GCSE History Mock Exam Preparation
This information sheet is accompanied by 3 other sheets designed to support students in
their preparation for their mock exams in January.
We are aware of the very limited time students have to prepare for these exams as they
continue their programmes of study but the attached ‘Traffic Light Check Lists’ will help
them to identify areas where they can focus revision for the greatest impact. If a student
colour codes the sheet with as much accuracy as possible they will have coloured red the
topics where they need to focus their revision.
The page numbers on the sheets refer to a very useful revision guide, the details of which
are provided at the top of both sheets & can be purchased from Amazon (or any other
good book retailer!) Please make sure you do get the second edition (for exams from
2015)
The final sheet is just a quick reminder of timings and techniques for each exam. History
teachers will go through these with their classes before the exams in January.
There are lots of other resources available to support students learning but
www.gcsepod.com is a resource purchased by the school which provides access to
podcasts on all GCSE subjects including History and has excellent summaries of all the
topics we study. All students have a login of their own choosing and it usually works with
their school password.
Thank you for your support
Tracey Maxwell and the History Team
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I know lots I know some I need to know a lot more
Topic *Rev Book
Checks
Inhabitants and early settlers
Mountain men—role and impact on the West e.g. Jim Bridger
Migrants—Who, why (push & pull factors), how, when and where did they go? Impact on the West e.g. Donner Party, Sagars & Goulds, role of women
Miners—Who etc, the California Gold Rush of 1849, development of mining towns and the problems of law & order
Mormons—Why did they fail in the East? Why did they succeed in the West? Brigham Young and Salt Lake City
Plains Indians way of life
Culture of the Plains Indians—Living on the Plains—buffalo, horses, war, social structure of tribes, role of men and women, spiritual beliefs, beliefs on land ownership.
68-71
The Homesteaders
Why settle on the Plains? Manifest Destiny & the role of the government. Homestead Act (1862), propaganda and railroads.
Surviving on the Plains—Sod houses, problems of farming the plains (lack of water, poor crops, poor weather, poor land etc.). Farming solutions (Red Turkey Wheat, windmills, mechanical ploughs etc.).
Role of women—Contribution to plains life. Development of communities and settlements. Jobs on the plains (cooking, planting, teaching, looking after the sick and young).
Development of the Great Plains
Importance of the railroads— Aims of the government, problems of construction, impact on economy, natives, farmers and ranchers.
Growth and impact of cattle industry—Cow Towns, cattle drives, the impact of the railroads, move onto the plains, boom and bust (overstocking and harsh winter of 1886-7)
Role of individuals — Goodnight & Loving, McCoy, John Iliff
Life of a cowboy — cattle drives, dangers, changes in cowboy life (open to closed ranges)
72, 74-76
72-73
77-80
81-82
83-84
84
85-87
88-89
90-91
90-91
*Revision Guide - Highly recommended with links to website of practice questions My Revision Notes - Edexcel B History GCSE Schools History Project SECOND EDITION (for exams from summer 2015) ISBN: 978-1-4718-3181-2 £7.99
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Topic Txtbk
Checks
Law and order
Problems of lawlessness—Reasons for crime (geography, attitudes and beliefs etc.). Types of crime?
Government and local community solutions—Sheriffs, marshals, judges, vigilantes. Problems of law enforcement. Famous law makers (Earp, Tilgh-man) and law breakers (Jesse James, Billy the Kid etc.
Conflict between homesteaders and cattlemen—The Johnson County War (causes, course of events, result, impact on cattle trade).
Conflict on the Great Plains
The Indian Wars—The clash between settlers and Plains Indians (pressures from migration, Gold Rush etc.). Negotiators and exterminators. Fort Laramie treaties (1851 & 1868), Little Crow’s War (1862), the Sand Creek Massacre (1864), completion of transcontinental railroad, Red Cloud’s War (1865-68), the Great Sioux War (1876-77). What were the causes, course of events and impact of each of these conflicts?
Role and significance of individuals and events— Red Cloud, General Custer, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Battle of Little Big Horn (why it was a turning point—government reaction, public opinion).
