GCSE History Essay Question.

Hello, I've got mock exams coming up in a few weeks, and I'd like to know what these essays could get, because I want to improve my quality of writing. Could anyone mark these two 8-mark questions please (AQA):

In what ways did the lives of the German people change during the Stresemann era (1924-1929)?
Explain your answer. [8 marks]
During the Stresemann Era, Germany experienced a period of increased wealth and prosperity. Due to the loans from America (the Dawes Plan gave Germany £800 million, and the Young Plan significantly extended the time Germany had to pay back their loan to the Allied countries of WW1), Germany now had more money to improve the standard of living of its people. Many jobs were created as German industries flourished, massively reducing unemployment, and therefore crime and opposition. A rise in average incomes led to a rise in aggregate demand, reducing the cyclical unemployment of 1923 and improving the state of German industry. However, Stresemann said that Germany was 'dancing on top of a volcano', as the terms of the Dawes Plan stated that if anything bad happened to the American economy (which was erroneously thought to be highly unlikely), Germany would have to pay the entire loan back in just 80 days (impossible). The economic growth was merely a façade. Also, despite the fall in unemployment, the level of unemployment never fell below one million throughout the entire Stresemann Era.

Another way the lives of the German people changed throughout the Stresemann Era is that there was decreased resistance against the government and less support for radical parties. During the early years of the Weimar Republic (1918-1923), there was lots of violence on the streets. 6 million people were unemployed, and people in desperate situations almost always turn to radical parties for desperate support, and find a common enemy to blame for their troubles. Politics became increasingly violent, with hundreds of (usually left-wing) politicians assassinated, and the judges were sympathetic to the causes of the far-right assassins. Almost all major parties, including fairly centrist/moderate parties such as the SPD, formed private armies, who defended their meetings, and some armies such as the SA beat up those who opposed them such as Communists. Many people were also unhappy with the economic situation, due to the increasing American influence and betrayal of a traditional German lifestyle. Some right-wing politicians such as Alfred Hugenberg opposed the Dawes and Young Plans, as it meant that Germany was continuing to pay back reparations to the Allies, for a war they didn't believe they were responsible for and that they could have won.

Explain what was important about Elizabethan England that made it a Golden Age. [8 marks]
The newfound prosperity of the Elizabethan Era brought about many new inventioned such as better navigating technology and improved sails on ships. This made it easier to travel to new lands, such as the Amercias. Britain utilised this new territory in order to gain resources and to strengthen British power. The Elizabethan Era was considered a Golden Age as people began to feel an increased sense of pride in their country and after becoming one of the first European countries to colonise North Amercia, England was on its way to creating the British Empire, and it further proved its international dominance and challenged the current leading world powers after it defeated the Spanish Armada. Although the printing press had already been invented in 1440 by Johannes Gutenburg, it was further developed during the Elizabethan Era and thus this was an advancement in technology that allowed the spread of ideas and made Elizabethan England a 'Golden Age'.

Secondly, there were also advancements in literature, art, education and the theatre. The creative industries flourished and novel-writing became increasingly popular. Many members of the gentry/nobility started to write poems in their free time, and Shakespeare himself wrote a collection of sonnets, which are now famous around the world. Rich people often had small portraits of themselves created to display in their houses and promote their image. Art was also used for propaganda purposes by Elizabeth I - she was once described as a 'living portrait', because there were so many paintings made of her to show to her subjects. Elizabethan England could also be seen as a 'Golden Age' due to the improvements in education. Although these were limited as it was mainly still for boys from wealthy families, some girls and poorer boys were also encouraged to get an education, as the queen herself was very well-educated. Society was also further united by the pastime of the theatre - a form of entertainment open to all classes, which became so popular during the Elizabethan Era that designated theatre buildings had to be built for the first time.