Evaluate the impact of the Jim Crow Laws on the social and economic conditions of African Americans.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the Jim Crow Laws, weighing up their impact on the social and economic conditions of African Americans. The impact may extend beyond the timeframe but it must be clearly linked to the issue raised in the question. Candidates may offer equal coverage of social and economic conditions or they may prioritize their evaluation of one. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. Candidates may refer to the ways the Jim Crow Laws enforced racial segregation in neighbourhoods, schools, restaurants, and transport and widened the gap between African American and white citizens. They may claim that the Laws restricted the economic opportunities of African Americans. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example the use of intimidation and violence to enforce the Laws, but with a focus on the issue in the question. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates make an appraisal of the Jim Crow Laws, weighing up their impact on the social and economic conditions of African Americans. This was a fairly popular selection. In general, candidates were able to effectively describe the impact on social conditions but had difficulty with providing anything beyond generalizations as to economic impact. There was some tendency to apply examples that were past the 1929 limit for the section.