Secondary 3 History Practice Paper 2

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper — Answer Key

Subject: History | Level: Secondary 3 | Version: 2 of 5
Total Marks: 40

Section A (20 marks)

Question 1 [3 marks]

Answer:
Source A shows that Hitler had a deeply negative attitude towards the Treaty of Versailles. He described it as a betrayal, saying it was "designed to crush Germany forever" and that it "stripped us of our land, our army, and our pride." He promised to rebuild Germany and restore its strength, showing that he intended to reverse the terms of the treaty.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for identifying Hitler's negative/hostile attitude.
• 1 mark for using a relevant quote or detail from the source.
• 1 mark for explaining what this reveals about his intentions (to overturn the treaty).
• Award 0 marks for answers that merely repeat the question or give no source evidence.

Question 2 [4 marks]

Answer:
Source A presents Hitler as a leader seeking to restore German pride and rebuild the nation, using language that suggests he is acting in Germany's defence ("Germany will rise again"). Source B, however, views Hitler's intentions with suspicion, arguing that his actions — specifically secret rearmament — contradict his words. The editorial warns that "unchecked aggression leads only to greater conflict," suggesting that Hitler's true goal was not merely restoration but expansion and military buildup.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for identifying the difference (Source A is sympathetic/defensive; Source B is critical/wary).
• 1 mark for evidence from Source A.
• 1 mark for evidence from Source B.
• 1 mark for a clear explanation of how the two views differ.
• Do not award full marks if the answer only describes one source.

Question 3 [3 marks]

Answer:
Source C tells us that life in Nazi Germany was controlled by propaganda and fear. Schoolchildren were forced to give the Nazi salute and recite slogans, showing that education was used to spread Nazi ideology. The teacher's fear of speaking out — mentioning that a colleague was "taken away" — reveals that there was no freedom of speech and that the regime used intimidation to silence opposition.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for identifying the theme (propaganda/fear/control).
• 1 mark for using a specific detail from the source.
• 1 mark for explaining what this reveals about life under the Nazi regime.
• Accept any reasonable inference supported by the source.

Question 4 [3 marks]

Answer:
German military spending increased dramatically between 1933 and 1939. It rose from 1.9 billion Reichsmarks in 1933 to 38.0 billion Reichsmarks in 1939. The increase was especially sharp from 1936 onwards, with spending more than tripling between 1936 (10.3 billion) and 1939 (38.0 billion). This shows that Germany was rapidly rearming throughout the 1930s.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for identifying the overall trend (rapid/dramatic increase).
• 1 mark for using at least two specific figures from the table.
• 1 mark for describing the pattern (e.g., acceleration after 1936).
• Award 0 marks for answers with no data from the source.

Question 5 [4 marks]

Answer:
Source A alone does not directly prove that Germany was rearming, but it can be used to support the claim in Source B. In Source A, Hitler promises to "rebuild our nation" and "restore our strength," which implies rebuilding Germany's military power. When combined with Source B's claim that Germany was "rearming in secret," Source A provides the motivation and intention behind the rearmament. However, Source A is a speech and may reflect rhetoric rather than actual policy, so it should be used alongside other evidence.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for stating that Source A can partially support the claim.
• 1 mark for explaining the link between Hitler's words and rearmament.
• 1 mark for acknowledging the limitation of Source A (it is a speech/rhetoric).
• 1 mark for a balanced conclusion about reliability or usefulness.
• Accept answers that argue Source A cannot support the claim, provided they explain why with reference to the nature of the source.

Question 6 [3 marks]

Answer:
Source D is the most useful because it provides concrete, quantitative evidence of Germany's rapid military buildup. The data shows that military spending increased from 1.9 billion RM in 1933 to 38.0 billion RM in 1939 — a twenty-fold increase. This factual evidence would have been the clearest indicator to other European powers that Germany was preparing for war, making it more reliable than opinions or speeches.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for selecting a source and stating why it is useful.
• 1 mark for using specific evidence from the chosen source.
• 1 mark for explaining why this evidence would concern European powers.
• Accept Source B (editorial warning) or Source A (Hitler's promises) if well justified.
• Award 0 marks for answers that do not reference the source content.

