National 5 Homeworks.
How to answer Evaluation Questions
You must evaluate the extent to which a source is useful by commenting on evidence such as
the author, type of source, purpose, timing, content and omission. You will be given prompts
to help you. Under the question you will see:(You may want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they
say or what has been missed out.)
For a mark to be given, you must identify an aspect of the source and make a comment which
shows how this aspect makes the source more or less useful.
Evaluate questions can be worth up to 6 marks.
Marks can be awarded as follows:A maximum of 4 marks for evaluative comments about the author, timing and purpose which
show how it makes the source more or less useful .
A maximum of 2 marks for comments about the content of the source showing how it makes
the source more or less useful.
A maximum of 2 marks for any omissions which make the source less useful.
How to answer Describe Questions.
There will be questions in any of the sections of the paper where you must describe an event.
This requires you to make a number of relevant, factual points. These should be key points
about the event and do not need to be in any particular order.
These questions can be given up to 5 marks in total but you will not get a Source to help you
with this question.
You will get 1 mark for each accurate, relevant point of knowledge and a 2nd mark for any of
these points that you can develop.
It is therefore possible to gain full marks by giving 5 straightforward points or a smaller
number of developed points, or a combination of the two.
How to answer Reasons Questions.
There will be questions in any of the sections of the paper which you must show a causal
relationship between events. You are asked to explain why an event happened or what caused
it to happen.
This requires you to give the reasons why people took a particular stance over a given issue.
These questions can be given up to 6 marks in total.
You will not get a Source to help you with this question so you must use your own knowledge
to answer this question.
You will get 1 mark for each accurate, relevant reason given and a 2nd mark for any of these
reasons that you can develop.
It is therefore possible to gain full marks by giving 5 straightforward reasons, 3 developed
reasons or any combination of these.
How to answer How Fully Questions.
This type of question can be worth up to 6 marks.
You will be asked to make a judgement about how far the source provides a full description
of a given event.
Up to 3 marks may be given for identifying points from the source which back up your
judgement of how fully the source describes the event.
Each point must be raised and interpreted separately.
You must interpret each point you use from the source rather than just identify it and copy
it out from the source.
Up to 4 marks may be given for the identification of points missed out from the source
which back up your judgement of how fully the source describes the event.
Again you must interpret each point you use from your own knowledge rather than just
identify it.
This type of question can be worth up to 6 marks.
Warning
You can only get a maximum of 2 marks if your answer only uses points from the
source.
Equally, a maximum of 2 marks can be given for answers in which no judgement has been
made.
How to answer Comparison Questions.
This type of question asks you to compare the views of 2 sources on a particular topic.
The sources will either: totally agree, agree to a certain extent or completely disagree.
It is up to you to make a judgement as to what points they agree on and what points they
disagree on.
You must interpret evidence and make direct comparisons between sources.
You should start with an overall comparison and go on to the detailed comparison on a point
by point basis.
4 marks can be awarded for this type of question.
1 mark can be given for each simple point of comparison.
A 2nd mark can be awarded for each developed point of comparison.
You can gain full marks by making four simple comparisons, two developed comparisons or any
combination of these.
You will be given the following prompt with the question. (Compare the sources overall and/or
in detail).
Compare the overall views of the sources.
Compare the sources point by point
i.e. Source A says …… and Source B agrees by saying …….
Compare points of agreement
Compare points of disagreement
A comparison can be developed by stating the agreement or disagreement in your own words.
How to answer Essay Questions
You must make a judgement about the extent to which different factors contributed to an
event or development, or to its impact. You are required to provide a balanced account of the
influence of different factors and come to a reasoned conclusion based on the evidence
presented.
The essay question will always start “To what extent was the issue affected by factor A”.
This means that you will always have 1 factor provided. You need to add the other factors
that affected the issue from your own knowledge.
Essay questions are worth 8 marks.
Marks can be awarded as follows:A maximum of 5 marks can be given for relevant, factual, key points of knowledge used to
support factors, with 1 mark given for each point. If only 1 factor is presented a maximum of
3 marks should be given for relevant points of knowledge.
A further 3 marks can be given for providing the answer in a structured way and coming to a
reasoned conclusion.
Homework 1
Source A is from the diary of Sergeant S. Saunders, 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, who
fought in the Great War.
It is HELL – that’s the only way of putting it. Everyone is coated with mud from head to toe –
I’ve seen men in such a mess. Food is none too plentiful and water is scarce … Rum was issued
this morning before breakfast – it upset some of the, being taken on an empty stomach …
The trenches are not deep enough and as one walks along one has to stoop down … all of
course in the thick mud.
Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of life in the trenches for soldiers during
the First World War.
(You may want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they
say or what has been missed out.)
