Secondary 3 History Practice Paper 5

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - History Secondary 3

Answer Key and Marking Scheme

Paper: Source Based Skills Practice Paper Version: 5 of 5 Total Marks: 50

Section A: The Rise of Nazi Germany (25 marks)

Question 1(a): Source A Message [5 marks]

Award 5 marks for a well-developed answer that infers the message and supports it with specific details from the source and contextual knowledge.

Model Answer: The message of the poster is that voting for Hitler and the Nazi Party will free Germany from the burdens of the Treaty of Versailles and unemployment. The poster shows a strong, muscular worker—symbolising the German people—breaking chains. The chains are labelled ‘Versailles’ and ‘Unemployment’, directly linking Germany’s suffering to the peace treaty and the economic crisis. The caption “Break the Chains! Vote Hitler!” makes the message explicit: Hitler offers liberation from these problems. The imagery suggests strength, action, and hope, appealing to Germans who felt humiliated by Versailles and desperate due to the Depression.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-2 marks): Describes the source without inferring message. E.g., “It shows a worker breaking chains.”
• L2 (3-4 marks): Infers a general message with some support. E.g., “The message is that Hitler will solve Germany’s problems.”
• L3 (5 marks): Infers a specific message with detailed support from the source and context. Links visual elements (chains, labels, muscular figure) to the overall message of hope and liberation.

Question 1(b): Contextual Understanding [3 marks]

Award 3 marks for explaining how the historical context of 1932 helps understand the message.

Model Answer: In 1932, Germany was in the depths of the Great Depression. Unemployment had reached over 5 million, as shown in Source F. The Treaty of Versailles was deeply resented by most Germans, who saw it as a national humiliation. The Weimar government seemed unable to solve these crises. This context explains why the poster’s message was so powerful: it offered simple, direct solutions (breaking the chains) to the two issues Germans cared about most—economic misery and national shame. The poster tapped into real fears and anger.

Marking Notes:

• 1 mark: Identifies one relevant contextual factor (e.g., unemployment, Versailles resentment).
• 2 marks: Explains one factor with some detail.
• 3 marks: Explains how the context makes the message effective/powerful, linking context to the source’s appeal.

Question 2: Source B Purpose [5 marks]

Award 5 marks for a well-developed analysis of purpose, considering audience and intended outcome.

Model Answer: The purpose of Hitler’s speech was to reassure the German people and the international community that the new Nazi government would be moderate, moral, and unifying. By March 1933, Hitler had just become Chancellor but did not yet have absolute power. The speech emphasises “unity,” “Christianity,” and “the family”—all traditional, conservative values. This was intended to calm fears among the middle classes and religious Germans who might have been alarmed by Nazi violence and radicalism. It also aimed to present a respectable image to foreign governments, masking the regime’s true intentions. The promise to “preserve and defend” suggests stability, not revolution, which would appeal to those tired of Weimar chaos.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-2 marks): General statement about purpose without analysis. E.g., “To gain support.”
• L2 (3-4 marks): Identifies purpose with some reference to audience or context. E.g., “To reassure Germans that the Nazis would protect traditional values.”
• L3 (5 marks): Analyses purpose with reference to audience, intended outcome, and context. Considers what the speech was trying to achieve and why.

Question 3: Sources C and D – Differences [6 marks]

Award 6 marks for a well-supported comparison identifying and explaining differences in views.

Model Answer: The sources offer very different explanations for Nazi success. Source C, from a British journalist, attributes Nazi support to the desperation of ordinary Germans caused by economic crisis and political chaos. It emphasises “queues for bread,” “desperate men,” and the failure of the Reichstag, suggesting that Hitler’s promises found “willing ears” because people had no other hope. The view is that economic and political conditions drove people to the Nazis.

