Concert of Europe
A-L past paper
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-‘The Vienna Settlement, in the main, sought to restore conditions as they had been before the
French Revolution.’ Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
-To what extent did the powers contribute to the success of the Greeks in their struggle for
independence?
-‘In spite of numerous defects, the Vienna Settlement can be seen in perspective as the gateway to an
era of progress, stability and expansion.’ How far is this statement true up to 1870?
-‘The system of Metternich, though there were no general alliances and few particular treaties, was
stable and rigid.’ Comment on the validity of this statement for the period up to 1848.
-What were the aims of the Vienna Settlement, and how far were they fulfilled by 1848?
-Why was Metternich so eager to prevent revolution in Europe, and how far was he successful up to
1848?
-Discuss the political, diplomatic, ideological and cultural significance of the Greek War of
Independence.
-Analyse Austro-Russian relations from 1815 to 1870.
-Analyse the causes of the Belgian revolt in 1830 and trace the major stages leading to the
achievement of Belgian Independence in 1839.
-How effective was the Concert of Europe in peace keeping during the period 1815-54?
Related topic:
-Why did the decline of the Ottoman Empire become an increasing concern among the European
powers during the period 1830-70?
Related topic:
-How successful was Metternich in maintaining social and political stability in Austria during the
period 1815-48?
-How was the balance of power in Europe established in 1815, and to what extent was it upset by
1871?
-To what extent did the Crimean War (1854-56) mark the end of the Congress System?
-Assess the importance of nationalism relative to other factors in bringing about the independence of
the Greeks.
-Discuss the major problems which the delegates intended to solve at the Congress of Vienna (181415). To what extent had these problems been solved by 1848?
-‘The breakdown of the Concert of Europe in 1823 was mainly caused by disagreements among the
Powers over the issue of intervention.’ Discuss the validity of this statement.
-What is meant by the ‘Concert of Europe’? To what extent was it upset in the period up to 1870?
-Does Europe in the period 1815-48 merit the title ‘The Age of Metternich’? Explain your answer.
‘The breakdown of the Concert of Europe was largely due to the increasing differences among the
Powers over the issue of how peace could be maintained.’ Elaborate on this statement.
How effective was Austria in maintaining its dominating position in Europe in the period 1815-70?
How did the Powers strive for harmony in Europe in the 19th century?
2000
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2002
‘The Vienna Settlement (1815) was an outcome of compromises among the European powers and
was effective in maintaining peace in Europe up to 1854.’ Do you agree with this view? Justify your
answer.
Explain the emergence and breakdown of the Concert of Europe in the period 1815-54.
Identify the principles underlying the Vienna Settlement (1815). To what extent were they reflected
in the decisions made at the Paris Peace Conference (1919-20)
AL Hist Past paper
France 1815-70
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How far was the reign of Louis XVIII a continuation of Napoleon's regime?
~ 'In the long run, Napoleon Bonaparte had little effect on France.' Do you agree? Justify your answer
with examples up to 1870.
~ Why were governments in France so unstable during the period 1875-1914?
Compare and contrast the government of France with that of Britain during the period 1815-1830.
Analyze the causes of France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71).
Explain why, in 1848, revo. succeeded in Fr. but failed in many parts of Europe.
~ 'In the French Revolution of 1848, social and economic issues were fundamentally more important
than the purely political.' To what extent was this true?
~ Account for the decline of Napoleon III's popularity in the 1860s.
Why was Louis XVIII able to survive as monarch whereas Charles X was overthrown?
How successful was L. Napoleon (Napoleon III) in restoring the glory of Fr.?
~ How did Louis-Philippe become the King of France in 1830 and why did he lose this throne in
1848?
~ Assess the effectiveness of Napoleon III's domestic policy.
Can the causes of the 1848 Revolution in France be explained in terms of the Marxist theory of class
struggle? Justify your answer.
Compare the reasons for French and German expansion in Africa in the late 19th century.
Discuss the importance of liberalism in the political development of France during the period 1815-48.
Assess the effectiveness of Napoleon III's foreign policy. How did his foreign policy affect the political
development of France up to 1871?
Nil
What obstacles did Napoleon III face in creating a strong centralized government in France? To what
extent did he succeed in overcoming those obstacles?
Assess France’s impact on the development of liberalism and nationalism in Europe in the period
1800-48.
2000 ‘The collapse of the Second French Empire was primarily due to its failure to satisfy the demands of
the liberals and nationalists at home.’ Comment on the validity of this statement.
2001 Nil
2002 Nil
History A-L / AS-L past papers
Third Republic of France
1983
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Why were governments in France so unstable during the period 1875-1914?
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Why did the Dreyfus Affair occur, and how did it affect French society and politics until 1914?
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1991
Discuss the economic and political problems in France arising from the Franco-Prussian War,
and show the extent to which they had been solved by 1914.
Give reasons for the founding of the Third Republic of France. How far was the Third Republic
of France consolidated by 1879?
