272 ChApTEr 1 1 | the Union Undone? | period Five 18 44 –1877P UTTing iT All TogeTher
revisiting the Main Point
•
By 1860, Northerners and Southerners claimed to have distinct identities,
and Southerners used their identity to justify forming a new nation. What
were Southerners’ economic, social, and moral arguments for their secession?•
In your opinion, which primarily drove the debate over slavery during the
1850s—moral or economic arguments?•
How did the growth of the United States since 1800 fuel the political crisis of
the 1850s? Refer to previous chapters to answer this question.addressing exceptions in historical argument:
The role of the QualifierGiven the amount of evidence that is available to any historical argument, it is
nearly impossible to find all of the evidence that supports a single position. Much
evidence falls into patterns, as you learned in Chapter 7.
But even if you incorporate a subordinated thesis statement (Chapter 4), you
will invariably encounter examples that do not support your argument or that
even run counter to your argument. These examples often serve as extremes that
rarely are repeated and become exceptions to the recognized patterns of evidence.
These examples also can serve as exemplars—recognized highs and lows and
peaks and valleys in the historical record.
Such examples are called qualifiers. As a writer, you can choose to leave out
the qualifier because it could lessen the credibility of your argument. Sometimes,
however, a well-positioned qualifier may strengthen your overall argument. Con-
sider Frederick Douglass (Doc. 7.9) in the discussion of the horrors of slavery.
His greatness in history is measured largely by his achievements against impos-
sible circumstances, but comparing others in similar circumstances to Douglass
would be an oversimplification.
You cannot ignore Douglass because it undermines your attempt to decry the
horrors of slavery. But how do you use the exceptional example to support your
argument? There are three ways to use Douglass as an example:•
As a beacon or aspiration: Douglass is an exemplar of others’ visions, such as
Stowe’s or Lincoln’s.•
As a recognition that another side exists: Douglass’s example did not serve the
goals of the Confederacy.B uilDing AP®
writing sKillsputting it all together 27312_STA_2012_ch11_251-274.indd 272 23/03/15 5:34 PM