GCSEHistoryEdexcelPeriod Study (Paper 2, Booklet P)Exam QuestionsSuperpower Relations & the Cold War, 1941–91Cuba, 1959-1963

Cuba, 1959-1963 (Edexcel GCSE History: Period Study (Paper 2, Booklet P))

Exam Questions

19 mins19 questions
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11 mark

When did the Cuban Revolution take place?

  • 1956

  • 1957

  • 1959

  • 1960

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21 mark

How far is Cuba from Key West, Florida?

  • 90 miles.

  •  270 miles.

  • 350 miles.

  • 1 000 miles.

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31 mark

Who led the Cuban government before the revolution?

  • Fidel Castro.

  • Che Guevara.

  • Imre Nagy.

  • Fulgencio Batista.

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41 mark

Which event initially pushed Cuba closer to the Soviet Union?

  • The Bay of Pigs invasion.

  • The Cuban Revolution.

  •  The US trade embargo.

  • The construction of the Berlin Wall.

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51 mark

How did Kennedy respond to the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962?

  •  Ordered an invasion of Cuba.

  • Established a naval blockade around Cuba.

  • Launched an airstrike on Cuba.

  • Signed a peace treaty with the Soviet Union.

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61 mark

What was established between Moscow and Washington after the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  • A treaty to limit the production of nuclear weapons.

  • A trade agreement.

  • A direct communication line ('hotline').

  •  A military alliance.

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71 mark

Which treaty was signed in August 1963 following the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  • The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

  • The Test Ban Treaty.

  • The Outer Space Treaty.

  • SALT I.

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81 mark

What did the Outer Space Treaty agree to?

  • The USA and the Soviet Union agreed not to use space for military purposes.

  • The treaty banned the testing of nuclear weapons in space.

  • The USA and the Soviet Union agreed to a joint space mission.

  • The treaty encouraged nuclear testing only to occur in space.

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91 mark

When did the ‘Thirteen Days’ occur?

  •  4th October to 17th October 1962.

  • 28th October to 10th November 1962.

  • 16th September to 28th September 1962.

  • 16th October to 28th October 1962.

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101 mark

Which person replaced Eisenhower as the US president in January 1961?

  • Harry S. Truman.

  •  John F. Kennedy.

  • Lyndon B. Johnson.

  •  Ronald Reagan.

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11 mark

What did the USA do in July 1960 in response to Cuba's revolution?

  • Initiated a trade embargo.

  • Invaded Cuba.

  • Bought less sugar from Cuba.

  • Cut off diplomatic relations with Cuba.

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21 mark

Why did the Bay of Pigs invasion fail?

  •  Poor weather conditions stopped the invasion force from arriving in Cuba.

  • Castro had strong public support within Cuba. The invading force gained no support.

  • The lack of CIA involvement meant that the invasion had many flaws.

  • Cuba gained military support from the USSR. Cuban forces were able to maintain control.

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31 mark

What was the short-term cause of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  • On 14th October 1962, a U-2 spy-plane took photographs of missile launch pads in Cuba.

  •  The Bay of Pigs incident in 1961 heightened Cold War tensions between the USA and the Soviet Union.

  • The arms race caused both countries to compete against each other to become the biggest superpower.

  • There was a mass refugee crisis with Cubans fleeing to the USA.

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41 mark

What was the main reason for the US concern over missiles in Cuba in 1962?

  • The missiles were aimed at Europe.

  • Missiles could be launched without warning.

  • Missiles from Cuba could reach any part of the USA.

  •  The missiles had nuclear warheads.

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51 mark

What was one major consequence of the Cuban Missile Crisis for Khrushchev?

  • He gained popularity in the Soviet Union.

  • He was ousted from power.

  • He invaded the USA from Cuba.

  • He resigned voluntarily.

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11 mark

What major event in 1961 increased Cold War tensions between the USA and Cuba?

  • Cuban Missile Crisis.

  • The Bay of Pigs invasion.

  • Castro's visit to Moscow.

  • The Cuban Revolution.

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21 mark

How did Khrushchev heighten Cold War tensions between the USA and Cuba in 1961?

  • Khrushchev publicly declared that the Soviet Union would provide weapons to Cuba.

  • Khrushchev supported the USA’s invasion of Cuba by supplying the CIA with intelligence on the island.

  • Khrushchev delivered nuclear missiles to Cuba for them to be placed pointing towards the USA.

  • Khrushchev created an international scandal involving the USA and Cuba, ruining both of their reputations.

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31 mark

What impact did the Bay of Pigs Incident have on Cold War relations?

  • The Bay of Pigs Incident had a significant impact on Cold War tensions. Attempting an armed uprising against the independent government in Cuba made the USA look as controlling as the Soviet Union.

  • The Bay of Pigs Incident had an impact on Cold War tensions. Khrushchev used the failure of the invasion as a success for capitalism.

  • The Bay of Pigs Incident had no impact on Cold War tensions. The Cuban people were happy living under a communist government.

  • The Bay of Pigs Incident reduced Cold War tensions. Cuba and the USA resolved their issues through diplomacy, increasing the trust between the two countries.

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41 mark

What was the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  • The Soviet Union removed its missiles from Cuba.

  • The Soviet Union removed its missiles from Cuba and the USA secretly removed its missiles from Turkey.

  • The Soviet Union removed its missiles from Cuba and the USA publicly removed its missiles from Turkey.

  • The USA secretly removed their missiles from Turkey.

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