Practice Exam Questions

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Paper 2 is an essay paper based on 12 world history topics of which students at Island School study two ​topics, Authoritarian States and the Cold War. Each topic gives you a choice of two questions to answer and you have to answer two exam questions, one for the Cold War, and one for Authoritarian States. Paper 2 is 1 hour 30 minutes in duration which gives you 45 minutes per essay question. The maximum mark for this paper is 30 marks, 15 marks per essay. To practice, try these exam essay questions from past papers:

Nov 2020	Compare and contrast the use of force in the maintenance of power in two authoritarian states.	"Authoritarian states had total control over the population." With reference to two states, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
May 2020	Exam Cancelled - COVID!	Exam Cancelled - COVID!

Nov 2019	Compare and contrast the importance of the use of force on the emergence of two authoritarian states, each from a different region.	Evaluate the impact of domestic economic policies on the maintenance of power in two authoritarian states, each from a different region.
May 2019	"Control of opposition was the most important method used to maintain power in authoritarian states." Discuss with reference to two authoritarian states.	​Compare and contrast the impact of the policies of two authoritarian states on women.

Nov ​2018	Examine the impact of the foreign policy of two authoritarian states on the maintenance of power in those states.	​“Social and economic policies in authoritarian states did not always achieve their aims.” Discuss with reference to one authoritarian state.
May ​2018	Compare and contrast the importance of propaganda to the emergence of two authoritarian states.​​	​To what extent was authoritarian control achieved in two 20th-century states?
Nov ​2017	To what extent did economic factors contribute to the emergence of two authoritarian states, each from a different region?	"The maintenance of power was dependent on the successful control of opposition." Discuss with reference to two authoritarian leaders.
May ​ ​2017	​"The conditions in which authoritarian states emerged were mainly determined by economic factors." Discuss with reference to two ​authoritarian states.	Compare and contrast the methods used to maintain power in two ​authoritarian states, each from a different region.

WARNING! The questions below are from the old specification. The new specification for students starting in 2015 will only give two question choices for each topic. New style questions WILL NOT refer to specific leaders! Instead, the questions will be more general and will allow you to use a range of case studies and leaders as evidence.

Nov 2016	To what extent did popular support for the aims and ideology of one authoritarian / single-party leader contribute to the rise to power of that leader?	​Compare and contrast the conditions that led to the rise to power of two authoritarian / single-party leaders.	Evaluate the treatment of religious groups and minorities in two authoritarian / single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	​To what extent did the structure and organization of government in Germany between 1933 and 1939 contribute to Hitler’s maintenance of power?	​Examine the role of education and propaganda in the maintenance of power in Mao’s China.	​With reference to Castro (Cuba) or Nasser (Egypt), to what extent did the use of force contribute to his maintenance of power?
May ​2016	To what extent did the weakness of his opponents contribute to the rise to power of either Mao or Stalin?​	Examine the importance of ideology in the rise to power of two authoritarian / single-party leaders, each from a different region.	With reference to two authoritarian/single-party states, to what extent did successful domestic policies help to combat internal opposition?	To what extent did the use of legal methods contribute to the establishment of Hitler’s rule from January 1933?	Evaluate the social and economic policies of Nyerere.	​“Authoritarian/single-party leaders usually failed to achieve total control over religious groups.” Discuss with reference to two authoritarian / single-party leaders.

