Answer one question from one section only. Section B: American option Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–77 Read the sources and then answer both parts of the question. Source A I would save the Union. I would save it in the shortest way under the Constitution. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time save slavery, I would not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My main aim in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not to either save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that. I have here stated my purpose according to my view of my official duty and I intend no modification of my personal wish that all men everywhere should be free. President Lincoln to Horace Greeley, editor of the 'New York Tribune', 22 August 1862. Source B The President then proceeded to read his Emancipation Proclamation to the Cabinet. After he had finished, Governor Seward said: 'The general question has now been decided and agreed on by all.' I followed, saying 'Mr President, you have given the discussion every consideration. You have now expressed your conclusion. This is your right and duty. This Proclamation does not mark out a course I would prefer, but I will stand by it with all my heart.' Mr Blair then said that he would make no objection to issuing the Proclamation, but he went on to say that he was afraid of the influence of it on the Border States and on the army, where there was not strong support. He had no objections to emancipation itself, always being in favour of it, and was ready for immediate emancipation rather than submit to perpetuating slavery. From the diary of Secretary of State Chase, 22 September 1862. Source C The issue of the Proclamation makes the army dissatisfied and the air there is thick with revolution. This has not only been thought of, but talked of, and the question now is where can the man be found to replace Lincoln? McClellan is idolised but he seems to have no political ambition. The sentiment throughout the whole army seems to be in favour of a change of president. Slavery is practically abolished, but this Proclamation makes it a very, very different affair. Unless it is received more kindly by other officers in the army than those whom I have seen, it will go far towards producing an expression on the part of the army that will startle the country and give us a military dictator. A note from the Washington correspondent for ‘The New York Herald' to his publisher, 25 September 1862. Source D Lincoln was a supreme politician. He understood politics because he understood human nature. I saw this in 1864. His administration decided that the Constitution of the United States should be amended so that slavery should be prohibited. This was not only a change in our national policy, but it was also an important military measure. It was intended not merely as a means of abolishing slavery forever, but as a way of influencing those in rebellion. It was believed that such an amendment would be equivalent to new armies in the field. It would be worth at least a million men and it would also be an intellectual army that would overcome the enemy. In order to amend the Constitution, it had to be approved by the states. He ensured that states like Nevada, opposed to slavery, were admitted to the Union to support his aim. These states would also support his re-election. Charles Dana, in his ‘Recollections of the Civil War', 1898. Dana was a journalist and Assistant Secretary at the War Department under Lincoln during the Civil War.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Similarities: Both sources show that Lincoln is a supporter of freeing the slaves. In Source A he states that his personal wish is ‘that all men everywhere should be free' and in Source D he is the head of the administration that has decided that 'the Constitution of the United States should be amended so that slavery should be prohibited'.
2. Similarities: In Source A Lincoln's priority was to save the Union and he 'states that if I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that'. Similarly, in Source D he thought it would be to the Unions' advantage to support emancipation as 'it would be worth at least a million men and it would also be an intellectual army that would overcome the enemy'. His view of saving the Union had remained unchanged and he was prepared to adopt a stance on slavery that best supported the Union.
3. Similarities: Both sources show that the war/prospect of war changed Lincoln's attitude towards slavery.
4. Differences: In Source A Lincoln refers to his official duty which was to put the Union first and states that 'I intend no modification of my personal wish that all men everywhere should be free'. However, in Source D which is referring to two years later Lincoln was also supporting emancipation officially with the amendment of the Constitution which was 'a means of abolishing slavery for ever'.
5. Differences: Lincoln's views appear more strident in Source D than in Source A. In D he sees abolition as a necessity whereas in A he is prepared to compromise.
6. Explanation: In Source A Lincoln is speaking to Horace Greeley the editor of the 'New York Tribune'. It will reach a wide audience and he is being non-committal in his official view as he wants to gain support for saving the Union. He is prepared to divulge his personal view but it is clear that it is not going to affect his overriding desire to save the Union.
7. Explanation: Source D is referring to 1864 a year after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued and when the official commitment had been made. It makes it plain that Lincoln saw the emancipation as an advantage in the war with the extra men that the freed slaves would provide to the army. Both sources show that Lincoln was prepared to use the issue of emancipation to support the Northern cause. The Emancipation Proclamation applied only to states that had seceded from the United States, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal border states. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy that had already come under Northern control. It was a military policy.
8. Explanation: Accept any other valid responses.
9. Support: Source A - Lincoln makes clear in this source that in a personal capacity he was in favour of abolition and contextual knowledge would obviously support this.
10. Support: Source D - does suggest that while there was support for the Proclamation, it was more pragmatic than strong. There was not widespread support, but at least present to a degree which would lead to acceptance.
11. Challenge: Source A - Officially Lincoln can be seen to be quite neutral on the subject and would only support it if it would help to save the Union. If he 'officially' felt that it would not support Union, then he was not prepared to support it.
12. Challenge: Source B - While the Cabinet evidently supports Lincoln's move towards emancipation, Chase himself does not appear enthusiastic. He is however prepared in the end to support it fully. Another Cabinet member, Blair, is a supporter in principle, but was aware that there were sectors which were possibly hostile to the idea. He names the Border States, critical to the Northern war effort, and also mentions that there was 'not strong support' in the Army. Perhaps implicit in the comments is that there was not strong opposition, but certainly not widespread support.
13. Challenge: Source C - Source C provides the strongest disagreement to the hypothesis. The source maintains that it was the Proclamation that made the army 'dissatisfied' and the 'air thick with revolution'.
14. Evaluation: Source A - Lincoln knew he had to be cautious and not offend both actual as well as potential supporters of the Northern cause who might well not be enthusiastic about emancipation.
15. Evaluation: Source B – This is a particularly reliable document and contextual knowledge does make it clear that it quite accurately conveys the views of key players in Washington at the time.
16. Evaluation: Source C- The New York ‘Herald' was not known for its support for Lincoln, or for the accuracy of its journalism. Contextual knowledge would suggest that there were not only other factors which made the army dissatisfied at the time, but that the air was hardly ‘thick with revolution.' Also, to say that McClellan was 'idolised' was a sweeping generalisation with little evidence to support it, particularly in the fall of 1862. It is unsubstantiated and inaccurate journalism.
17. Evaluation: Source D – The source was written by a key official participating in the Civil War, long after the event. There may be some tendency to overplay support for full emancipation at the time.
18. Evaluation: Accept any other valid responses.