According to the exam board - AQA - examiners are looking for students to demonstrate AO1:

Demonstrate, organise and communicate knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate the key features related to the periods studied, making substantiated judgements and exploring concepts, as relevant, of cause, consequence, change, continuity, similarity, difference and significance.

In 2019 (the last time the exams were sat, the grade boundaries for our particular A Level Unit combination were the following):

Percentage Grade

23.50% E

34.00% D

44.50% C

55.50% B

66.50% A

77.00% A*

Therefore aiming for Level 5 (or high L4) is required if you're seeking to achieve an A*.

• Answers will display a very good understanding of the full demands of the question.

• They will be well-organised and effectively delivered.

• The supporting information will be well-selected, specific and precise.

• It will show a very good understanding of key features, issues and concepts.

• The answer will be fully analytical with a balanced argument

• a well-substantiated judgement.

• Answers will display a good understanding of the demands of the question.

• It will be well-organised and effectively communicated.

• There will be a range of clear and specific supporting information showing a good understanding of key features and issues, together with some conceptual awareness.

• The answer will be analytical in style with a range of direct comment relating to the question.

• The answer will be well-balanced

• with some judgement, which may, however, be only partially substantiated.

1. To what extent was the British society in 1964 radically different to 1951?

2. How far did growing prosperity bring about social change?

3. ‘Foreign policy failures were due to Britain not realising its position in a post-war world’. Assess the validity of this view between 1951-64.

4. How far was Conservative political dominance in the years 1951 to 1964 due to Labour weaknesses?

5. To what extent was Labour’s 1964 victory due to ‘thirteen years of Tory misrule’?

6. ‘Wilson failed in his aim of modernising Britain in the years 1964 to 1970’ Assess the validity of this view.

7. To what extent was Wilson the architect of his own election defeat in 1970?

8. ‘In the years 1964 to 1979, society in Britain was transformed’. Assess the validity of this view.

9. ‘There had been little progress towards equality for women in society by 1975’. Assess the validity of this view.

10. ‘Britain changed immeasurably in the 1960s through developments outside of parliament rather than in it’. Assess the validity of this view.

11. ‘Britain’s role in the world further diminished between 1964 and 1979’. Assess the validity of this view.

12. To what extent did Britain fail to join the EEC until 1973 because of domestic political reasons?

13. How far were the NUM responsible for the collapse of the Heath Government?

14. ‘The Heath Government failed because of events outside of his control.’ Assess the validity of this view.

15. ‘Labour were more effective than Tories at dealing with Trade Unions in the 1970s.’ Assess the validity of this view.

16. ‘The record of Labour governments in the years 1964 and 1979 was one of continuous failure’. Assess the validity of this view.

17. ‘Callaghan’s poor leadership was crucial in leading the Conservatives to victory in 1979’. Assess the validity of this view.

18. To what extent did Thatcher end the Post-War consensus?

19. ‘The British Economy faced problems of its own making in the 1970s’. Assess the validity of this view.

20. To what extent were the economic crises of the 1970s due to over powerful unions?

21. How important is Harold Wilson’s leadership in explaining the failures of the Labour government from 1964 to 1970?

22. ‘The decline in deference was the most significant social change in the period 1951 to 1964’. Assess the validity of this view.

23. How significant were economic problems in determining the direction of Britain’s foreign policy between 1964 and 1970?

24. ‘Sunningdale failed because of problems in mainland Britain’. Assess the validity of this view.

25. ‘The growth of environmentalism was a reaction to the political and economic problems of the 1970s’. Assess the validity of this view.

26. ‘The “special relationship” with the United States of American broke down in the period 1970 to 1979.’ Assess the validity of this view.

27. To what extent was there a ‘Sixties social revolution’?

28. ‘The Conservative Government’s policies in Northern Ireland between 1979 and 1987 made ‘The Troubles’ worse.’ Assess the validity of this view.

29. To what extent were Thatcherite economic policies different from those followed by previous Conservative governments?

30. How successful were the Conservative government’s handling of industrial disputes in the period 1979 to 1987?

31. ‘The Conservative Party was a pro-European party between 1973 and 1987’. Assess the validity of this view.

32. ‘The Falklands conflict had a greater impact domestically than it had on Britain’s position internationally’. Assess the validity of this view.

33. ‘John Major was an unlucky Prime Minister’. Assess the validity of this view.

34. How significant was Neil Kinnock’s leadership in the development of ‘New Labour’ between 1983 to 1997?

35. How significant was the anti-establishment challenge of 1987 to 1997 to the established order?

36. To what extent was Britain a tolerant, multicultural society in the 1990s?

37. ‘John Major was more successful in foreign affairs than he was in domestic policies’. Assess the validity of this view.

39. How divided was the Conservative Party between 1997 and 2007?

40. ‘The Conservative Party elected the wrong people to lead it between 1997 and 2005’. Assess the validity of this view.

41. To what extent did Britain’s foreign policy between 1997 and 2007 influence the debate about immigration?

42. ‘The Labour Government, 1997-2007, failed to meet its own foreign policy objectives’. Assess the validity of this view.

43. ‘The New Labour Government returned Britain to the centre of Global Politics ’. Assess the validity of this view.

44. ‘Maintaining the “special relationship” was the most significant influence on the direction of British foreign policy in the period 1997 to 2007.’ Assess the validity of this view.

1. ‘The Emancipation of the Serfs caused more problems than it solved.’ Assess the validity of this view.

2. ‘Alexander’s reforms were, on the whole, unsuccessful.’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.

