SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE ECONOMICS: SPECIMEN PAPER
Syllabus: 2009 –
Paper II B
Answer FOUR questions, TWO from each section. The maximum number of marks
is 25 for each question, a total of 100 marks.
Section A: Maltese History
1.
a) Why did the Order of St. John accept the offer of Malta in 1530? (5)
b) What advantages did the Maltese islands offer to the Order? (6)
c) What were the disadvantages that the Maltese islands presented to the Order? (7)
d) How did the Order try to fortify Malta during the first years of its rule up to 1565? (7)
2.
a) Why was it possible to start building Valletta in 1566? (8)
b) What were the main problems encountered in the building of this city? (6)
c) Which were the main regulations governing the building of the new city? (5)
d) Explain the importance of this decision to build a new city in Maltese history? (6)
3.
a) What were the main reasons which led to the Maltese insurrection against the
French in 1798? (10)
b) What foreign help did the Maltese get during the Blockade? (7)
c) Why were the French forced to surrender in 1800? (8)
4.
a) When employing persons in Government service, Sir Thomas Maitland preferred
those who knew the English language.
(i) Why did he do this? (2)
(ii) Why were the majority of the Maltese at a disadvantage? (2)
b) What did the 1836 Royal Commission recommend regarding the teaching of
English and Italian in schools? (4)
c) What did the Keenan Report recommend? (4)
d) What was understood by “Free Choice” and “Pari Passu” in education? (4)
e) What were the beliefs of Fortunato Mizzi and Sigismondo Savona about the use
of language in Malta? (4)
f) What was the effect of the Language Question on the constitutional history of
Malta during the first years of the 20th century? (5)
5.
a) How did Malta serve the allies during the Second World War? (7)
b) How was everyday life affected during this period? (10)
c) What was the Santa Marija Convoy? (4)
d) Why was Malta granted the George Cross? (4)
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6.
Write a paragraph of about 8 lines about FIVE of the following:
a) The plague of 1813.
b) Malta and the Crimean War.
c) The development of the Dockyard.
d) Malta as a coaling station.
e) The building of the breakwater.
f) The defence agreement of 1964.
g) The rundown of 1967.
h) The closure of the British base in 1979.
i) Malta’s non-aligned policy.
j) Malta and the tourist industry. (5 x 5 = 25)
Section B: European and International History
7.
To combat the Protestant Reformation the Catholic Church conducted a reform
programme of its own generally known as the ‘Counter-Reformation’. Write about
this under the following three headings:
a) the Council of Trent; (10)
b) the Jesuits; (7)
c) the Inquisition. (8)
8.
a) Why is the 18th century often referred to as ‘the Age of Reason’? (7)
b) Name three philosophers who lived during this age. (3)
c) Describe the influence of any one of them on European thought. (8)
d) What do you understand by the term ‘enlightened despot’? (4)
e) Name three rulers who were considered as enlightened despots. (3)
9.
Choose FIVE of the following and briefly explain their importance during the
Napoleonic wars.
a) The treaty of Amiens(1802)
b) The projected invasion of England
c) The battle of Austerlitz (1805)
d) The Continental System
e) The Treaty of Tilsit (1807)
f) The Peninsular war
g) The Moscow campaign
h) The Hundred Days’ Campaign. (5 x 5 = 25)
10. a) What was the Industrial Revolution? (5)
b) What were the factors favouring industrialisation in Britain? (8)
c) Besides Britain, name two other countries which were well-advanced in
industrialisation in the 19th century. (2)
d) Name two other countries that were very backward in industrialization in the 19th
century. (2)
e) What were the main results of the Industrial Revolution? (8)
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11. a) (i) Which three countries formed the Triple Alliance in 1882? (3)
(ii) Why was if formed? (4)
b) (i) Which three countries formed the Triple Entente in 1907? (3)
(ii) Why was it formed? (4)
c) How far did the formation of these alliances and alignments lead to the First
World War? (11)
12. a) Why was there an element of opposition to communism in Czechoslovakia in
1968? (5)
b) Explain briefly the changes which Dubcek made. (6)
c) Why was Czechoslovakia important to the Soviet bloc? (4)
d) Explain briefly the reasons behind the Soviet Union’s reaction to the Prague
Spring. (6)
e) Explain briefly what the Brezhnev Doctrine was. (4)
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