American West - Exam Technique

Question 1

How Long is the American West Paper?

Answer 1

1 hour 45 minutes

Question 2

How much time do you spend on each mark?

Answer 2

1 ½ minutes per mark

Question 3

How long is Section A?

Answer 3

1 hour 5 minutes

Question 4

What is Section A?

Answer 4

Sources Questions

Question 5

How long is Section B?

Answer 5

40 minutes

Question 6

What is Section B?

Answer 6

Choice of 2 sets of questions

Question 7

Where are the SPAG Marks?

Answer 7

2/3 c – SPAG marks

Question 8

Section A 1(A) What do Sources A and B suggest about ____________________? (4 marks, 6 mins)

What do you need to do?

Answer 8

Read the question properly. Both sources will have a similar attitude (either good or bad).
It only wants to know about the content of the source. DO NOT TALK ABOUT PROVENANCE.
Make one explained inference from each source (4 marks)
Don’t quote huge chunks – explain specific bits of it.
This means you have to use the information it gives you but at the same time apply your own knowledge to explain it further and to answer the question.

Question 9

Section A 1(A) What do Sources A and B suggest about ____________________? (4 marks, 6 mins)

Can you name some example questions?

Answer 9

2011 – What do sources A and B suggest about Indians attitude to land?

2012 – What do sources A and B suggest about Mormons?

2013 – What do sources A and B suggest about cowboys?

2014 – What do sources A and B suggest about the attack at Sand Creek?

2015 Specimen – What do sources A and B suggest about life on the Plains?

Question 10

Section A Q1(B) What different view of ____________is suggested by Sources C and D? Explain your answer using Sources A, B, C and D. (6 marks, 9 mins)

What do you need to do?

Answer 10

Read the question properly - it tells you that C&D are going to have a different attitude to A & B.
Sources A&B will always agree with each other and Sources C&D will also agree with each other.
You need to make an explained inference from all 4 sources
Compare pictures, then compare writing
Use connectives – whereas, on the other hand etc.

Question 11

Section A Q1(B) What different view of ____________is suggested by Sources C and D? Explain your answer using Sources A, B, C and D. (6 marks, 9 mins)

Can you name some example questions?

Answer 11

2011 –Indians attitude to land

2012 –Mormons

2013 – Cowboys

2014 – Sand Creek

2015 Specimen –Life on the Plains?

Question 12

Section A 1c Why do you think Sources A and B have a different attitude to Sources C and D? Explain your answer using Sources A, B, C and D and your knowledge. (8 marks, 12 mins)

What do you need to do?

Answer 12

This is where you have to look at the provenance of all 4 sources.
You need to think about the authors (artists). Why do they have a certain opinion?
You need to think about the date the source was made. What else is going on that will influence their opinions?

You need to think about the purpose of the source (e.g. if it is for an East Coast Newspaper, they might be trying to convince people to go West/make the Indians look bad)

Make sure everything links back to the question

Must refer to all 4 sources but don’t have to do T.A.P for all of them – pick one thing to focus on

For 8/8, you need to make links between the sources’ provenance

Question 13

Section A 1( D) How useful is Source E for understanding ____________________? Explain your answer using Source E and your knowledge. (8 marks/12 mins)

What do you need to do?

Answer 13

It means useful for learning about something.
The word RELIABLE IS BANNED. A source can be useful. even if it is unreliable.
You need to explain what you can learn from the source (explained inference)
You then need to say what the source leaves out that you know. If it doesn’t give us full information then it is not completely useful.
BUT you can only get above half marks if you discuss the PROVENANCE as well
Ie. Is that purpose, at that time going to help us understand the topic?
How it’s different from reliability – if the question is about white people’s attitude to the Indians, and the source is made by a white person and shows the Indians in a bad way, it is bias BUT it helps us understand what white people at the time thought. Therefore it is useful.
CONTENT + PROVENANCE (EXPLAINED)

For top marks – suggest a more useful source or where you might find one, make links and conclude how useful it is overall.

Question 14

Section A 1( D) How useful is Source E for understanding ____________________? Explain your answer using Source E and your knowledge. (8 marks/12 mins) -

Can you name some example questions?

Answer 14

2011 – How useful is Source E for understanding attitudes of white people to Indians?