Source D, from a Social Democratic newspaper, presents a very different view: it suggests the Nazis were funded and controlled by wealthy industrialists. The cartoon shows an industrialist handing money to Hitler, who is depicted as a “puppet on strings.” The industrialist says, “You will protect our interests, yes?” This implies that Nazi success was not due to popular desperation but to the financial backing of the elite, who used Hitler to protect their own interests against the left. The views are different because Source C blames the desperation of the masses, while Source D blames the manipulation of the wealthy.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-2 marks): Identifies a difference without explanation. E.g., “They say different things.”
• L2 (3-4 marks): Explains one view with some support, or identifies differences with limited explanation.
• L3 (5-6 marks): Explains both views clearly with specific details from both sources, and explicitly contrasts them. Identifies the basis of the difference (mass desperation vs. elite manipulation).

Question 4: Source E – Usefulness [6 marks]

Award 6 marks for a balanced evaluation of usefulness, considering what the source reveals and its limitations.

Model Answer: Source E is useful in several ways. It provides a first-hand account from a German worker explaining his voting choices, giving insight into the personal motivations of ordinary voters. It reveals that the worker switched from the Communists to the Nazis because the Communists “did nothing” while the Nazis “promised jobs.” It also shows the fear of Communism among the middle classes (the shopkeeper) and the appeal of Hitler’s confident persona: “He shouted with such certainty. We needed certainty.” This helps historians understand the emotional and psychological reasons for Nazi support, not just the economic statistics.

However, the source has limitations. It is a memoir written in 1950, years after the events, so the author’s memory may be selective or influenced by later knowledge of Nazi crimes. The author may be trying to justify his vote by emphasising fear and desperation. It is also only one person’s perspective and cannot represent all German voters. A historian would need to cross-reference this with other sources, such as election data, other memoirs, and contemporary reports, to build a fuller picture.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-2 marks): General comment on usefulness without analysis. E.g., “It is useful because it is a primary source.”
• L2 (3-4 marks): Explains usefulness with some reference to content or provenance, but lacks balance. E.g., “It is useful because it shows why people voted Nazi, but it might be biased.”
• L3 (5-6 marks): Balanced evaluation. Explains what the source reveals (content) and considers limitations (provenance, typicality, memory). Reaches a supported judgement on overall usefulness.

Section B: The Cold War in Europe (25 marks)

Question 5: Source G – Attitude [5 marks]

Award 5 marks for a well-developed inference of attitude with detailed support.

Model Answer: The cartoonist’s attitude towards Stalin’s actions is critical and suspicious. The cartoon depicts Churchill pulling back a curtain to reveal Stalin secretly placing Soviet flags on Eastern European countries. The title “The Iron Curtain” references Churchill’s famous speech, associating the cartoon with his warning about Soviet domination. Stalin’s startled expression suggests he has been caught doing something underhanded. The act of placing flags on a map implies a calculated, deliberate takeover of these nations. The cartoonist clearly views Stalin’s actions as an aggressive, secretive expansion of Soviet control, hidden behind a curtain of secrecy.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-2 marks): Describes the source without inferring attitude. E.g., “It shows Stalin putting flags on a map.”
• L2 (3-4 marks): Infers a general attitude with some support. E.g., “The cartoonist thinks Stalin is taking over Eastern Europe.”
• L3 (5 marks): Infers a specific attitude (critical, suspicious, accusing) with detailed support from visual elements (curtain, startled expression, flags, title) and contextual knowledge (Iron Curtain speech).

Question 6: Source H – Content Inference [5 marks]

Award 5 marks for explaining what the source reveals about US policy with detailed support.

Model Answer: Source H reveals that US foreign policy in the early Cold War was based on the principle of containment—actively supporting “free peoples” against communist takeover. Truman frames this as a moral duty, stating that the US must “support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation.” The language is ideological: “free peoples” versus “armed minorities or outside pressures,” clearly referring to communist insurgencies and Soviet pressure. The repetition of “I believe” gives the speech a sense of conviction and moral certainty. The source shows that the US saw itself as the defender of freedom and was prepared to intervene globally to prevent the spread of communism. This became known as the Truman Doctrine.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-2 marks): General statement. E.g., “The US wanted to stop communism.”
• L2 (3-4 marks): Explains policy with some reference to the source. E.g., “The US would support countries resisting communism.”
• L3 (5 marks): Explains policy in detail, linking specific phrases (“free peoples,” “outside pressures,” “support”) to the concept of containment and the ideological framing of the Cold War.

