a. Factual-Descriptive Statements: These statements describe events and situations about which, through careful research, the historian can determine the truth or falsity beyond a reasonable doubt. For example, "The Civil War battle at Gettysburg took place in July of 1863."

b. Inferential-Analytical Statements: Here the writer goes beyond a statement of fact to interpret, draw logical conclusions from given data, and project implications from the facts. These statements contain elements of the historian's own viewpoint, e.g., "The battle of Gettysburg was the decisive turning point of the Civil War." This may be considered true by many, but it remains an interpreta­tion, open to questions and to disagreement.

c. Opinion-Conviction Statements: These sentences tend to be generalizations or moral view­points. They come not from careful research, but from a religious, philosophical, or political ideology, and contain an appeal to authority, to intuition, or even to prejudice, e.g., "Divine Providence gave the North the victory over the South at the battle of Gettysburg."

For each of the statements below write the type of statement (factual, inferential or opinion) and explain why you consider it to be that type.

1. The fact that the new political parties such as the Free-Soilers and the Liberty Party were serious contenders was slow to dawn upon the Whigs.

2. Southern foods that came from Africa or were cultivated primarily by colonial African-Americans included rice, okra, yams, and the peanut.

3. General Robert E. Lee was the greatest military leader in American history.

4. Since Native Americans were barbaric savages, white Southerners took the only course open to them and destroyed their power.

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