Common Entrance History

Revision Tips

Preparation for the History C.E. exam is very much about quality rather than quantity.  Sitting for hours, reading through reams of notes, will not be as useful as focused, specific and exam-related revision.

The Exam – 60 minutes

The paper is challenging for all and the most common complaint is that there is not enough time to complete everything to the standard they would like – time management and familiarisation of the paper are essential.  The paper is split into 2 sections.

Section A – Evidence Questions

Pupils will be presented with 3 sources – 2 written and 1 pictorial.  Each source will have a brief description of its provenance (the origin of the source) and there will always be a mix of contemporary with more modern sources.  There will be 4 questions.

Q.1 (2 marks) A basic comprehension question aimed at Source A and requiring one sentence and a short quotation to illustrate the point.

Q.2 (3 marks) As above but focused on Source B and requiring 2 sentences and a little more detail.  Short and relevant quotations are essential.

Q.3 (7 marks) A comparison between sources is needed with the pupils explaining not just HOW they agree or disagree but also WHY they agree or disagree.  They are normally asked to compare the picture source to the 2 written sources and to decide which agrees more.  They must pick one and then explain what the picture shows and how and why that links to what the chosen source describes.  They must then explain how ans why the other source did not agree as much. Quotes to support their comments are essential.

Q.4 (8 marks) The most difficult question as it concerns provenance and source utility.  They will be asked to picke the most useful/reliable so must focus on 3 key areas: Nature, Origin, Purpose (NOP) of ALL of the sources and then come to a considered judgement.

If they follow these basic rules they will get a good mark, even if they have not necessarily interpreted every source as they were intended.  Technique is the key and if they ignore it they will lose marks very quickly.

Section B – Essay Section

Pupils should prepare fully for at least 2 different essays, although from the 10 essays on offer, they must choose ONE.  The 10 essays are divided into 5 sections and the headings are: WAR AND REBELLION (the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685 is a strongly recommended topic here); GOVERNMENT AND PARLIAMENT (the dispute between Charles I and his Parliament is a good example, and another popular topic is a government minister, e.g. Robert Walpole or the Duke of Buckingham); RELIGION (again Charles 1 or indeed Charles II and religious issues can be looked at); SOCIAL HISTORY (The Great Plague and Fire of London sometimes feature) and GENERAL TOPICS.

Each essay is divided into Part A (20 marks) and a Part B (10 marks) and both must be answered as separate entities.  Part A will always ask the pupils to “Describe” an event, a problem or a battle.  Part B will always ask the pupils to “Explain” something that links to that event, problem or battle.  They must avoid repetition and must be analytical in Part B.  The essay topics that the pupils have focused on and are most commonly chosen in CE are:

Elizabethan England

Including: Rivalry between Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots and the Spanish Armada (invasion) of England in 1588.

Reign of James I (1603-1625)

Including: Hampton Court Conference and Catholic attempts to overthrow James I, i.e. Gunpowder Plot (1605).  We will study problems such as religion, religious persecution and the king’s struggle for power with Parliament which eventually led to the English civil war.

Reign of Charles I (1625-1649)

The lead up to the war

Including: Relations with Spain and Charles I’s shortage of money.

Struggle: King v Parliament

Including: Eleven years tyranny where there was no Parliament in England between 1629 and 1640.

Problems between monarchy and Parliament increase culmination in the King’s attempted arrest of the five members in 1642 which brought the civil war nearer.

The English Civil War (1642-1646)

Including: Soldiers of the war; key battles such as Edgehill, Marston Moor and Naseby; assessment of war and consequences.

The years after the war leading up to the trial and execution of Charles I.

The Commonwealth (1649-1660)

Including: How was England ruled without a king?  Role of Oliver Cromwell and eventual return of Charles II in Restoration.

Reign of Charles II (1660-1685)

Including: Restoration; Great Plague including symptoms, causes, effects and precautions taken against the disease; Great Fire of London with a look at how it started and spread and how it was eventually stopped.  What lessons were learned from the fire?  We will study both disasters with particular reference to the diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn.  We will also look at the growth of party politics through the Whigs and Tories as well as the Popish Plot and Exclusion Crisis.

Reign of James II (1685-1688)

Including: Early problems facing James II such as Monmouth Rebellion (1685).  Story of rebellion and why it failed.  James’ religious policies favouring Roman Catholics which helped to lead to his downfall in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

Reign of William III and Mary II (1689-1702)

Mary died in 1694.

Including: Increasing influence of Parliament over the monarchy and government policy.  The exiled James II’s invasion fo Ireland and his subsequent defeat at the Battle of the Boyne (1690).

Reign of Queen Anne (1702-1714)

Including: Career of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, and the war of the Spanish Succession including the key battle of Blenheim (1704) which wrested power away from Louis XIV (French king) and paved the way for the eventual development of the British Empire.

Act of Union (1707) between England and Scotland.

Robert Walpole

Including: His political career; role as first Prime Minister; finance (economic) policy; reasons for his success and downfall.

The Jacobite Rebellions

Including: The “Fifteen” and the “Forty Five”.

The 1715 and 1745 Jacobite uprisings led by the Old Pretender (son of James II) and the Young Pretender (grandson of James II).  Why did the Stuart attempts to dethrone the Hanoverians fail?