GCSE History Specification A Unit 2 Option A - The American West, 1840-1895 - Question Paper (14 June 2016)

Sep 5, 2026

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GCSE History Specification A Unit 2 Option A question paper covering “The American West, 1840–1895,” to be completed on Tuesday 14 June 2016. Candidates answer two questions: Question 1 in Section A on the Great Plains and the Plains Indians, using Sources A–E, and one question from Section B. The paper specifies source-referencing, continuous prose responses within provided spaces, and guidance on time allocation and marking criteria, including Quality of Written Communication and SPaG assessment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Section A

Question 1: The Great Plains and the Plains Indians

1(a)

1(b)

1(c)

1(d)

1(e)

Please write clearly in block capitals. Centre number Candidate number Surname Forename(s) Candidate signature GCSE HISTORY Specification A Unit 2 Option A: The American West, 1840–1895 Tuesday 14 June 2016 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes Materials For this paper you must have: • a Sources Booklet (enclosed) . Instructions • Use black ink or black ball-point pen. • Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. • Answer two questions. You must answer Question 1 in Section A and one question from Section B. • You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages. • Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information • The maximum mark for this paper is 64. • The marks for questions are shown in brackets. • You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers. All questions should be answered in continuous prose. Quality of Written Communication will be assessed in all answers. • Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar will be assessed in Question 2(c) and 3(c) in Section B. The marks for Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) are shown below the mark allocation for each question. Advice • You are advised to spend about 1 hour 5 minutes on Section A and 40 minutes on Section B. | Section A
You must answer this question. | | --- | | Question 1 Total marks for this question: 36 marks
The Great Plains and the Plains Indians
Study Sources A, B, C, D and E in the Sources Booklet and then answer all parts of Question 1 which follow. In your answers you should refer to the sources by their letters.
1 (a) What do Sources A and B suggest about the Plains Indians?
[4 marks]
| 1 ( b) What different view of the Plains Indians is suggested by Sources C and D? Explain your answer using Sources A, B, C and D. [6 marks] | | | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 (c) Why do you think Sources A and B give a different view to Sources C and D? Explain your answer using Sources A, B, C and D and your knowledge. [8 marks] | | | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 (d) How useful is Source E for understanding attitudes to the Plains Indians? Explain your answer using Source E and your knowledge. [8 marks] | | | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 (e) How was the Indian ‘problem’ solved after Custer’s defeat at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876? [10 marks] | | | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

FAQs

How many questions must candidates answer, and where are they located?

Candidates answer two questions: Question 1 in Section A and one question from Section B.

What must candidates do with the provided sources for Question 1?

Candidates must study Sources A to E in the Sources Booklet and refer to sources by their letters in their answers.

How is written communication and SPaG assessed in the paper?

Quality of Written Communication is assessed in all answers. Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) are assessed in Question 2(c) and 3(c) in Section B, with the marks shown for each question.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Aurora