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

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First teaching 2024

First exams 2026

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

Exam code: 1HI0

19 mins19 questions
Easy
Medium
Hard
11 mark

When did the Cuban Revolution take place?

  • 1956

  • 1957

  • 1959

  • 1960

Choose your answer

21 mark

How far is Cuba from Key West, Florida?

  • 90 miles.

  •  270 miles.

  • 350 miles.

  • 1 000 miles.

Choose your answer

31 mark

Who led the Cuban government before the revolution?

  • Fidel Castro.

  • Che Guevara.

  • Imre Nagy.

  • Fulgencio Batista.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

101 mark

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

  • Harry S. Truman.

  •  John F. Kennedy.

  • Lyndon B. Johnson.

  •  Ronald Reagan.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer

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.

Choose your answer