GCSE (9–1) History B J411/15 Crime and Punishment - c.1250 to present with The Elizabethans, 1580–1603

Sep 5, 2026

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GCSE (9–1) History B question paper covering crime and punishment from c.1250 to the present and historical interpretations of the Elizabethan reign (1580–1603). Section A requires short answers and analytical explanations on medieval execution avoidance, witchcraft accusations, policing improvements, enforcement summaries, transportation to Australia, and arguments about changing punishments and technology-linked crime. Section B uses provided interpretations to compare views of Elizabeth I and evaluate claims about society, entertainment, pastimes, and theatres.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Section A - Crime and Punishment, c.1250 to present

Questions 1-3

Question 4 or Question 5

Section B - The Elizabethans, 1580–1603

Questions 6-7

Question 8 or Question 9

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Tuesday 4 June 2024 – Afternoon GCSE (9–1) History B (Schools History Project) J411/15 Crime and Punishment, c.1250 to present with The Elizabethans, 1580–1603 Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes You must have: • the OCR 12-page Answer Booklet INSTRUCTIONS • Use black ink. • Write your answer to each question in the Answer Booklet. The question numbers must be clearly shown. • Fill in the boxes on the front of the Answer Booklet. • Section A – Crime and Punishment, c.1250 to present: Answer Questions 1 (a–c), 2, 3 and either Question 4 or Question 5. • Section B – The Elizabethans, 1580–1603: Answer Questions 6 (a–b) and 7, and either Question 8 or Question 9. INFORMATION • The total mark for this paper is 80. • The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ] . • Quality of extended response will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*) . • This document has 8 pages. ADVICE • Read each question carefully before you start your answer. © OCR 2024 [601/8408/5] DC (KS/CT) 339722/3 OCR is an exempt Charity Turn over 2 Section A Crime and Punishment, c.1250 to present Answer Questions 1 (a–c), 2 and 3. 1 (a) Name one way criminals could avoid being executed in the medieval period (1250–1500) . [1](b) Name one reason people made accusations of witchcraft in the early modern period (1500–1750) . [1] (c) Name one development that improved policing in the second half of the 1800s. [1] 2 Write a clear and organised summary that analyses law enforcement between 1250 and 1750. Support your summary with examples. [9] 3 Why did transportation to Australia become a common punishment in the period 1750–1900? Explain your answer. [10] Answer Question 4 or Question 5. 4* ‘By 1750, punishments for committing crimes were harsher than they had been in 1500.’How far do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. [18] 5* ‘The main reason crime changed between 1900 and c.2015 was the emergence of new technology.’ How far do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. [18] © OCR 2024 J411/15 Jun24 3 Section B The Elizabethans, 1580–1603 Answer Questions 6 (a–b) and 7. 6 (a) In Interpretation A, the book depicts Francis Drake as an impressive leader. Identify and explain one way in which it does this. [3] Interpretation A An image and extract from a 1957 book written for children. Francis Drake is the person holding a bowling ball. |
© John Kenney, L. du Garde Peach, Sir Walter Raleigh, pp 38-40, Ladybird Books Ltd, 1957. Item removed due to third party copyright restri | In 1588 the King of Spain gathered a fleet of 130 ships and thousands of sailors and soldiers.
The fleet was called the Armada, and when it appeared off the coast of Plymouth in July, Francis Drake and other English captains were playing bowls.
Some of them wanted Drake to sail at once to meet the enemy, but Drake said,‘No – there is time to finish our game and beat the Spaniards too’. So the game went on. | | --- | --- | (b) If you were asked to do further research on one aspect of Interpretation A, what would you choose to investigate? Explain how this would help us to analyse and understand England’s war with Spain. [5] © OCR 2024 J411/15 Jun24 Turn over 4 7 Interpretations B and C both make judgements about the reign of Elizabeth I. How far do they differ and what might explain any differences? [12] Interpretation B An extract from an article published in a national British newspaper on 24 March 2003 to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Elizabeth I. Tolerance and religious balance emerged during Elizabeth’s reign. Seas were navigated and an empire embarked upon. Our small nation defended itself against larger enemies and found a voice and a purpose. Something in Elizabeth’s reign taught us what our country is, and why it matters. And as her reign created a sense of national identity that had not existed before, so Eliz

FAQs

What topics does Section A cover in this History B paper?

Section A covers crime and punishment from c.1250 to the present, including medieval justice, witchcraft accusations, policing improvements, law enforcement analysis, transportation to Australia, and arguments about punishment changes and crime causes.

How do questions in Section B assess understanding of Elizabeth I?

Section B uses Interpretations A, B, and C. Students answer interpretation questions by identifying and explaining how the evidence portrays Francis Drake and by comparing different judgements about Elizabeth I’s reign.

What is required for the longer, extended-response questions?

The questions marked with an asterisk (*) require written explanations and arguments supported with reasons. Quality of extended response is assessed for those starred questions.

Sep 5, 2026

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