IB History of the Americas HL2
Markschemes for Essay Test 1
1. To what extent were the grievances expressed in the Declaration of Independence
successfully addressed by the Articles of Confederation?
- Candidates should address specific grievances found in the Declaration and explicitly relate
those grievances to specific features of the Articles. Examples of grievances that could be
developed include dissolution of representative assemblies, control of judges and governors,
abuse of veto power, unfair trials, taxation without representation, etc. The candidate must also
evaluate how successfully the new government was in avoiding the creation of similar
grievances.
- The best candidates will balance the discussion of grievances and features with a valid
discussion of the term success, possibly with a discussion of problems inherent in basing a
system primarily upon eliminating grievances or difficulties in completely eliminating the
sources of those grievances.
[0 to 8 marks] there is little knowledge of the grievances expressed in the Declaration of
Independence or of the features of the Articles of Confederation, or a mere listing of specific
items.
[9 to 11 marks] there is satisfactory knowledge of the grievances expressed in the Declaration of
Independence and of the features of the Articles of Confederation. The causal relationship
between the two is limited but implicit.
[12 to 17 marks] there is critical analysis of the relationship between specific grievances and
features of the Articles, as well as a discussion of the successful avoidance of the grievances.
[18 to 20 marks] for an extra dimension or answers that reveal a high level of conceptual ability.
2. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail to provide a strong government?
- Candidates should address specific features of the Articles and precisely explain the problems
that were created by those features. Examples of issues that could be developed include the
federal taxation system, lack of control of interstate commerce, the legislative and amendment
processes, and the lack of equal executive and judicial branches.
- The best candidates will connect governance issues with the ideals and goals of the authors of
the Articles, i.e. the Second Continental Congress, which also produced the Declaration of
Independence.
[0 to 8 marks] there is little knowledge of the Articles of Confederation or problems faced by the
government that they created.
[9 to 11 marks] there is satisfactory knowledge of the Articles of Confederation and problems
faced by the government that they created. The causal relationship between the two is limited but
implicit.
[12 to 17 marks] there is a critical analysis of how specific features of the Articles impacted
governance of the nation. Reference is made to the revolutionaries’ philosophy of government.
[18 to 20 marks] for an extra dimension such as an awareness of different contemporary
outlooks on, or interpretations of, the problems of governance or answers that reveal a high level
of conceptual ability.
3. For what reasons, and in what ways, did supporters of slavery in the nineteenth century
use legal, religious, and economic arguments in its defence?
- Candidates should address at least one major justification for slavery in each area. Legal
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arguments could include states’ rights, constitutional powers or Congress, and arguments from
the Dred Scott decision. Religious arguments could include apologists’ quotations of the Bible
and the desirability of Christianizing enslaved Africans. Economic arguments could include the
concept of King Cotton, comparisons to the northern factory system, and difficulties in using
wage labor on plantations.
- Candidates should provide a balanced discussion of “reasons” and “ways.” Ways need not be
limited to the three areas, and social aspects could be explored. Analysis should link reasons and
ways where appropriate.
- The best candidates will provide evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments at
the time while recognizing the difficulty in making such evaluations and discussing alternative
interpretations.
[0 to 8 marks] there is little knowledge of either the arguments made in defence of slavery or the
reasons for those arguments.
[9 to 11 marks] there is satisfactory knowledge of the arguments made in defence of slavery and
the reasons for those arguments. The relationship between the “reasons” and “ways” is limited
but is implicit.
[12 to 17 marks] there is a critical analysis of how westward expansion intensified sectionalism
in the United States. Balanced and explicit application of the “ways” and “effects” is achieved.
[18 to 20 marks] for an extra dimension such as a discussion of historiographical issues arising
from analyzing arguments and motives or answers that reveal a high level of conceptual ability.
4. “Slavery was the most important cause of the Civil War in the United States.” To what
extent do you agree with this judgment?
- The central question presented is that of slavery being the MOST important cause. Candidates
should present a reasoned, balanced judgment of slavery versus other factors – political,
economic, and social/cultural. One possible approach could be to examine the extent to which
slavery underlay a variety of other issues. In particular candidates should avoid extended
discussion of conditions of enslavement.
- The best candidates will show an awareness of the extensive discussions that historians have
carried on over the causes of the Civil War.
[0 to 8 marks] there is little knowledge of the actual importance of slavery or other possible
causes of the war, or the candidate discusses only slavery as a cause, or only conditions of
enslavement.
[9 to 11 marks] there is satisfactory knowledge of multiple possible causes of the war. There is at
least implicit analysis of the importance of several possible causes.
[12 to 17 marks] there is a balanced critical analysis that explicitly evaluates the role of slavery
as one of a variety of causes of the war.
[18 to 20 marks] for an extra dimension such as an awareness of different interpretations of the
causes of the Civil War or answers that reveal a high level of conceptual ability.
5. In what ways, and with what effects, did westward expansion intensify sectionalism in
the United States between 1845 and 1860?