With the reference to the Dreyfus Affair, discuss why and how anti-Semitism created a major
political problem in France during the 1890s and 1900s.
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1992
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Examine the main features of French policies towards Germany and Russia in the period 18701914. Did these policies succeed in protecting the interests of France? Explain your answer.
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Hist AL past paper
Italian Unification
83. 'The revolution in Italy in 1848 failed chiefly because the Italians proved too little united.' Do you
support this view? Give reasons for your answer.
84 'Liberalism and nationalism ordinarily went hand in hand.' Discuss whether the above statement is true
for the Italian and German states in the period 1815- 1871.
85 To what extent can the success of Italy's unification be attributed to the assistance of foreign powers?
86 Nil
87 Compare Cavour's contribution to the Italian unification with Garibaldi's.
88 Discuss the revolutionary movements in the Italian states from 1815 to 1848, and evaluate their
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contribution towards the unification of Italy up to 1870.
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'Various ideological, political and economic forces made the Italian unification movement in the 19th
century possible.' To what extent is this statement valid?
Why did Italian nationalists achieve so little in the years 1815-48?
Assess the importance of foreign aid in the unification of Italy.
Nil
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Compare the role of Cavour and Garibaldi in the Italian unification movement.
Nil
What were the major obstacles to the Italian unification movement in the period 1815-70? How were
these obstacles overcome?
Nil
Do you agree with the view that ‘Cavour hindered the process of Italian unification’? Explain your
answer.
Nil
Nil
Nil
German Unification
A-L Past paper
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‘Liberalism and nationalism ordinarily went hand in hand.’ Discuss whether the above statement is
true for the Italian and German states in the period 1815-71.
How far would you regard German Unification as the conquest of Germany by Prussia?
What was the significance of the Frankfurt Assembly (1848-9) for the development of nationalism
and liberalism in the German States?
Discuss the historical significance of the unification of Germany.
How far did economic developments from 1815 contribute to the rise of Prussia up to 1870?
Can the unification of Germany be considered revolutionary? Justify your view.
How did events up to 1871 prove that the German Confederation, as established at the Congress of
Vienna (1814-15), was an unstable arrangement?
‘The success of German unification in 1871 was built upon the economic foundation of Prussia
since the formation of the Zollverein (1834).’ Discuss the validity of this statement.
Examine the reasons for the 1848 Revolution in the German states, and discuss its significance for
the unification of Germany.
Why was Austria defeated by Prussia in 1866? How did this defeat affect Austria up to 1870?
How important was Bismarck’s diplomacy after 1862 in bringing about the formation of the
German Empire in 1871?
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Nil
With reference to the period 1815-71, discuss whether the convening of the Frankfurt Assembly was
the turning point in the German nationalist movement.
Evaluate the diplomatic skills of Bismarck in the process of German unification.
The Cambridge economist, John M. Keynes, argued for the importance of the economic factor in
German unification, stating that ‘the German Empire was created more by coal and iron than by
blood and iron.’ How far do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.
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Nil
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Nil
Assess the importance of Bismarck in Prussian and German history up to 1890.
Why did the German Unification movement fail in 1848? Why did it succeed in 1871?
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History A-L / AS-L past papers
Second Reich of Germany (1871-1914)
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What role did the new national government in Berlin play in the success of industrialisation in Germany
from 1871 to 1914?
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'Germany's erratic foreign policy from 1890 to 1914 was a product of its political instability as much as of
the character of Emperor Wilhelm II.' Do you agree? Justify your answer.
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How liberal was Bismarck's domestic policy during the period 1871-90? Elaborate your answer.
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'Bismarck was more successful in conducting Germany's foreign affairs than in dealing with its domestic
affairs during the period 1871-90.' Do you agree with this statement ? Give your reasons.
How far did Germany succeed in keeping France isolated in the two decades after the FrancoPrussian War?
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How effective was Bismarck in maintaining friendly relations with Russia without offending Austria
during the period 1871-90?
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'Nationalism posed the greatest obstacle to the development of liberalism in Germany.' Comment on the
validity of this statement with reference to the history of Germany in the period 1871-90.
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Examine the factors that hindered the development of liberalism in Germany in the period
1871-1914.
Trace and explain the relations between Germany and Russia in the period 1871-1914.
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With reference to the period 1890-1914, examine Germany’s foreign policy and discuss how other
European powers reacted.
Alignment and alliance
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Explain why by 1907 Britain had moved from a position of detachment towards the continental
alignments to one of commitment to France and Russia.
Evaluate the role played by Britain in European diplomacy in the period 1870-1914.
Show how the statesmen of Europe tried to achieve a ‘balance of power’ during the period of 1871-1914.
‘Germany’s erratic foreign policy from 1890 to 1914 was a product of its political instability as much
as of the character of Emperor Wilhelm II.‘ Do you agree?
How did European powers react to the foreign policy of Gr. during ... 1890-1914?
Did the Congress of Berlin (1878) satisfactorily settle the Eastern Question? Justify..