5
Homework 2
Describe the conditions soldiers had to endure in the trenches during World War One
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Homework 3
Explain the reasons why large numbers of Scots volunteered to fight in the First World War.
5
Homework 4
To what extent was enemy action the main concern of the soldiers in the trenches during
World War One?
8
Homework 5
Source A is from Colonel Swinton, an officer who helped develop the tank during the First
World War.
The immediate purpose of the tank was the destruction of the machine gun which, until the
tank appeared , was responsible for more deaths than any other weapon. The tank was the
one completely British invention in the war and a great one. It was a great life saver of
infantry. The tank took the place of the artillery bombardment, with more certain results. It
also reintroduced the element of surprise in an attack which the artillery barrage had lost.
How fully does Source A explain the usefulness of tanks in World War One?
5
Homework 6
Source A is about the attack of the Black watch regiment at Loos, 1915
The Black Watch marched with determination. They got into the German line, but were
unsupported. Two companies disappeared and the remainder were sorely shattered. The
whole affair was absolute carnage. The second attack was just murder, sending brave men to
certain death, and, my God, they met it like men too.
Source B is about the attack of the Black watch regiment at Loos, 1915, as reported by a
German newspaper.
Then the British came through with tremendous fierceness. They sent in one of their best
Highland regiments to the front, the best they have anywhere. The Black watch advanced.
The gallant Scots came on and even managed to get into our trench, but even their really
heroic bravery was in vain, for they were not able to turn the fate of the day.
Compare the views of Sources A and B on the attack of the Black watch at Loos.
4
Homework 7
Source A is from Colonel Swinton, an officer who helped develop the tank during the First
World War.
The immediate purpose of the tank was the destruction of the machine gun which, until the
tank appeared , was responsible for more deaths than any other weapon. The tank was the
one completely British invention in the war and a great one. It was a great life saver of
infantry. The tank took the place of the artillery bombardment, with more certain results. It
also reintroduced the element of surprise in an attack which the artillery barrage had lost.
Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of the use of new technology during the
First World War.
(You may want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they
say or what has been missed out.)
5
Homework 8
Describe the use of new technology during the First World War.
5
Homework 9
Why was gas not a very effective weapon during World War One?
5
Homework 10
Source A is written in Belgium in 1917
Trench life was dangerous and soldiers had to live with the constant fear of enemy shelling
and snipers. Every afternoon the Germans bombed and machine gunned the trenches
between 2 and 4 o’ clock. Soldiers were generally safe if they kept low and the parapet was
well built but occasionally some explosives landed in the trenches and men were killed. For
some people, the constant fear of dying and the noise of shelling and explosions got too
much and they suffered nervous breakdowns called “shell shock”.
How fully does Source A show the dangers of life in the trenches
(Use Source A and recall.)
5
Homework 11
Source A is from an interview given to the Government committee in 1964 by a black woman
named F. L. Hamer from Mississippi. The committee was investigating the experiences of
black people trying to vote.
On 31 August 1962 I went to the county court house to register to vote. I was sacked from
the plantation the same day. The plantation owner, Mr Marlow told me that the people in
Mississippi were not ready for black people voting. I have not had a job since. People shot up
the houses of black people nearby because they tried to vote. In 1963 I was on a bus coming
home from an SNCC meeting when some of the others were arrested for trying to eat in a
segregated restaurant. I got out to help, so I was arrested too. In the jail I could hear
beating and screaming.
Evaluate the usefulness of Source A for investigating the life of Black people in the South in
the 1960s.
(You may want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they
say or what has been missed out.)
5
Homework 12
Describe the problems facing European immigrants to the USA in the 1920s
6
Homework 13
Why was there a split in the Civil Rights movement in the mid 1960s?
5
Homework 14
Source A was written by a Senator from Alabama in 1921. He is explaining why he wanted
immigration controls.
As soon as the immigrants step off the decks of our ships our problem has begun –
Bolshevism, red anarchy, crooks and kidnappers. Thousands come here who never take the
oath to support our Constitution and become citizens of the United States. They do not
respect what our flag represents. They pay allegiance to some other country and flag while
they live upon the benefits of our own. They are of no service whatever to our people. They
constitute a menace and a danger to us every day.
Source B is a description by Robert Coughlan of the growth of support for the Ku Klux Klan
in the 1920s.
It may be asked why, then, did the town take so enthusiastically to the Klan? Many old stock
Americans believed they were in danger of being overrun. The “foreigners were running our
country”; and so anything “foreign” was “un-American” and a menace. Cars were draped with
the American flag and some carried homemade signs with Klan slogans such as “America for
the Americans”.
Compare the views of Sources A and B about American attitudes to immigrants in the 1920s.
(Compare the views overall and/or in detail.)
4
Homework 15
Source A describes events at Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.
Eventually the President of the United States had to intervene. He sent 1000 soldiers to
Little Rock to make sure the children were safe. The soldiers stayed in Little Rock for a
year and they even patrolled the school corridors to make sure the children were safe.
Naturally these events attracted worldwide attention to the Civil Rights Movement and
embarrassed the American Government.
How fully does Source A explain why the events at Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957 were
important for the Civil Rights Movement? (Use Source A and recall)
5
Homework 16
To what extent was World War 1 a factor in changing attitudes to immigration in 1918?
8
Homework 17
Source A was written in 1890 by a woman who had grown up in the South after the Civil War.
My grandmother told me that freeing the slaves was the ruination of the South. Our
plantations lost money and worst of all nigra folks (black people) walked the streets as if
they were the equals of white folks. Something had to be done – I thank the Lord for good
old Jim Crow. Jim Crow kept the nigras in their place. I had nothing against those folks who
had been my mama’s slaves but they were just not as good as us white folks.
Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence about attitudes towards the Jim Crow laws
in the nineteenth century.
(You may want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they
say or what has been missed out.)
5
Homework 18
Describe the impact of the Jim Crow Laws on the lives of black Americans.
5
Homework 19
Explain why it was so difficult for black Americans to gain civil rights before 1939.
5
Homework 20
Source A was said by a white student at Little Rock in 1957.
The moment they walk in we will walk out. They have schools just as good as ours. They will
just bring down the standards here. Black kids just can’t mix with white students. It ain’t
right.
Source B is from an interview with an NAACP member at Little Rock, 1957.
The Supreme Court decision of 1954 was clear – separate but equal just does not work. Why
should grade A black students be denied the same standards as white students? The Little
Rock Nine have been chosen because of the excellent grades. They are a credit to any High
School. Segregation must end NOW!
Compare the opinions in Sources A and B about the integration of Little Rock High School.
.
4
Homework 21
Source A is about the Civil Rights march in Selma Alabama in 1965.
Late in 1964 President Johnson told King there was little immediate hope that Congress
would pass any more Civil Rights legislation. King decided that Johnson, like Kennedy before
him, needed a “push”. King decided to mount a new protest in Selma, Alabama. The local police
chief, Sherriff Clark, was a crude and violent racist. Like Bull Connor he would make a
wonderfully obvious enemy. King decided to lead a march from Selma to the state capital
Montgomery to protest to Governor George Wallace about police brutality and racism.
How fully does Source A explain the reasons why Martin Luther King planned a Civil Rights
protest in Selma Alabama in 1965? (Use Source A and recall.)
5
Homework 22
To what extent was the growth of the Civil Rights Movement due to the experience of Black
Americans in the Second World War?
8
Homework 23
Source A is by black student Elizabeth Eckford about her attempt to attend Central High
School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957.
That night I couldn’t sleep. Next morning I was the first one to get up. As I walked to the
school a large crowd moved closer to me, calling me names. The crowd moved closer and
closer. Somebody started yelling “Lynch her, lynch her.” I tried to see a friendly face in the
mob. I saw an old lady. She looked kind but then spat on me. They started shouting. “No
nigger bitch is going to get into our school. Get out of here.”
Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of the events at Little Rock in 1957.
(You may want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they
say or what has been missed out.)
5
Homework 24
Describe the non-violent protests of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
5
Homework 25
Explain the reasons why the Black Panthers gained the support of many black Americans.
5
Homework 26
Describe the problems facing black Americans who moved north in the 1920s and 1930s
Homework 27
Source A is about the opposition of Malcolm X to non-violent protest.
Malcolm X was mistreated in his youth and this gave him a different set of attitudes to
Martin Luther King. Later, while in jail, he was influenced by the ideas of Elijah Mohammed
who preached hatred of the white race. In his speeches he criticised non-violence. He
believed that non-violence was a sign that black people were still living in mental slavery.
5
However, Malcolm X never undertook violent action himself and sometimes prevented it.
Instead he often used violent language and threats to frighten the government into action.
How fully does Source A explain the views of Malcolm X on non-violent protest?
(Use Source A and recall.)
6
Homework 28
Source A is part of a speech made by Martin Luther King in 1963
I have a dream – that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”. I have a dream –
that one day on the hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and sons of former slave owners
will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of the views of Martin Luther King.
(You may want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they
say or what has been missed out.)
5
Homework 29
Explain the reasons for the riots by Black Americans in northern cities in the late 1960s.
5
Homework 30
Source A is from an eye witness to the Watts riots.
Last night a police officer stopped us and said, “OK, everybody get off the street!.” I said “
Hey man, it’s summer. It’s really hot. We don’t have air conditioned rooms like you rich White
folks. We like to hang out till late in the cool night air. We ain’t got no job to get up to in the
morning.”
How fully does Source A describe the reasons for the riots that happened in America in the
1960s? (Use Source A and recall.)
5