AS History Edexcel May 2013 thread

Just some advice for Civil Rights,

1945-55 has come up three times, and on the last examination on it (June 2012) they said candidates had a secure grasp of the topic so I think it's highly unlikely it will come up!

I have a feeling something on Opposition will come up and whether it was the MOST IMPORTANT factor for failure, so I'd argue:

Opposition, how it led to failure. Try not to focus on one type of opposition, maybe use Police Forces (Pritchett and Connor) and the FBI (COINTERLPO and how their infiltration led to divisions) and Congree (Weaking Bills, Filibusters, HOWEVER, they did back the 64 and 65 Bill, so there's nice evaluation)

And then do for the other two factors:

Internal Divisions - Destructive tensions BUT also Creative Tensions so you're providing a nice counter argument.

Failure of Presidents - Domestic issues not as important as international ones - Johnson occupied with Vietnam war - HOWEVER, you could argue this failure was due to MLK for criticising the war and so the failure can't all be attributed to Presidents. Talk about Kennedy and maybe Eisenhower (depends on the timeframe, they will probably do the 1960's so Eisenhower and LR9 shouldn't be mentioned) AND THEN counter argue that and say how they did pass bills which led to almost de jure desegregation blah blah.

Just some advice for Civil Rights,

1945-55 has come up three times, and on the last examination on it (June 2012) they said candidates had a secure grasp of the topic so I think it's highly unlikely it will come up!

I have a feeling something on Opposition will come up and whether it was the MOST IMPORTANT factor for failure, so I'd argue:

Opposition, how it led to failure. Try not to focus on one type of opposition, maybe use Police Forces (Pritchett and Connor) and the FBI (COINTERLPO and how their infiltration led to divisions) and Congree (Weaking Bills, Filibusters, HOWEVER, they did back the 64 and 65 Bill, so there's nice evaluation)

And then do for the other two factors:

Internal Divisions - Destructive tensions BUT also Creative Tensions so you're providing a nice counter argument.

Failure of Presidents - Domestic issues not as important as international ones - Johnson occupied with Vietnam war - HOWEVER, you could argue this failure was due to MLK for criticising the war and so the failure can't all be attributed to Presidents. Talk about Kennedy and maybe Eisenhower (depends on the timeframe, they will probably do the 1960's so Eisenhower and LR9 shouldn't be mentioned) AND THEN counter argue that and say how they did pass bills which led to almost de jure desegregation blah blah.

Oh, so on a question whether opposition was the most important factor for failure, would you talk about the role of opposition along with two other different factors (division and presidential failure) whilst stating the successes of them?

Great tip, thanks! I've almost given up at this point - the examiner's reports are very discouraging, they're so harsh

I think they're good to see what they look for.

So a nice intro - stating the points you will cover, maybe make a judgement in introduction.

Main body - should always keep linking back to question and at the end of each paragraph a mini conclusion that links to question.

Conclusion - most important factor and why, should be quite extensive.

Just some advice for Civil Rights,

1945-55 has come up three times, and on the last examination on it (June 2012) they said candidates had a secure grasp of the topic so I think it's highly unlikely it will come up!

I have a feeling something on Opposition will come up and whether it was the MOST IMPORTANT factor for failure, so I'd argue:

Opposition, how it led to failure. Try not to focus on one type of opposition, maybe use Police Forces (Pritchett and Connor) and the FBI (COINTERLPO and how their infiltration led to divisions) and Congree (Weaking Bills, Filibusters, HOWEVER, they did back the 64 and 65 Bill, so there's nice evaluation)

And then do for the other two factors:

Internal Divisions - Destructive tensions BUT also Creative Tensions so you're providing a nice counter argument.

Failure of Presidents - Domestic issues not as important as international ones - Johnson occupied with Vietnam war - HOWEVER, you could argue this failure was due to MLK for criticising the war and so the failure can't all be attributed to Presidents. Talk about Kennedy and maybe Eisenhower (depends on the timeframe, they will probably do the 1960's so Eisenhower and LR9 shouldn't be mentioned) AND THEN counter argue that and say how they did pass bills which led to almost de jure desegregation blah blah.

If they ask for the reasons behind fyp what other factors could I discuss other than ideological, political and economic?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Structure, I'm not worried about. It's just the content. I can only come up with four-five points each for economic, political and ideological reasons for the FYPs, and none of them are particularly strong, they're all too general. I have a terrible feeling that the Plans and the Terror will come up, but I don't think I can stuff a Plans essay properly.

I had to flesh my points out with both the internet, access to history textbook and prescribed edexcel textbook.

For the reasons for economics:

Scissors Crisis,
Grain Procurement
The fail to industrialise fast enough - NEP wasn't producing sinews of war that exceeded Tsarist regime
then counter - it did help improve agriculture after devastation of civil war

Political - consolidating Stalins power - abandoning bukharin, appealing to radicals within party who didn't favour NEP in first place.
developing his cult of personality to exceed Lenin - "myth of two leaders" - only way to do this was to abolish NEP and bring in his own personal economic plans,
Stalin was worried of western countries attacking - needed FYP to rapidly industrialise.

Ideological:

NEPmen - their capitalist views in conflict with state - communist party members resented them - getting rid of them would mean stalin becomes more popular and only way to get rid of them is to abandon NEP and introduce FYP.
Allowing proletariat to prosper
Socialism could only be achieved through radical industrialisation which NEP wasn't doing and FYP was.
Stalin used ideologies for political gain - "socialism in one country" vs "permanent revolution" - make trotsky weak - link it back to previous point, because socialism only achievable in highly industrial economy, FYP needed to be brought in and because trotsky was perceived as against it, Stalin consolidated power.

I had to flesh my points out with both the internet, access to history textbook and prescribed edexcel textbook.

For the reasons for economics:

Scissors Crisis,
Grain Procurement
The fail to industrialise fast enough - NEP wasn't producing sinews of war that exceeded Tsarist regime
then counter - it did help improve agriculture after devastation of civil war

Political - consolidating Stalins power - abandoning bukharin, appealing to radicals within party who didn't favour NEP in first place.
developing his cult of personality to exceed Lenin - "myth of two leaders" - only way to do this was to abolish NEP and bring in his own personal economic plans,
Stalin was worried of western countries attacking - needed FYP to rapidly industrialise.

Ideological:

NEPmen - their capitalist views in conflict with state - communist party members resented them - getting rid of them would mean stalin becomes more popular and only way to get rid of them is to abandon NEP and introduce FYP.
Allowing proletariat to prosper
Socialism could only be achieved through radical industrialisation which NEP wasn't doing and FYP was.
Stalin used ideologies for political gain - "socialism in one country" vs "permanent revolution" - make trotsky weak - link it back to previous point, because socialism only achievable in highly industrial economy, FYP needed to be brought in and because trotsky was perceived as against it, Stalin consolidated power.

what do you guys think will come up for

D3: Russia in revolution- i was kinda hoping for something on the 1905 revolution or the civil war?
and
D4: Stalins Russia- i really want something like 'What were the reasons for the FYP's' or something on the great retreat e.g women, education etc

I'd cry if those were the D3 options, they're exactly what I'm hoping for!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Sir, you not getting 100% in this exam would be a tragedy on so many levels.

How would you order them, as in most to least? Because I thought economic was the most important reason but there aren't as many examples for it.

Do you think that anything will come up on the Great Retreat - if it is about women and children, education and all that I will cry with happiness?

Do you think that anything will come up on the Great Retreat - if it is about women and children, education and all that I will cry with happiness?