Destruction of Native way of life after 1876 — Role of the government (Dawes Act, Oklahoma Land Race), role of U.S. Army (forts, total war, heavy guns), role of the railroad
Changes to native culture — Life on the Reservations. Losing native identity (education, religion, farming, culture, language, tribal power). Battle of Wounded Knee, destruction of buffalo (who was to blame?).
62-64
65-68
68-70
74-80
80-83
84-90
91-97
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Topic
Checks
ANCIENT ROME: 50AD—500AD
Causes of disease—Hippocrates & the Four Humours, the work & influence of Galen, influ-ence of religion (the church), the belief in rational and supernatural explanations (*16-17)
Treatment and care for the sick—The Four Humours, observation, staying healthy, priests, hospitals, herbal remedies (*16-18)
Traffic light check—Medicine Through Time
Public health—Rome’s emphasis on public health, aqueducts, sewer systems, public baths, public fountains, public toilets, locations of settlements (*19-20, 24)
THE MIDDLE AGES: 500AD—1350
Causes of disease—Continued influence of Galen and the Four Humours, increasing role of the Church and superstition (disease a sin), astrology, continuity after Roman withdrawal, bad air (miasma) (*22-23, 27)
Treatment and care for the sick—Impact of Roman withdrawal, loss of medical books, continued influence of Galen and the Four Humours, blood letting, herbal remedies, supernatural rituals and lucky charms, increasing role of the Church in medical training and treatment, BLACK DEATH case study and what it shows about Middle Ages medicine, hospitals (care not cure), apothecaries, wise women, pilgrimage, physicians, barber surgeons (*25-27)
Public health—Impact of Roman withdrawal, loss of Roman skill and public health provisions, growth of towns in later Middle Ages and subsequent hygiene problems, laissez-faire monarchy attitude, lack of clean water and sewage removal, monasteries, town council attempts to improve conditions (*21, 31-32)
THE RENAISSANSE AND EARLY MODERN: 1350—1750
Causes of disease—Continued influence of Galen and the Four Humours, declining role of the Church due to the Reformation, new knowledge and discoveries of the Renaissance, Vesalius, Harvey, the limited impact of Renaissance discoveries, the increasing emphasis on enquiry and science, the Royal Society, Spontaneous Generation, Miasma, impact of printing (*28-31)
Treatment and care for the sick— Continued influence of Galen and the Four Humours and then challenges to it, herbal remedies, decline in superstition and increasing belief in rational treatments, impact of Renaissance knowledge (questioning old ideas), improvements to doctors training (better understanding of anatomy through dissection, growing importance of a scientific approach), work of John Hunter, GREAT PLAGUE of 1665 case study (*28-29, 33)
*Revision Guide - Highly recommended with links to website of practice questions
My Revision Notes - Edexcel B History GCSE Schools History Project SECOND EDITION (for exams
from summer 2015) ISBN: 978-1-4718-3181-2 £7.99
Public health—Continued laissez-faire attitude of the government (monarchy), local attempts to improve public health (London’s council), Myddleton’s artificial river, no attempts to improve sanitation and sewage, GREAT PLAGUE of 1665 case study and what it shows about public health provision (*32-33)
THE RENAISSANSE AND EARLY MODERN: 1350—1750
INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN: 1750—1900
Causes of disease—Death of Galen’s influence, increasing role of science & research, Jenner & smallpox, the impact of Pasteur’s Germ Theory and Koch’s work on microbes, the establishment of bacteriology, the end of miasma and Spontaneous Generation (*34-37)
Treatment and care for the sick—Nightingale’s improvements in nursing and hospital care, the emergence of inoculations and then vaccines due to the work of Jenner, Pasteur and Koch (and their teams), the impact of germ theory, improvements in training of doctors (qualifications, practical experience, dissections), hospital care, specialist hospitals, government action (Poor Law Unions), public concern for the poor (*38-41)
Public health—the impact of the industrial revolution on urban life (slums, lack of sanitation, killer diseases and cholera epidemics), the gradual death of laissez-faire government and changing attitudes, the work and impact of Chadwick, Snow and Bazalgette, barriers to change, the Great Stink, Public Health Acts of 1848 and 1875, compulsory vaccinations, improvements by 1900 (*42-47)
