The 12 Marker "Bullet Point" Question: America 1840-1895 (Q6) (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Summary of Question Six
Question Six requires you to evaluate the two bullet points which refer to a given issue
The bullet points given will:
Include information across the America: 1920 - 1973 unit
Be a direct comparison of two key groups or events
For example, in America: 1840 - 1895 unit, the bullet points could be on the economic and political reasons for the outbreak of the American Civil War or how the Plains Indians were defeated by the US army and the destruction of the buffalo
Amount of marks | 12 |
|---|---|
The time that you should spend on the question | No more than 20 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 American history:
Year of Exam | Question Topic |
|---|---|
2018 | |
2019 | |
2020 | |
2021 | |
2022 | |
Sample 1 | The American Civil War and the Southern States |
Sample 2 | Travel across the Great Plains in the 1840s |
Making Judgements in History
The 12-mark question relies on your ability to weigh all the evidence and state your opinion. Students often find this part the hardest to do
There are some common mistakes when making a judgement, they include:
Not giving a clear judgement. Students do this by:
Explaining that both bullet points are important
Failing to decide which bullet point is more important
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 cannot access Level 4 (10- 12 marks)
Good judgements will:
Explain one bullet point is more important than the other
There is no "right" or "wrong" answer in History
If you are unsure of your opinion, pick the side of the argument that you have better or more evidence to support
For the example question, the judgement is that economic and social reasons caused the American Civil War
Consider the other side of the argument
Even if you fully agree with one of the bullet points, you still need to present evidence for the other bullet point
Sustain your judgement throughout your answer
Your judgement should be used to structure your answer and help you explain
This is why planning your answer is important
What Makes a Great Conclusion in GCSE History?
Conclusions are usually where most of your judgement marks will be awarded
Students often rush their conclusions so they are not as developed as they could be
All great conclusions have these three elements:
Judgement – Start with your opinion. Try to include the words from the question. Consider second-order concepts like short- and long-term consequences, change and continuity and significance
Counter – Give an example from the other side of the argument to show your awareness of this
Support – Explain why, after considering all the evidence, you have reached your judgement. Use your best piece of evidence to show your opinion
How to Answer a "Bullet Point" Question
When answering a “Bullet Point” question you need to:
Read the question carefully
Plan your answer. This will help you to:
Decide which bullet point you will support
Have a logical and concise argument
Have a substantiated judgement
Achieve the higher levels
Examiners state that those who plan their answers, achieve higher marks
Explain both bullet points in your answer
"Bullet Point" Question Structure
Your answer should consist of:
Specific knowledge
Relevant evidence
Substantiated judgement
A conclusion
Your answers could be written in PEEL paragraphs:
P - Make a point about the question
This should include your judgement
E - Use evidence that supports the point that you have made
Evidence needs to be relevant and specific
E - Explain why this evidence supports your point
L - Link your explanation back to the question by stating how it is more or less important than the other bullet point
Worked Example of a "Bullet Point" Question
Worked Example
Which of the following was the more important reason for the American Civil War:
Social and economic reasons
Political reasons?
[12 marks]
Answer:
One reason why the American Civil War happened was due to political reasons, however, this was not the main reason. As more territories joined the Union, the political problems and divide between the Northern and Southern States grew. Such problems arose from the Missouri Compromise of 1820, The Compromise of 1850, the creation of new political parties and the election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860 created tension as there was a difference between the North and South political ideologies. The election of President Lincoln created tension between the North and South as many from the South did not vote for Lincoln as he was anti-slavery. Therefore, the Southern states seceded from the Union and set up the Confederacy with Jefferson Davis as their President and the Civil War began in April 1861. However, political reasons for the outbreak of the American Civil War were not the main reason for the outbreak of the American Civil War as they tended to be more of a Southern issue, as many in the North wanted to keep the Union together and attempted political compromises to make this happen.
The main reason for the outbreak of the American Civil War was due to economic and social reasons. The economy was a major issue dividing the two sides because the North was industrial and the South was agricultural and relied heavily on slavery. Slavery was outlawed in the North but flourishing in the South, the Confederacy was established partly to defend its use while a strong and growing abolitionist movement in the North wanted to end it. Many believe the southern states seceded from the Union because they relied upon slavery to have a successful economy, which many abolitionists such as Harriet Beecher Stowe believed. Economic and social issues were the main reason for the outbreak of the American Civil War because both the North and South were driven by their economic positions and this was shown through the issue of slavery.
Overall, the main reason for the American Civil War was due to economic and social reasons. Although many Americans had a difference in opinion about why the war started, economic and social reasons tended to be the main reasons for the outbreak of the Civil War. This is because they caused conflict between the North and South, such as the Missouri Compromise in 1820. However, political tensions were an important reason the economic differences between the North and the South caused political tensions and indifferences which caused the South to leave the Union.
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