Question 7: Sources I and K – Similarity of Purpose [6 marks]

Award 6 marks for a well-supported comparison of purposes, identifying similarities and explaining them.

Model Answer: The purposes of Sources I and K are very similar. Both are Soviet official statements aimed at condemning US policy and rallying support for the Soviet position. Source I attacks the Marshall Plan as “a scheme by American imperialism to extend its economic and political domination.” Source K, from the Cominform meeting, declares the world is divided into two camps and accuses the US of seeking “world domination and the enslavement of Europe.”

Both sources share the purpose of portraying the United States as an aggressive, imperialist power and the Soviet Union as the defender of peace and independence. They are propaganda intended for both domestic and international audiences: to justify Soviet actions to their own people, to warn European nations against accepting American aid, and to solidify the ideological division of Europe. The language in both is stark and uncompromising, designed to create a clear “us versus them” narrative.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-2 marks): Identifies a general similarity without explanation. E.g., “Both are against the US.”
• L2 (3-4 marks): Explains purpose of one or both sources with some support, or identifies similarity with limited explanation.
• L3 (5-6 marks): Explains the purposes of both sources clearly, identifies specific similarities (anti-US propaganda, rallying support, ideological division), and supports with details from both sources. Considers intended audience and outcome.

Question 8: All Sources – Evaluation [9 marks]

Award 9 marks for a balanced, well-structured argument that weighs all sources and reaches a supported conclusion.

Model Answer:

Introduction: The sources offer mixed support for the statement that the Cold War was caused entirely by Soviet actions. While several sources highlight Soviet aggression, others point to US actions as contributing factors, and one source explicitly argues for shared responsibility.

Sources supporting the statement: Source G, the British cartoon, clearly blames Stalin for secretly taking over Eastern Europe, depicting him placing Soviet flags on nations behind an “Iron Curtain.” This supports the view that Soviet expansionism was the primary cause. Source H, the Truman Doctrine, frames the US as responding to “attempted subjugation” by others, implying Soviet aggression forced the US to act. Source J, the Berlin Airlift photograph, shows grateful Berliners thanking America, suggesting the US was a benevolent protector against a Soviet threat (the Berlin Blockade, which is contextual knowledge).

Sources challenging the statement: Source I and Source K, both Soviet statements, present the opposite view: that the US was the aggressor, seeking “world domination” and “economic and political domination” through the Marshall Plan and other policies. While these are biased Soviet propaganda, they show that the USSR perceived US actions as hostile, which contributed to the spiral of tension. Source L, the modern textbook, explicitly states that “both sides bear responsibility.” It acknowledges Soviet imposition of communist regimes but also notes that US actions like the atomic bomb and Marshall Plan were seen in Moscow as “hostile encirclement.” This source directly challenges the idea of sole Soviet responsibility.

Conclusion: The sources do not support the statement that the Cold War was caused entirely by Soviet actions. While Sources G, H, and J highlight Soviet aggression, Sources I and K show that the USSR viewed the US as the aggressor, and Source L provides a balanced historical judgement that both sides contributed. The evidence suggests the Cold War was a complex interaction of actions and reactions, where Soviet expansionism was a major factor but not the only one. The statement is only partially supported.

Marking Notes:

• L1 (1-3 marks): General, unsupported comments. Lists sources without analysis.
• L2 (4-6 marks): Identifies sources for and against, with some explanation. May lack balance or a clear conclusion.
• L3 (7-9 marks): Balanced, well-structured argument. Weighs the evidence from all sources, explains how each supports or challenges the statement, considers provenance where relevant, and reaches a clear, supported conclusion that addresses “how far.”

END OF ANSWER KEY