Section B (20 marks)

Question 7 [3 marks]

Answer:
The message of Source E is that Chamberlain believed the Munich Agreement had successfully secured peace in Europe. He declared "peace with honour" and told the British public to "get a nice quiet sleep," showing his confidence that war had been avoided. He believed that negotiating with Hitler had achieved a lasting settlement.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for identifying the message (peace has been achieved).
• 1 mark for using a relevant quote from the source.
• 1 mark for explaining Chamberlain's attitude (confidence/optimism about the agreement).
• Do not award marks for simply paraphrasing without explanation.

Question 8 [4 marks]

Answer:
The cartoon's message is that Chamberlain was naive and that the Munich Agreement was not genuine peace. While Chamberlain holds up the "Peace Agreement," Hitler is shown tearing up a map of Europe behind him, suggesting that Hitler had no intention of keeping his promises. The small figure of Czechoslovakia being pushed off a cliff shows that Czechoslovakia was the victim — sacrificed by Britain and France for a false sense of security.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for identifying the cartoon's critical message about appeasement/Chamberlain.
• 1 mark for referencing the detail of Hitler tearing up the map.
• 1 mark for referencing the detail of Czechoslovakia being pushed off the cliff.
• 1 mark for explaining what these details reveal about the cartoonist's view.
• Award partial credit for identifying only one element of the cartoon.

Question 9 [4 marks]

Answer:
Source G contradicts Source E. Chamberlain (Source E) claimed that the Munich Agreement brought "peace with honour," but the Czech citizen (Source G) describes feeling "abandoned" and "betrayed" by Britain and France. While Chamberlain celebrated the agreement, the Czech people experienced it as a disaster — their land was handed to Hitler without their consent, and German soldiers were already at their borders. This shows that the "peace" Chamberlain celebrated came at the expense of Czechoslovakia's sovereignty and security.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for stating that the sources contradict each other.
• 1 mark for evidence from Source E.
• 1 mark for evidence from Source G.
• 1 mark for explaining the contradiction clearly.
• Accept answers that argue the sources show different perspectives rather than direct contradiction, if well explained.

Question 10 [5 marks]

Answer:
I agree with the view in Source H that appeasement was a failure. Source H states that the Munich Agreement "emboldened Hitler," and this is supported by the evidence. Source F shows Hitler tearing up a map of Europe behind Chamberlain's back, suggesting he never intended to honour the agreement. Source G confirms the devastating impact on Czechoslovakia, which was abandoned by its allies. Source D shows that German military spending continued to rise sharply after 1938, indicating that Hitler was preparing for further aggression, not peace. From my own knowledge, Hitler invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 and then Poland in September 1939, proving that appeasement failed to prevent war. The policy gave Hitler time and territory to strengthen his position, making the eventual conflict even worse.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for stating a clear position (agree/disagree).
• 1 mark for using evidence from Source H.
• 1 mark for using evidence from at least one other source (F, G, or D).
• 1 mark for using own knowledge (e.g., invasion of Czechoslovakia/Poland).
• 1 mark for a well-structured argument that links the evidence to the conclusion.
• Award a maximum of 3 marks if no own knowledge is used.
• Award a maximum of 3 marks if only one source is referenced.

Question 11 [4 marks]

Answer:
Sources E and G are very useful in understanding the impact of the Munich Agreement on Czechoslovakia, but from different perspectives. Source E shows the British perspective — Chamberlain believed the agreement was a success and brought peace. However, it does not address the impact on Czechoslovakia at all, which limits its usefulness. Source G, on the other hand, provides the Czech perspective directly, describing feelings of betrayal and fear as German soldiers approached their borders. This source is highly useful because it gives voice to the people most affected by the agreement. Together, these sources show the gap between how the agreement was celebrated by Britain and how it was experienced by Czechoslovakia.

Marking notes:

• 1 mark for referencing at least two sources.
• 1 mark for explaining the usefulness of one source.
• 1 mark for explaining the usefulness (or limitation) of a second source.
• 1 mark for a comparative or evaluative conclusion about the sources' value.
• Award a maximum of 2 marks if only one source is discussed.
• Accept any reasonable evaluation provided it is supported by source content.

End of Answer Key