Yr 12 Assessment 1

Question:
‘In reality, the position of blacks in the
South was little better in 1877 than it
had been in 1863.’
How far do you agree with this
statement?
20 marks
 Guidance:
Organisation
Questions that ask you about the ‘position of blacks’ can
usually be approached through the following
paragraphs:
• Political situation: right to vote? Theory/practice?
Extent of elected black officials.
• Social Situation – are they looked upon/treated as
equals? Use of same facilities?
• Economic Situation – are there opportunities for blacks
to have a wide variety of jobs? Are they confined to
lower paid jobs?
 Content
• Within each paragraph you have to look at the
position in 1863, then in 1877.
• You should also mention crucial dates/events
within this time that brought about change.
• You must also back up your arguments with
concrete facts from your notes e.g.
“Movement of blacks was evident as between
1865 & 1870 the black population doubled in the
South’s 10 largest cities.”
 Structure:
‘How far????’
This means the examiner wants you to give
arguments for & against in your response.
e.g.
Economy:
In 1863 many blacks were still slaves despite the Emancipation
Proclamation. As slaves they earned no money, but were provided
with food & shelter.
By 1877, they were theoretically free to do any work in any place they
wanted. But, in practice, lacking property, education and experience
other than farming or domestic service most were scraping a living
sharecropping on white-owned land.
In terms of material goods, they remained poor, if not poorer than in
1863 and were still subject to white landowners.
In this sense things really weren’t any better in 1877 although they had
the opportunity to risk moving somewhere else and they surely felt
things were better than slavery.
Hand in date

October