Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The 12 Mark "Explain Why" Question (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Summary of Question 2
Question 2 requires you to provide an analytical explanation of the event, development, theme or factor outlined in the question
This question will require you to use the second-order concept of causation in your answer
Amount of marks | 12 |
|---|---|
The time that you should spend on the question | No more than 20 minutes 5 minutes of planning 10- 15 minutes of writing |
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 England:
Year of Exam | Question Topic |
|---|---|
2018 | |
2019 | |
2020 | |
2021 | |
2022 | |
2023 | Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots |
What are second-order concepts?
Second-order concepts are:
Cause and consequence
Change and continuity
Similarities and differences
Historical significance
For the example question, the second-order concept is causation
The example question asks you to explain what caused a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign
These second-order concepts allow you to:
Understand history
Give a complex explanation
This question usually focuses on the second-order concept of causation
How to answer an "Explain why" question
This question asks you to explain causation, why something happened
You need to demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of the events or developments
As shown in the example question, you will receive two stimulus points
In the exam, you will be given two possible areas of knowledge to discuss in your question
If you only discuss these two stimulus points, you cannot access Level 4
You must discuss three areas of knowledge in your answer to access Level 4
You should always plan your answers before writing them. When creating a plan for this question, you should consider the following:
What three areas of knowledge are you going to use?
For the example question, you could include Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth's Religious Settlement and the papal bull
How do they demonstrate the causation of the topic outlined in the question?
"Explain why" question structure
Your answer should consist of:
Specific and relevant own knowledge
The second-order concept of causation
A sustained explanation
A logical structure
Your answers could be written in PEEL paragraphs :
P - Make a point about the question
E - Use evidence that supports the point that you have made (K)
The evidence should be from the time period or event outlined in the question
Your evidence should include a wide range of knowledge
E - Explain the question (SOC)
Explain how the evidence resulted in the event or development outlined in the question
L - Link your explanation back to the question
To achieve full marks, you need to repeat this structure three times
The question is out of 12 marks:
6 marks for a wide range of specific knowledge of the period and the topic (K)
6 marks for the analysis of the key second-order concepts (SOC)
Worked example of an "Explain why" question
Worked Example
Explain why there was a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign.
(12)
You may use the following in your answer: • Mary, Queen of Scots • the papal bull You must also use information of your own. |
Answer
One reason why there was a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign was due to Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary, Queen of Scots was Elizabeth's Catholic cousin and had a genuine claim to the English throne. As legitimacy was important in Elizabethan England, many people supported her claim to the throne (K). Therefore, Mary, Queen of Scots was a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign because many English Catholics supported her claim to the throne and tried several times, through the Throckmorton and Babington plots, to remove Elizabeth from her throne and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots (SOC).
Another reason why there was a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign was due to her Religious Settlement. The Act of Supremacy and Uniformity re-established the Protestant religion in England. Although there were elements of Catholicism in the religious settlement, for many Catholics her Religious Settlement did not go far enough or they wanted England to remain Catholic (K). Therefore, there was a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign because of her Religious Settlement as this angered Catholics and they rebelled against Elizabeth, as seen during the Revolt of the Northern Earls. However, the Religious Settlement also created a Catholic threat as many Catholics refused to attend the new Church of England. This crime was called recusancy (SOC). This refusal to follow the settlement made Elizabeth look weak.
A final reason why there was a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign was due to the Catholic threat from abroad. In 1570, when the Pope excommunicated Elizabeth, he issued a papal bull calling upon loyal Catholics to depose Elizabeth (K). This created a Catholic threat to Elizabeth's reign because it encouraged both Catholics from home and abroad to depose Elizabeth and resulted in both France and Spain supporting Catholic plots against Elizabeth (SOC). This became a huge threat as countries like Spain even attempted to invade England in 1588 with the Spanish Armada over religious issues.
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