AQA A2 HISTORY: The Triumph of Elizabeth, 1547-1603

Finally found a thread for this been looking for ages haha!

What does everybody think will be on the exam this year? Predictions please

My predictions:
Ireland
Economy
Maybe Anglo/French relations?
Succession crisis.

How's everybody finding the course?

I am hoping for questions on the Mid-Tudor Crisis and the Elizabethan Settlement to come up

Me too and the state of the Elizabethan economy, maybe a comparison between Edward, Mary and Elizabeth's handling of it? I'd like that I'm not usually into the economy but I seem to get it for the Tudors

Our syllabus does not really focus on economics though. It is primarily religion, politics and international affairs.

Done any background reading?

Alas, what I'm hoping for however is a question I can link economy into easily. One determining the successes of Elizabethan politics would be an easy one for example, as you could include the economy for that.

And a little yes, mainly because as a kid - and a big history geek - I enjoyed the Tudors so I knew a bit before. But for now i'm reading various books, articles etc to gain historians interpretations and quotes. How about yourself?

I've already noticed your strong opinions, so I'll agree with you there! My parents seem okay with my devotion to History but at the same time, I think the fact I'm doing Law aside to it appeases them the most. Almost a sense of, we'll let her do that bit she enjoys so long as she stays serious with the Law route. Ultimately, I'll only ever pursue a career I have genuine interest in.

Her settlement wasn't her strongest point. In fact, in the grand scheme of her reign and all that occurred, considering it was meant to be some massive "reformation" - I don't think it was that effective at all. Catholicism was still practiced AND preached (even though it was illegal.) And she treated such matters with very little urgency. I've often question and doubted her devotion to Christianity and the Protestant beliefs, her religion and the way she conducted herself having indicate many hypocrisies.

read the AQA textbook and do notes on each chapter!

I found that breaking it up into the sections they use in the textbook to be good.

Then do some theamatic revision say on how relgion/foreign relations/privy council/local govt changed over the whole period.

The textbook is very base and limited in detail. Many of the people on this thread are desirous of achieving A* grades in the exam, which is not possible through contemplation of the textbook's lack of historiography, detail, debate, etc.

Although I hear that the John Guy website is rather good.

I would argue that it is the best place to start, reading many many books will not necessarily improve ones grade.

The best thing to do is start my learning everything in the textbook, then consulting other textbooks or more in-depth sources.

What the examiner wants to see is an understanding of the WHOLE period and how the contexts affected decisions that were made (continuity and change is a big theme).

To do this you need to have an overview of the whole period which comes from reading the textbook and making notes. The next stage is to get a more in depth understanding. You need both to do well at the exam.

I got an A* in this exam (113/120) in June last year and A* in history overall. I'm not just making this up.

Yes, I understand what you mean. The introduction and conclusion of an essay are pivotal in showing an understanding of the whole syllabus, but I try to juggle several themes in my essays to show 'continuity' or 'change'.

By the way, was it you who gave me a neg rep? ha

That is very important. A thematic approach is exactly what examiners want! That is why an overview is important, students who focus too much on detail tend to go for a chronological approach which includes immense detail and demonstrates factual knowledge, but doesn't show a true understanding of how to write an essay.

I did not. You are entitled to your opinion, I would not neg for it

Exactly. You seem to know what you are talking about.

Would you care to look at a short essay of mine on Elizabeth's Settlement to see if it fits into your 'thematic' approach? It is only 1,000 words.

Thank you for not giving me a neg I don't know who would randomly do so; all I did was state that I am not particularly good at economics in Tudor history.

Exactly. You seem to know what you are talking about.

Would you care to look at a short essay of mine on Elizabeth's Settlement to see if it fits into your 'thematic' approach? It is only 1,000 words.

Thank you for not giving me a neg I don't know who would randomly do so; all I did was state that I am not particularly good at economics in Tudor history.

My history teacher encourages me to approach my essays thematically too. A lot of the other students in my class really hate doing this and tend to stick to chronology, I think it's just what people feel safe with after GCSE and AS. I think practice makes perfect and I try to do all mine in themes now.

Well I had a year of our history teacher saying over and over again that you need to take a thematic approach, it seems to have sunken in. (good job to because at university lecturers say the same thing!)

I'm really sorry I can't right now, I have an essay to do myself that is due tuesday on medical negligence! Thereafter I have portfolios/moots to do so have to concentrate on my own work.

I think they negged you because you said that you read 7 books last year and that they consider (rightly so) that that is too much work and that it makes them feel guilty. However if you are really interested in it and enjoy the reading, what is it to them eh? Just TSR madness.

Strange. My teacher has never mentioned this 'thematic' approach On viewing that essay I posted on another thread, do I write in this 'thematic' approach?

I can't remember exactly now but if you wish to mail it through, I don't mind having another look? To try and explain, I did an essay on how well she dealt with internal/external threats to her reign and rather than going through each threat in order of when it happened, I decided in my plan to theme by religious threats (internally), religious threats (externally), threats from rebellions, Mary Q of S, etc and so on.

Ah, I understand! I think I do that because I avoid going through the period year-by-year. For example, I might start a paragraph with: "The period arguably saw an economic crisis".

Ah, I understand! I think I do that because I avoid going through the period year-by-year. For example, I might start a paragraph with: "The period arguably saw an economic crisis".