Answer:
The answer is B. It is a handwritten document.
Step-by-step explanation:
A primary source is an artifact, a document, a recording, or other source of information that was created at the time under study. Being a primary source document is what makes it valuable as a historical resource.
Some indications that a document is a primary source include:
A. The letter is dated - While the date indicates when it was written, the date alone does not make it a primary source.
B. It is a handwritten document - This suggests it is an original piece created during Lincoln's lifetime, rather than a copy or reproduction. An authentic primary source document will usually be handwritten.
C. The letter looks old - The appearance is not definitive. A document can look old but be a reproduction.
D. Abraham Lincoln was the president in 1854 - While accurate, this fact alone does not make the document a primary source.
Of the options, only B - the fact that it is an actual handwritten document from the time - provides strong evidence that this is a primary source. The date, context and appearance can provide supporting evidence, but only the original handwriting conclusively indicates it is a primary source artifact created during the period it describes.
So in summary, the key indicator that this is a primary source is that it is a handwritten document actually penned by Abraham Lincoln himself in 1854.