Nov 2015	Evaluate the importance of ideology, popular support and the weakness of the existing government in aiding the rise to power of either Mao or Peron.	To what extent were existing social and economic problems the most significant factor in the rise to power of two authoritarian/ single-party leaders?	To what extent was Hitler’s Germany a totalitarian state?	Compare and contrast the impact on the arts of two authoritarian/ single-party states.	With reference to Castro or Nasser or Stalin, to what extent did his domestic policies contribute to his maintenance of power?	Discuss the methods used to maintain political control by two authoritarian/single-party leaders, each chosen from a different region.
May ​2015	Examine the importance of economic conditions in the rise to power of two authoritarian/single-party leaders.	“Popular support, rather than the use of force, was vital to the establishment of single-party states.” With reference to two states, each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with this statement?	Examine the view that internal opposition to Hitler had little impact.	To what extent did the economic policies of either Mao or Castro contribute to the maintenance of his power?	To what extent did authoritarian and single-party leaders have a negative effect on the arts?	With reference to either Peron or Nasser, to what extent do you agree that his economic policies failed?
Nov 2014	Examine the importance of each of the following in the rise to power of either Stalin or Hitler: popular support for their aims; underestimation by opponents; economic conditions.	Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of two of the following: Mao; Nasser; Castro.	With reference to two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region, evaluate the effectiveness of the methods used to deal with opposition.	With reference to two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region, evaluate the impact of domestic policies on the status of women.	To what extent was Nyerere successful in achieving his domestic policy aims in Tanzania?	“The use of force was the most important factor in the maintenance of power of the authoritarian or single-party leader.” With reference to two authoritarian or single-party leaders, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
May ​2014	“The rise to power of authoritarian or single-party leaders was the result of the failure of existing regimes to address the economic problems of the population.” With reference to two leaders, each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with this statement?	Identify the nature and extent of opposition to one authoritarian or single-party ruler, and assess the methods used to deal with such opposition.	How successfully did Hitler implement his religious policies in Germany?	Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of Stalin and Mao.	Examine the successes and failures of either Perón or Castro as leader of an authoritarian or single-party state.	Analyse either the changing status of women or the treatment of religious groups in two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
Nov ​2013	“Their rise to power was made possible because of the failure of existing governments to deal with economic and political problems.” With reference to two single-party leaders, to what extent do you agree with this statement?	In what ways, and with what success, did either Perón or Castro deal with the economic and social problems they faced in power?	With reference to one single-party state, examine the nature and extent of internal opposition and the success of the single-party state in dealing with this opposition.	By what methods, and with what success, did either Hitler or Stalin attempt to establish a totalitarian state after coming to power?	To what extent was a successful domestic policy the reason for the maintenance of power of one of the following: Sukarno; Nasser; Nyerere?	With reference to one single-party or authoritarian leader, assess the extent to which the promises made during the rise to power were kept after they came to power.
May ​2013	To what extent did two single-party rulers, each chosen from a different region, fulfil the promises made during their rise to power?	By what methods, and with what success, did one single-party leader try to eliminate domestic opposition?	Compare and contrast the social and economic policies of Perón and Castro.	Assess the importance of each of the following in the rise to power of Stalin: errors made by rivals; the use of propaganda; popular support.	With reference to either Hitler or Mao, examine the reasons for, and results of, educational policies in the single-party state.	Analyse the impact of single-party rule upon minorities in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
Nov 2012	With reference to two leaders, each chosen from a different region, assess how ideology and popular support contributed to their rise to power.	To what extent did social and economic policies help to maintain the power of either Nasser or Perón?	Compare and contrast the treatment of minorities in two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	Define “totalitarianism” and assess the extent to which it was achieved in Hitler’s Germany.	Analyse the methods used by either Castro or Sukarno to deal with opposition.	“In the twentieth century, the rise to power of authoritarian and single-party leaders was due mainly to their use of force.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
May ​2012	Assess the contribution of economic instability and lack of a united opposition to the rise to power of two leaders of single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	​To what extent were either Kenyatta or Nyerere successful in dealing with the social and economic challenges facing the state after independence?	Compare and contrast the treatment of religious groups and minorities in two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	​Analyse the methods used by one single-party ruler to establish totalitarian control.	Assess the extent to which ideological appeal aided the rise and rule of one of the following: Sukarno; Nasser; Perón.	“Successful economic and social policies were essential for the single-party leader’s maintenance of power.” With reference to either Mao or Castro, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
November 2011	In what ways, and with what success, did either Sukarno or Nasser deal with domestic challenges after gaining power?	To what extent was the maintenance of power by either Mao or Castro a result of successful economic policies?	“The rise to power of authoritarian or single-party leaders depended upon the use of force rather than popular support.” With reference to two leaders, each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with this statement?	Compare and contrast the status and treatment of women or minorities in two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	Assess the role of each of the following in the rise to power of Stalin and Hitler: ideological appeal; underestimation by opponents; propaganda.	In what ways, and with what success, did one authoritarian or single-party ruler deal with internal opposition?
