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Comparing interpretations of the defeat of the Plains Indians
How does Interpretation B differ from Interpretation A about the defeat of the Plains Indians? Explain your answer based on what it says in Interpretations A and B.
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Marking points
- 1 Identifies a valid difference between Interpretation A and Interpretation B about the defeat of the Plains Indians.
- 2 Uses the content of both interpretations rather than provenance.
- 3 Develops the comparison by explaining how the interpretations differ.
Full-mark answer
Interpretation B differs from Interpretation A because it presents buffalo hunters as the decisive reason the Plains Indians were defeated. Cook says the hunters destroyed the buffalo, which removed the Plains Indians' food supply and way of life, and he claims they did more in two years than the army did in forty. Interpretation A gives a different emphasis: Sherman says the railroad was the biggest factor, while also crediting the army and settlement by farmers. So B stresses buffalo extermination and hunters, whereas A stresses railroads, settlement and military power.
Why this answer loses marks
Copying long quotations from each interpretation without making a direct comparison.
The examiner report for 1AA Question 1 says weaker responses over-relied on the interpretations and copied indiscriminately; the answer needs an explained difference.