3. Alexander deserves the title ‘Tsar Liberator.’ Assess the validity of this view.

4. The reforms of Alexander II weakened the tsarist regime. Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.

5. ‘Alexander II left the tsarist autocracy in a weaker position at the time of his death than it had been on his accession to the throne.’ ATVOTV (SQP)1

6. To what extent had Tsarist autocracy been weakened by 1894?

7. There was more continuity than change in Russian society in the years 1855 to 1894. Assess the validity of this view.

8. The Reforms were half-hearted concessions from men intent on preserving the old ways as much as possible. Assess the validity of this view of Alexander II’s reforms between 1855-1870.

9. The political authority of the tsarist regime had been weakened by the reforms of Alexander II but was restored by his son, Alexander III. Assess the validity of this view.

10. The foundations for Russia’s Industrial Growth were firmly laid in the years 1855 to 1895. Assess the validity of this view.

11. ‘Tsarist policy towards the national minority groups in the years 1863-1894 weakened the Tsarist Regime.’ Assess the validity of this view.

12. ‘The Tsarist regime was successful in suppressing opposition between 1861 – 1881.’ Assess the validity of this view.

13. Opposition to the Tsarist regime achieved nothing in the years 1866 to 1894. Assess the validity of this view. (Oxford t/b p.49)

16. ‘The most repressive of their policies.’ To what extent do you agree with this assessment of both Alexander II’s and Alexander III’s policies towards non-Russian national groups living within the Empire?

15. Alexander II was more successful than Alexander III in coping with the economic problems he inherited. Assess the validity of this view.

17. ‘Backwardness in industry severely weakened the Russian economy in the years between 1861 and 1914.’ ATVOTV (SQP)

18. 'The Russian economy was transformed in the years 1894 to 1914.’ Assess the validity of this view. (SQP)

19. To what extent did Nicholas II uphold his pledge to ‘maintain the principle of autocracy’ in the years 1894-1914

20. ‘The political unrest of January-September 1905 was brought about by failures in the Russo-Japanese War.’ ATVOTV (Oxford t/b p.65)

21. Russian society changed little in the years 1894-1914. Assess the validity of this view.

22. Russia was dangerously close to civil war in 1914. Explain whether you agree or disagree with this view in relation to Russia 1894-1914.

23. To what extent did standards of living in towns and countryside improve for peasants in the years 1894-1917.

24. ‘The Marxist political parties opposing Nicholas II’s regime posed more of a threat to its existence by 1914 than they had on his accession in 1894.’ ATVOTV (SQP)

25. The collapse of the Tsarist Regime in February 1917 was due to successive governments failure to improve living and working conditions in the towns since 1894. Assess the validity of this view.

26. The collapse of the Tsarist Regime in February 1917 was due to successive governments failure to meet the demands and aspirations of the working classes. Assess the validity of this view.

27. ‘In the years 1894-1914 opposition movements achieved little.’ Assess the validity of this view.

28. To what extent was the First World War responsible for the political changes which had taken place in Russia by the beginning of October 1917? Answer with reference to the years 1894-1917.

29. ‘The collapse of the tsarist regime in February 1917 was due to its continuing inability to retain the support of peasants and workers since the accession of Alexander III in 1881.’ ATVOTV (SQP)

30. ‘The downfall of Tsar Nicholas II in February/March 1917 was due to popular discontent with the tsarist regime.’Explain why you agree or disagree with this view of the years 1914 to 1917.

31. ‘By the end of 1917, one autocracy in Russia had been replaced by another.’ Assess the validity of this view.

32. ‘The fall of the Provisional Government in October 1917 was entirely due to its own failings.’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.

33. How important was ideology in the development of the Bolshevik state between 1917-29?

34. To what extent did Lenin fulfil the revolutionary aims of the early Russian Marxists during his year as leader of Russia? (Chernychevsky/Nechayev)

35. To what extent was the role of Lenin responsible for The October Revolution in 1917. Answer with reference to 1902-1917.

36. The Bolsheviks eradicated class between 1917 – 1941. Assess the validity of this view.

37. By 1921 the Bolsheviks had successfully overcome the problems confronting them after taking power in 1917.’ Explain why you agree or disagree with this view.

38. How successful were communist leaders in crushing opposition in the years 1917-41?

39. How successful were Soviet leaders in creating a socialist economy 1917-41?

40. For the Bolsheviks ideology was always supremely important. Assess the validity of this view 1902-1928.

41. 'The Bolshevik state under Lenin, between 1918 and 1924, was just as ruthless as the Communist state under Stalin, between 1928 and 1941.’ Assess the validity of this view. (SQP CEX)

42. To what extent did the USSR of 1941 fulfil Lenin’s vision of s Socialist Utopia?

43. ‘The Soviet regime’s desire to create socialism in the USSR led to a social revolution between 1917 and 1941.’ ATVOTV (SQP)

44. To what extent was a new Soviet Society created in the USSR in the years 1917-41?

45. To what extent was the political authority exercised by Lenin and Stalin similar?

46. Stalin’s revolution had a more profound effect on Russian society than the Bolshevik Revolution. ATVOTV

47. To what extent did political authority and government change under Stalin.

48. With reference to 1938-45 to what extent did the Great Patriotic War change the development of Soviet Society.

50. Assess the validity of this view. (SQP CEX)

51. How far was Stalin’s USSR (1928-53) a totalitarian state?

53. The use of repression and terror by Stalin was much more effective after the Second World War than in the 1930s. Assess the validity of this view.

57. Assess the importance of the Emancipation of the Serfs to Russia's economic growth in the years 1861-1896

57. While Alexander II was the great reformer, Alexander III was the great reactionary. ATVOTV