May ​2011	Compare and contrast the conditions which helped the rise to power of two right-wing leaders of single-party states.	To what extent did either Mao’s or Stalin’s domestic policies solve the problems they faced?	“Authoritarian leaders use political policies to maintain power.” With reference to either Nasser or Perón, to what extent do you agree with this statement?	With reference to one left-wing totalitarian state, examine its impact on the lives of its citizens. ​	Describe how and why propaganda was used in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	Analyse the treatment of religious groups in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
November 2010	“The rise to power of right-wing authoritarian or single-party leaders was due to fear of the Left.” With reference to two right-wing leaders, to what extent do you agree with this statement?	In what ways, and with what success, did either Castro or Mao attempt to establish a totalitarian state after coming to power?	Examine the role of either education or the arts in one left-wing and one right-wing authoritarian/single-party state.	Analyse the methods used to maintain power by either Perón or Stalin.	Evaluate the contributions to the rise to power of Hitler of each of the following: National Socialist ideology; the use of force; economic crises.	​Compare and contrast either economic policies or the treatment of minorities in two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
May ​2010	Analyse the conditions that enabled one left-wing leader to become the ruler of a single-party state.	Discuss (a) the ideology of, and (b) the support for, one right-wing ruler of a single-party state.	Compare and contrast the domestic policies of two of the following: Castro; Kenyatta; Stalin.	Evaluate the methods used by either Perón or Nasser to maintain power.	Examine the role of education in one single-party or authoritarian state.	In what ways, and to what extent, was propaganda important in the rise and rule of Hitler?
November 2009	Assess the importance of economic distress and ideological appeal in the rise to power of one left-wing and one right-wing single-party ruler.	Assess the successes and failures of one of the following rulers of a single-party state: Perón; Nasser; Nyerere.	Examine either the role of education or the treatment of minorities and religious groups in two single-party states.	“Successful domestic policies kept single-party regimes in power.” With reference to two single-party states, each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with this statement?	Analyse the nature and extent of internal opposition and the methods used to deal with this opposition by one of the following single-party rulers: Lenin; Hitler; Mao.	N/A
May ​2009	Analyse the methods used by either Castro or Peron to obtain power.	“The aims and policies of single-party state rulers rarely followed their declared ideology.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion?	Evaluate the domestic policies of either Hitler or Nasser.	For what reasons, and with what success, did rulers of single-party states use foreign policy to maintain their power? At least two rulers should be considered.	In what ways did two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region, (a) use, and (b) misuse, the arts and education?	N/A
November ​2008	To what extent did the following aid the rise to power of either Lenin or Mussolini:​(a) the First World War; (b) weakness of the existing regime; (c) ideological appeal?	Analyse the methods used to eliminate opposition by two single-party rulers, each chosen from a different region.	Compare and contrast the treatment of either women, or religious groups, in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	Assess the global impact of one left-wing and one right-wing leader of a single-party state.	“Charismatic appeal rather than successful domestic policies enabled single-party leaders to maintain power.” With reference to one of the following, to what extent do you agree with this statement: Castro, Nasser, Perón?	N/A
May ​2008	Compare and contrast the rise to power of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	​To what extent was either Mussolini, between 1922 and 1945, or Nasser, between 1954 and 1970, successful in achieving his aims?	​In what ways did one ruler of a single-party state try to use education to support his regime?	Analyse the successes and failures of the political career of either Lenin or Nyerere.	Assess the importance of foreign policy for rulers of single-party states.	N/A
November 2007	“A vigorous foreign policy played a vital part in the maintenance of power of single-party regimes.” With reference to two examples, explain to what extent you agree with this statement.	To what extent was ideology an important factor in the rise to power of one of the following: Lenin; Mussolini; Nyerere?	By what methods, and with what success, did single-party rulers in power establish totalitarian regimes? Reference should be made to two examples, each chosen from a different region.	Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of one left wing and one right wing single-party ruler.	Analyse the conditions which led to the establishment of either Perón’s regime in Argentina or Nasser’s regime in Egypt.	N/A
May ​2007	Analyse the methods used and the conditions which helped in the rise to power of one ruler of a single-party state.	Evaluate the successes and failures of one ruler of a single-party state.	Assess the methods used by either Lenin or Perón to maintain his regime.	Compare and contrast the influence outside their own countries of Hitler and Mao.	Examine the status of women in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	N/A
November 2006	“It was personality and not circumstances that brought rulers of single-party states to power.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?	Analyse the methods used to maintain power in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	Examine the economic and social policies of two of the following: Lenin; Mussolini; Perón.	Compare and contrast the global impact of two of the following: Castro; Hitler; Nasser.	In what ways, and for what reasons, were culture and education controlled by rulers of single-party states?	N/A
May ​2006	To what extent was the rise to power of either Hitler or Mao due to personal appeal and ability?	Compare and contrast the domestic policies of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	Assess the methods used by either Nasser or Perón to remain in power.	In what ways, and with what results, was propaganda used by one ruler of a single-party state? ​	Assess the importance of ideology for rulers of twentieth century single-party states.	N/A
November 2005	Account for the ineffectiveness of internal opposition to two rulers of single-party states.	Assess the successes and failures of the domestic policies of one of the following: Nasser; Nyerere; Perón.	​With reference to two examples each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with the claim that "ideology was the most important factor in the rise to power of single-party leaders"?	How successful was either Lenin (1917-1924) or Mussolini (1922-1943) in solving the problems he faced?	Identify the aims of educational and youth policies in two single-party states, and evaluate the extent to which they were achieved.	N/A
May ​2005	Analyse the methods used and the conditions which helped in the rise to power of one ruler of a single-party state.	Evaluate the successes and failures of one ruler of a single-party state.	Assess the methods used by either Lenin or Perón to maintain his regime.	Compare and contrast the influence outside their own countries of Hitler and Mao.	Examine the status of women in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.	N/A