- Candidates should address the basic sectional issues that are connected with westward
expansion: examples could include the expansion of slavery, the inexpensive sale of public land
(leading to a division of the population and political power), internal improvements at federal
expense, protective tariffs and the conflict they cause between agricultural and industrial sections
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of the country, etc.
- Examples of the issues that could be developed showing ways with effects include the
Mexican Cession lands and the resulting Wilmot Proviso and Compromise of 1850, the KansasNebraska Act, Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry and the development of popular sovereignty.
- The best candidates will connect the sectional issues with the ways and through the use of
specific events or issues they will demonstrate the effects.
[0 to 8 marks] there is little knowledge of the impact of westward expansion on sectionalism in
the United States between 1845 and 1860.
[9 to 11 marks] there is satisfactory knowledge of the impact of westward expansion on
sectionalism in the United States. The relationship between the “ways” and “effects” is limited
but is implicit.
[12 to 17 marks] there is a critical analysis of how westward expansion intensified sectionalism
in the United States. Balanced and explicit application of the “ways” and “effects” is achieved.
[18 to 20 marks] for an extra dimension such as an awareness of different interpretations of the
impact of westward expansion on sectionalism in the United States or answers that reveal a high
level of conceptual ability.
6. Why, in spite of the advantages of the North over the South, did the Civil War in the
United States last so long?
- The prompt requires a discussion of either Southern advantages or northern disadvantages.
Candidates should carefully limit their discussion of Northern advantages in order to successfully
respond to the prompt. Possible areas of discussion: defensive nature of southern effort v.
northern difficulties in making offensive moves, role of military leadership and experienced
soldiers in early battles, trepidation of northern generals, southern efforts to industrialize
(including use of slave labor), lack of public support for war in the North, introduction of trench
warfare, questioning of Lincoln by cabinet and Congress, role of Northern attempts to keep
Britain and France out of the war in slowing its military campaigns.
- The best candidates will also discuss political issues that might have hardened both sides
against any negotiated solution or recognize the difficulties in making a judgment about a war as
militarily diffuse as the Civil War was.
[0 to 8 marks] there is little knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of either side, or the
paper lapses into a discussion of advantages and disadvantages of the two sides with no attempt
to address the “why”.
[9 to 11 marks] there is satisfactory knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of the two
sides that might have affected the length of the war. The relationship between the
advantages/disadvantages and the length of the war is implicit.
[12 to 17 marks] there is a critical analysis of multiple reasons for the protraction of the war.
Reasoned and explicit evaluation of the “why” is achieved.
[18 to 20 marks] for an extra dimension such as an awareness of different evaluations of the
effectiveness of war strategies or answers that reveal a high level of conceptual ability.
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7. “Abraham Lincoln’s leadership was the main reason why the Union won the Civil War.”
To what extent do you agree with this claim?
- Strengths:
• oratorical skills (e.g. Gettysburg and Second Inaugural Addresses).
• assembled and controlled an expert team of advisers (e.g. Stanton, Seward) despite their animus
toward him.
• willing to change military leaders who failed to produce results in the field, ultimately choosing
Grant and Sherman.
• able to convince Congress that the extraordinary situation of Civil War called for extraordinary
remedies.
• oratorical skills (e.g. Gettysburg and Second Inaugural Addresses) able to convince the public
and the world at large that he intended to accept no substitute for victory.
• effectively silenced critics of the war, though on questionable constitutional grounds.
• able to make effective strategic decisions (e.g. military – blockade; political - Emancipation
Proclamation, Homestead Act) to further war aims.
- Weaknesses:
• over-reliance on his own judgment in areas where he lacked expertise.
• sometimes slow to act, e.g. the Trent Affair, decision to use black troops.
• abrogation of Civil Rights (suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, suppression of the anti-war
press, forced emigration of Vallandigham).
• slow in handling incompetent and insubordinate field commanders and tardy in finding good
replacements.
- Candidates must also consider other factors in the Union victory over which Lincoln had no
control (manpower, industrial production, naval superiority, lack of public enthusiasm, fighting
an offensive war), though they should evaluate how effectively he utilized advantages or
neutralized disadvantages.
- The best papers will acknowledge the difficulties inherent in making the judgment asked for or
discuss Lincoln’s lasting impact on the institution of the presidency.
[0 to 8 marks] at the lower end there is little knowledge of Lincoln’s leadership during the
Civil War. At the top end there could be a descriptive or narrative account with some implicit
assessment.
[9 to 11 marks] for satisfactory knowledge of Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War. There is
a more explicit assessment of the results.
[12 to 17 marks] for this band solid knowledge of Lincoln’s leadership is present and a critical
assessment of his leadership is demonstrated, balancing positive and negative aspects as well as
discussing inherent strengths and weaknesses of the Union and Confederacy.
[18 to 20 marks] for an extra dimension such as an evaluation of different interpretations of
Lincoln’s leadership or answers that reveal a high level of conceptual ability.
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