2012 – How useful is Source E for understanding why white people went West?

2013 - How useful is Source E for understanding range wars such as the Johnson County War?

2014 – How useful is Source E for understanding lives of Indians on reservations?

2015 Specimen – How useful is Source E for understanding problems faced by white people who farmed on the Plains?

Question 15

Section A 1 ( E) Why was…? (10 marks / 15 mins)

What do you need to do?

Answer 15

This question will also be quite general, there are lots of things you could talk about.
Talk about 3 factors (reasons) in specific detail and linking back to the question. Show off. Do not make general statements
Come to a conclusion as to which factor is the most important and why. Say why this is more important than the other 2 factors. Explain.
For top marks you also need to make explained links.

3 PARAGRAPHS + LINKS + CONCLUSION

Question 16

Section A 1 ( E) Why was…? (10 marks / 15 mins) -

Can you name some example questions?

Answer 16

2011 – Why were the Plains Indians so well suited to living on the Plains?

2012 – Why was it difficult for white people to settle on the Plains?

2013 – Why did ranching on the Open Range end?

2014 – Why did the Indians lose the struggle for the Great Plains?

2015 Specimen – Why were white people able to settle and farm successfully on the Plains?

Question 17

Section B a) Why was_________________important? (4marks, 6 mins)

What do you need to do?

Answer 17

You need to be able to explain in specific detail the group/person mentioned

BUT you also need to explain why they are IMPORTANT

Try to use the word important at least twice in your answer.

Question 18

Section B a) Why was_________________important? (4marks, 6 mins) -

Can you name some example questions?

Answer 18

2013 – 2a) Why was the Homestead Act important? Or 3a) Why was the Permanent Indian Frontier important?

2014 – 2a) Why was the Johnson Country war important? Or 3a) What was the Great American Desert?

2015 Specimen – 2a) Why were sheriffs and marshals important? Or 3a) Why was Joseph Smith important?

Question 19

Section B b) Using Source G and your knowledge, explain _______________________. (8marks)

What do you need to do?

Answer 19

GOLDEN RULE OF 3 REASONS

Your first reason will come from the source. Make explained inferences from it.

You then need to give 2 further explained reasons.

You DON’T need a conclusion.

Question 20

Section B b) Using Source G and your knowledge, explain _______________________. (8marks) -

Can you name some example questions?

Answer 20

2013 – 2b) Using Source F and your knowledge, explain why it was difficult to farm on the Great Plains OR 3b) Using Source G and your knowledge, explain why white people travelled across the Great Plains before 1850.

2014 – 2b) Using Source F and your knowledge, explain how problems of law and order were dealt with OR 3b) Using Source G and your knowledge, explain why it was difficult for white people to journey West in the 1840s and 50s.

2015 Specimen – 2b) Using Source F and your knowledge, explain why the lack of law and order was a problem on the Plains OR 3b) Using Source G and your knowledge, explain why beliefs of Mormons caused conflict with non-Mormons between 1830 and 1844.

Question 21

Section B c) “Statement”
How far do you agree with this interpretation?
(12 marks, + 4 SPAG)

What do you need to do?

Answer 21

GOLDEN RULE OF 3 REASONS STILL APPLY

Your first reason will give evidence that the statement in the question is correct. Use specific examples. You then MUST say WHO you think would agree with this view.

You then need to give a second reason separate from the statement. .Make sure you then say WHO would agree with this view.

Finally give a third reason separate from the statement. Make sure you then say WHO would agree with this view.

You then need to conclude which reason you agree with, why you picked it, and why you didn’t pick the other two reasons.

Question 22

Section B c) “Statement”
How far do you agree with this interpretation?
(12 marks, + 4 SPAG) -

can you name some questions?

Answer 22

‘In the American West it was the government that solved the problems of law and order’ How far do you agree?

Question 23

How is Spag Marked?

Answer 23

1 mark – lots of spelling mistakes. Capital letters not used properly. Unexplained sentences. Lack of paragraphs.
2-3 marks – some mistakes but key words are generally spelt correctly . Capital letters are generally used properly. Work is structured into paragraphs and mainly explained sentences are used.
4 marks – no errors, key vocabulary used. All explained sentences. Structured well.