-Why did the Russo-Turkish war (1877) occur, and how did it affect the relations between Russia and
Germany up to 1890?
-Account for the formation of two opposing armed camps in Europe before WWI.
-‘Bismarck was more successful in conducting Germany’s foreign affairs than in dealing with its
domestic affairs during the period 1871-90.‘ Do you agree?
-Evaluate the role played by Britain in European diplomacy during.. 1901-1914.
How far did Gr. succeed in keeping France isolated in the two decades after Fr-Pr War ?
How did the conflict of interests among the major European powers affect their policies in Balkans
during the period 1870-1914?
How far do you agree that the Eastern Question became more complicated as a result of the Congress
of Berlin?
How effective was Bismarck in maintaining friendly relations with Russia without offending Austria
during the period 1871-90?
How did the statesmen of Europe try to achieve a ‘balance of power’ in Europe in late 19th century
and early 20th century? How far were they successful?
Examine the main features of French policies towards Germany and Russia in the period 1870-1914.
Did these policies succeed in protecting the interests of France?
‘The Congress of Berlin (1878) provided the best answer to the Eastern Question.’ Explain whether you
agree with this statement.
How did the Powers strive for harmony in Europe in the 19th century?
Trace and explain the relations between Germany and Russia in the period 1871-1914.
Assess the influence of Britain’s foreign policy on relations among the European powers in the period
1821-1907.
How did Austria-Hungary’s foreign policy affect relations among European states up to the end of the
19th century?
With reference to the period 1890-1914, examine Germany’s foreign policy and discuss how other
European powers reacted.
Eastern Question AL question
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To what extent did the powers contribute to the success of the Greeks in their struggle for
independence?
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‘The decline of the Ottoman Empire was the main de-stabilising factor in European politics that
led to the outbreak of war in 1914.’ Comment on the validity of this statement.
Explain why the Balkans constituted a potential source of trouble for Europe during the period
1878-1914.
How did Russian policy towards the Turkish Empire during the period 1774-1870 affect
international relations in Europe?
Discuss the causes, outcome and significance of the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913.
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How did the decline of the Ottoman Empire affect relations among European states in the 19th
century up to 1856?
What were the main effects of the Crimean War on Europe up to 1870?
Did the Congress of Berlin (1878) satisfactorily settle the Eastern Question? Justify your view.
Why did the Russo-Turkish War (1877) occur, and how did it affect the relations between Russia
and Germany up to 1890?
Analyse the causes and estimate the significance of the Balkan Wars (1912-13).
Why did the decline of the Ottoman Empire become an increasing concern among the European
powers during the period 1830-70?
How did the conflict of interests among the major European powers affect their policies in the
Balkans during the period 1870-1914?
How far do you agree that the Eastern Question became more complicated as a result of the
Congress of Berlin (1878)?
Assess the importance of nationalism relative to other factors in bringing about the independence
of the Greeks.
To what extent did the Crimean War 91854-56) mark the end of the Congress System?
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What is meant by ‘Pan-Slavism’? Why did it become an important issue involving the Balkan
states and European powers during the period 1870-1914?
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‘The Congress of Berlin (1878) provided the best answer to the Eastern Question.’ Explain
whether you agree with this statement.
Why has the Balkans been described as the ‘powder barrel of Europe’? Explain your answer with
reference to the period 1870-1914.
Assess the importance of nationalistic aspirations in Europe as a cause of the decline of the
Ottoman Empire in the period 1820-78.
Analyse the causes of Austro-Serbian conflicts which occurred in the period 1908-1914.
How did Austria-Hungary’s foreign policy affect relations among European states up to the end of
the 19th century?
2002
‘The Eastern Question in the period 1815-1914 was a result of rivalries between Britain and
Russia.’ Comment on the validity of this statement.
A Level Question on WWI
1990
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Account for the formation of two opposing armed camps in Europe before the outbreak of the First
World War.
Analyze the causes and estimate the significance of the Balkan Wars. (1912-13)
Why did the armaments race become a major problem in Europe after 1890 and what attempts had
been made to settle this problem up to 1914?
Analyze the causes and estimate the significance of the three Moroccan Crises of 1905,1908 and
1911.
How did the conflict of interests among the major European powers affect their policies in the
Balkans during the period 1870-1914?
Should Germany and its allies held solely responsible for the outbreak of the First World War?
Elaborate your answer.
How did the racial problem in the Austro-Hungarian Empire contribute to the outbreak of the WWI?
Post-war treaties.
Evaluate the importance of the ‘Sarajevo incident’ relative to other causes of the WWI.
Account for the involvement of France in the Moroccan crises of 1905 and 1911. Assess the
influence of these two crises on international relations up to 1914.
Assess the importance of the Alliance System relative to other factors in bringing about the First
World War.
How did the powers strive for harmony in Europe in the 19th century?
Nil
How important was the armaments race in affecting relations among the European powers in the
period 1870-1914?
‘Did the few weeks after the Sarajevo Assassination, the powers missed a number of opportunities to
avoid a general war.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer.