The 8 Mark "How Convincing is the Interpretation About" Question: Elizabethan England (Q1) (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
Summary of Question One
Question One requires you to evaluate how convincing an interpretation of a given issue is
Amount of marks | 8 |
|---|---|
The time that you should spend on the question | No more than 10 minutes |
An example of the type of question you may encounter can be seen below:
In previous years, this question has focused on the following topics in Elizabethan history:
Year | Question Topic |
|---|---|
2018 | |
2019 | |
2020 | |
2021 | |
2022 | |
Sample 1 | Sir Walter Raleigh |
Sample 2 | Drake’s motives for circumnavigation of the globe |
How to Analyse an Interpretation
When analysing an interpretation you should:
Read the interpretation carefully
Read the interpretation more than once, if you have time
Focus on just the content of the interpretation
If you use the provenance, you will receive no marks for the comments made
Whilst reading the interpretation underline or highlight relevant pieces of text
Annotate the interpretation by attaching your knowledge to the content of the interpretation
When analysing an interpretation, many students forget to focus on the given issue in the question
For example, if a question is asking you about the Spanish Armada and the interpretation includes the Essex Rebellion, you disregard the information about the Essex Rebellion
How is an Interpretation Convincing?
Interpretations are used in history to explain the past by looking at history from different points of view
Interpretations are convincing because they:
Have accurate knowledge
An understanding of the historical period
Show a typical experience or point of view from the historical period
The easiest way to decide if an interpretation is convincing is by using your own knowledge
For the example question, you could use the 1601 Poor Law as a reason why the interpretation is convincing
Judging Interpretations
The “How Convincing” question requires you to make a judgement
The common mistakes that students make when making a judgement are:
Not giving a clear judgement. Students do this by:
Failing to decide why the interpretation is convincing
Using language in their answer which is not decisive e.g. “kind of” or “maybe”
Contradicting your judgements
Students sometimes haven’t planned their answers properly. They start to write their answer with one judgement and then change their opinion halfway through
Doing this means that there is not a sustained judgement and you can not access Level 4 (6-8 marks)
Good judgements will:
Explain why the interpretation is convincing
Have a substantiated judgement
Be supported with specific knowledge
Be relevant to the interpretations and the question
Although you need to explain how convincing the interpretation is, this does not mean that the interpretation will not be convincing
Your judgement does not need to include limitations and you can receive full marks without one
Student's responses are stronger when they are decisive and clear about how convincing the interpretation is
However, if you include a limitation you will be credited, you must make sure the limitation is:
Supported by knowledge
Focused on the question
Relevant to your answer
“How Convincing is the Interpretation” Structure
For the example question above, you will be given an interpretation in an insert
An insert is an additional booklet to your answer paper. It provides key sources or interpretations needed to answer specific questions in the exam
Your answer should consist of:
Specific relevant knowledge
Content from the interpretation
The wider context of the time
Your answer could be written in PEE paragraphs
P- Make a point about the question
Identify why the interpretation is convincing
E- Use information from the interpretation and knowledge to support the point you have made
Your knowledge should be specific
Focus on the content from the interpretation
E- Explain why you find the interpretation convincing
Focus on the given issue in the question
For top marks, you need to show your understanding of the wider context of the time
To achieve full marks, you need to repeat this twice
Worked Example of a “How Convincing is the Interpretation” Question
Worked Example
How convincing is Interpretation A about attitudes towards poverty in Elizabethan England?
[8 marks]
Interpretation A: Adapted from A Description of England by William Harrison, written in 1587 “The vagabonds abide nowhere but run up and down place to place; idle beggars cut the fleshly parts of their bodies to raise pitiful sores and move hearts of passer-by so they will bestow large gifts upon them. It makes me think that punishment is more suitable for them than generosity or gifts. They are all thieves. They take from the godly poor what is due to them.” |
Answer:
Interpretation A is convincing as it identifies the negative attitude Elizabethans had towards the undeserving poor. The source states “that punishment is more suitable” for the undeserving poor in England. In 1567 Thomas Herman wrote a book describing the different types of untrustworthy beggars and their tricks. This is convincing because the book written by Herman became very popular in Elizabethan England and hardened the views of the English people towards the undeserving poor. These negative views towards the undeserving poor were reflected in Elizabeth's 1601 Poor Law.
Another reason interpretation A is convincing is due to the opinion shared about the deserving poor. The interpretation implies that the deserving poor in Elizabethan England should be given “large gifts”. The 1601 Poor Law stated that the wealthy would be taxed to help support the deserving poor of their local area. These taxes would help to feed, clothe, house and provide work for the deserving poor. This is convincing because during this period the attitudes towards the deserving poor changed from one of punishment in the early Tudor period, to a supportive, charitable and Christian attitude in the Elizabethan times.
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