Secondary 3 History Practice Paper 2

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - History Secondary 3 (Answer Key)

Version: 2 of 5
Subject: History
Level: Secondary 3

Marking Scheme and Answers

Note to Markers:

• Accept answers that are logically derived from the sources.
• For inference questions, students must quote or paraphrase the source and explain the meaning.
• For evaluation questions, students must consider Origin, Purpose, and Content (OPC).
• Own Knowledge (OK) should be used to support or challenge source evidence where required.

Section A: Inference and Comprehension

1. What does Source A tell you about why some Germans supported the Nazis in 1932? [2]

• Level 1 (1 mark): Simple inference.
  • Example: It tells me that people were afraid of Communism.
  • Example: It shows that people were unemployed and needed help.
• Level 2 (2 marks): Developed inference with explanation.
  • Example: Source A tells me that Germans supported the Nazis because they were desperate due to the economic crisis. The figures labeled 'Unemployed' and 'Middle Class' look frightened and are looking to Hitler as their "Last Hope," suggesting they believed only Hitler could save them from poverty and the threat of Communism shown in the background.

2. Study Source B. What was Hitler trying to achieve with this speech to industrialists? [2]

• Level 1 (1 mark): Simple identification.
  • Example: He wanted money from them.
  • Example: He wanted to stop the Communists.
• Level 2 (2 marks): Explanation of purpose.
  • Example: Hitler was trying to gain the support and funding of wealthy business owners. By promising to "protect private property" and "crush trade unions," he reassured them that the Nazis would not threaten their profits, unlike the Communists. He wanted them to see the Nazis as the only barrier against Marxist revolution.

3. How does Source D support the statement: "The Great Depression helped the Nazis rise to power"? [2]

• Level 1 (1 mark): Identifies trend.
  • Example: The votes went up after 1929.
• Level 2 (2 marks): Links data to context.
  • Example: Source D shows that Nazi votes increased dramatically from 2.6% in 1928 to 37.3% in July 1932. Since the Great Depression began in 1929, this sharp rise in support coincides with the economic hardship, suggesting that as the economy worsened, more people turned to the Nazis for solutions.

Section B: Comparison and Analysis

4. Compare Sources A and B. How far do they agree on the reasons for supporting the Nazi Party? [4]

• Agreement: Both sources suggest that fear of Communism was a key reason for supporting the Nazis. Source A shows Communism as a dark cloud threatening the people, while Source B explicitly states the need to "destroy the Marxist threat."
• Disagreement/Difference: Source A emphasizes economic desperation (unemployment, middle-class fear) as the driver, portraying Hitler as a savior of the common people. Source B focuses on political stability and the protection of business interests (private property, production), targeting a specific elite audience (industrialists) rather than the masses.
• Conclusion: They agree on the anti-communist motive but differ on the primary appeal (economic salvation for the masses vs. protection of capital for elites).

5. Study Sources C and E. How far does Source E explain the situation described in Source C? [4]

• Explanation: Source E explains the legal basis for the terror described in Source C. Source C describes SA violence and the arrest of a Social Democrat colleague with no police intervention. Source E is the "Reichstag Fire Decree" which suspended civil liberties, including personal liberty and freedom of assembly. This decree gave the government the legal power to arrest political opponents without warrants, explaining why the police "did nothing" in Source C.
• Limitation: Source E does not explain the extra-judicial violence by the SA (beating people) mentioned in Source C, which was often unofficial terror rather than strict legal procedure. However, it explains the climate of impunity.
• Conclusion: Source E largely explains the situation by providing the legal framework that allowed the arrests and suppression of dissent described in Source C.

6. Compare Sources A and F. How far do these sources suggest that Hitler’s public image was carefully managed? [4]

• Source A: Presents Hitler as a strong, muscular savior ("The Last Hope"). This is a propaganda image designed to appeal to the desperate masses, projecting strength and capability.
• Source F: Presents Hitler as humble and respectful, bowing to President Hindenburg. This image was staged (Day of Potsdam) to reassure conservatives and the military that Hitler respected traditional authority and was not a radical revolutionary.
• Comparison: Both sources show different facets of a carefully managed image. Source A targets the working/middle class with strength; Source F targets the elite/traditionalists with deference. Together, they show the Nazis tailored Hitler’s image to different audiences to maximize support.
• Conclusion: Both sources strongly suggest careful management, as they present contradictory images (strongman vs. humble servant) to suit different political needs.