TWENTIETH CENTURY BRITAIN TO PRESENT DAY: 1900 ONWARDS
Causes of disease—acceptance of Pasteur’s germ theory, work and impact of Watson and Crick (DNA structure), genetic explanations, Human Genome Project (*48, 51-52)
Treatment and care for the sick— Improving life expectancy due to better treatment and care, 1st chemical killers (magic bullets) Salvarsan 606 and Prontosil (Ehrlich and Domagk), development of antibiotics (Penicillin) and the role of Fleming, Florey and Chain, increasing vaccinations (Polio, Measles), impact of science and technology on treatment and training (X-rays, scans, electron microscopes, pacemakers, blood transfusions etc.), increasing role of government in care (welfare state), charitable hospitals, Liberal Reforms (focus on care), the NHS, universal access to health care, issues and costs of treatment and care, modern training of doctors, return to private health care? (*49-50, 53-57)
Public health—the Liberal reforms (focus on public health), Homes for Heroes, Slum clearance schemes, the Clean Air Act , the birth of the welfare state and government funding for public health, the impact of WW2, the role of Beveridge and Bevan, the NHS, government education, prevention and awareness campaigns (smoking, drinking, obesity etc.), government regulation to improve public health (*58-59)
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Topic
Checks
Medicine Exam Overview
• 1 ¼ hours or 75 minutes
• 5 questions to answer – Questions 1,2 and 3, EITHER Question 4 or 5 and then
EITHER Question 6 or 7
• Answer in the booklet in the space provided after each question
• Do your planning in the booklet
• Quality of writing is assessed in Question 6 or 7
Q Question type No. of marks
Suggested time
Key points
1 Study sources A and B and add own knowledge to discuss how things have
changed.
8 12 mins 1 inference about nature or extent of change supported
by source and own knowledge
2 Choose 1 of 2 boxes and describe key features of something
6 8 mins PEE paragraph, focused on question and avoiding
narrative.
3 How useful is this source…..
(use source and own knowledge)
8 12 mins Judgement based on an evaluation of the usefulness
of the source’s content based on provenance/ reliability
(NOP)
4
or
5
Choose either 4 or 5 .... and answer an explain/why question using 2 stimulus
headings to help you.
12 18 mins Focused on question, using sufficient specific subject
knowledge including additional points to those in
the stimulus
6
0r
7
Make a judgement with supporting arguments ‘How far was’ or ‘How
important was’ questions.
16
(+3 for
SPaG)
24 mins Sustained analysis using specific subject knowledge
which reaches a final judgement and adds
additional points to those in the stimulus
Quality of written communication assessed
American West Exam Overview
• 1 ¼ hours or 75 minutes
• 5 questions to answer – Questions 1 & 2 and EITHER Question 3 or 4 and then
EITHER Question 5 or 6
• Answer in the booklet in the space provided after each question
• Do your planning in the booklet
• Quality of writing is assessed in Question 5 or 6
Q Question type No. of marks
Suggested time
Key points
1 Study source A and explain what you can learn about …
4 6 mins 1 or 2 inferences about the subject of the question with
evidence from the source
2 Choose 1 out of 2 people, groups, events or factors effecting themChoose one and explain their
importance to …
9 12 mins 1 or 2 PEE paragraph(s), focused on question and
avoiding narrative.
3 or 4
Both question 3 & 4 will ask you to … analyse something giving a description
& explanation of it
Why or explain questions with 2 stimulus headings to help you
12 18 mins 3 PEE paragraphs focused on question, using sufficient
specific subject knowledge including additional points to
those in the stimulus
5
0r
6
(a) Will ask you to describe or explain …
(b) Make a judgement with supporting arguments
‘How far was’ or ‘How important was’ or ‘Was X the most important
cause of …’
9
16
(+3 for
SPaG)
12 mins
24 mins
1 or 2 PEE paragraph(s), focused on question and
avoiding narrative.
Sustained analysis using specific subject knowledge
which reaches a final judgement and adds
additional points to those in the stimulus
*Quality of written communication assessed in
(b)