Question

Which of the following is an example of a claim that a historian might make about the American Civil War?

A. The Emanciplation Proclamation freed slaves only in states that had seceded from the union.

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

C. The American Civil War had many causes, and this paper will explain them all.

D. President Lincoln wrote in a letter, "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it."

Answer 1

The American Civil War was caused not by slavery but by economic factors.

Answer 2

The answer is B. A. and D. are facts, not claims, since A describes accurately the extent of the Emancipation Proclamation and B quotes Lincolns actual words. C. is a claim, but an overly exaggerated one that no serious historian would make (no paper can explain every cause that led to a complex historical event). B., on the other hand, is a reasonable claim that can be backed by facts.