Section C: Evaluation and Reliability

7. How reliable is Source B as evidence for Hitler’s true intentions towards the German economy? [4]

• Origin/Purpose: The source is a speech by Hitler to industrialists in 1932. His purpose was to secure financial support and political backing from powerful business leaders. Therefore, he is likely to say what they want to hear.
• Content: He promises to protect private property and crush unions. This aligns with capitalist interests but contradicts the "socialist" element of the Nazi party name and some early Nazi rhetoric about redistributing wealth.
• Reliability Judgement: The source is limited in reliability regarding his true long-term intentions because it is biased by his immediate political goal (gaining power). He may be exaggerating his support for capitalism to win over the elites. However, it is reliable in showing what he promised to this specific group at that time. It reflects his opportunism rather than necessarily his core ideological truth, which was subordinate to political power.

8. How useful are Sources C and E together to an historian studying how the Nazis consolidated power in 1933? [6]

• Source C (Diary):
  • Useful: Provides a personal, contemporary account of the atmosphere of fear and the reality of street violence (SA) and arbitrary arrests. It shows the impact of consolidation on ordinary citizens and the silencing of opposition.
  • Limitation: It is subjective and reflects the view of one individual (a teacher). It may not represent the views of Nazi supporters.
• Source E (Decree):
  • Useful: Provides official legal evidence of how the Nazis used state machinery to remove civil liberties. It shows the method of consolidation (legal dictatorship). It is an official document, so it is factually accurate regarding the laws passed.
  • Limitation: It does not show how these laws were enforced or the extra-legal terror.
• Together: They are very useful when combined. Source E provides the legal framework (the "letter of the law"), while Source C provides the human reality (the "spirit of the terror"). Source E explains why the arrests in Source C could happen legally; Source C shows how these laws created a climate of fear that crushed opposition. They complement each other to give a full picture of legal and extra-legal consolidation.

9. "The Nazis came to power primarily through legal means." How far do Sources D, E, and F support this statement? [8]

• Support for "Legal Means":
  • Source D: Shows the Nazis gaining seats through elections (1930, 1932, 1933). This supports the idea that they used the democratic system to gain a mandate.
  • Source E: Shows the use of a Presidential Decree (Reichstag Fire Decree). While authoritarian, this was a legal instrument signed by President Hindenburg, using the Weimar Constitution’s Article 48. This supports the idea of using legal loopholes.
  • Source F: Shows Hitler working with President Hindenburg, the legal head of state. This suggests cooperation with existing legal authorities to legitimize the new government.
• Challenge to "Legal Means" (or Nuance):
  • Source C: Describes SA violence, beatings, and arrests without warrants. This suggests that illegal terror and intimidation were also crucial in silencing opposition, even if a legal decree existed.
  • Source A: Implies that the "hope" for Hitler was driven by desperation and fear of Communism, suggesting that the emotional/psychological manipulation (propaganda) was as important as legal processes.
  • Context (Own Knowledge): The Enabling Act (March 1933) was passed legally but under intimidation. The Night of Long Knives (1934) was extra-judicial murder.
• Conclusion: The sources largely support the statement that the initial rise and consolidation involved legal mechanisms (elections, decrees, presidential appointment). Source D proves electoral success; Source E proves legal suspension of rights. However, Source C reminds us that this "legality" was underpinned by illegal terror and intimidation. Therefore, they came to power through a combination of legal manipulation and illegal violence, but the legal facade was essential for legitimacy.

10. Based on all the sources and your own knowledge, explain why the Nazi Party was able to consolidate its power by 1934. [4]

• Reason 1: Legal Manipulation: As seen in Sources D and E, the Nazis used elections and presidential decrees (Reichstag Fire Decree, Enabling Act) to dismantle democracy from within.
• Reason 2: Terror and Intimidation: Source C highlights the role of the SA and the climate of fear. The Gestapo and concentration camps silenced opposition (Communists, Social Democrats).
• Reason 3: Propaganda and Image: Sources A and F show how Hitler’s image was tailored to appeal to both the masses (savior) and elites (respectable statesman). Goebbels’ propaganda machine controlled the media.
• Reason 4: Economic/Political Context: Source B and A show how the Great Depression and fear of Communism drove different groups (workers, industrialists) to support the Nazis as the only alternative to chaos.
• (Any 2 well-explained reasons with source reference and own knowledge)