in the Union army were essential to several Northern victories."

This is an interpretation of historical events. The word "essential" makes this an arguable point that a historian must support with evidence (such as battle records, troop numbers, and outcomes) to prove. This is a classic historical claim.

• Option C: "President Lincoln wrote in a letter, 'If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it.'"

This is a direct quote and an established historical fact, not an interpretive claim.

• Option D: "The Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves only in states that had seceded from the Union."

This is a factual description of the legal scope of the document, which can be verified directly by reading the text of the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a fact, not an arguable claim.

Answer:

B. Former slaves fighting in the Union army were essential to several Northern victories.