History GCSE Exam Board AQA - Guide to Exam Papers and Key Topics

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Noah

AQA GCSE History exam overview and revision guide covering both Paper 1 and Paper 2, detailing the required depth and thematic studies across America (1920–1973), conflict and tension in Asia (1950–1975), Britain’s health and people (c1000 to present), and Elizabethan England (c1568–1603). Includes example question formats with marks breakdowns to support planning and technique. Provides key topic coverage for Y10 Summer 2021 and practical preparation guidance using past papers, mark schemes, quizzes, timelines, and mind maps.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Exam Overview

Paper 1 - Component breakdown

Paper 2 - Component breakdown

Guide to Exam Papers

Paper 1 question types

Paper 2 question types

Examination Y10 Summer 2021 Key Topics

America 1920-1973: opportunity and inequality

Elizabethan England c1568–1603

Useful Websites and Resources

Useful Revision Tips

| History GCSE-Exam Board: AQA | | --- | | Exam Overview:
• Paper 1 – 2 hours – 50% of GCSE
• Period Study-America 1920-1973: Opportunity and Inequality (six questions)
• Wider world depth study-Conflict and tension in Asia: 1950-75 (four questions)
• Paper 2 – 2 hours – 50% of GCSE
• Thematic study-Britain: Health and the people, c1000 to present day (four questions)
• British depth study-Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 (four questions) | | Guide to Exam Papers:
Paper 1
America 1920-73: Opportunity and Inequality
1. HOW DO INTERPRETATIONS A AND B DIFFER ABOUT…? (4 marks):
2. WHY DO THE AUTHORS OF INTERPRETATIONS A AND B HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION ABOUT…? (4 marks):
3. WHICH INTERPRETATION DO YOU FIND MORE CONVINCING ABOUT…?(8 marks):
4. DESCRIBE TWO …(4 marks):
5. IN WHAT WAYS WERE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE AFFECTED/CHANGED BY…? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER (8 marks):
6. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WAS THE MORE IMPORTANT REASON FOR…? (12 mark): Conflict and tension in Asia 1950-75
1. SOURCE A OPPOSES/SUPPORTS … HOW DO YOU KNOW? (4 marks):
2. HOW USEFUL ARE SOURCES E and F TO A HISTORIAN STUDYING…? (12 marks):
3. WRITE AN ACCOUNT OF HOW…BECAME AN INTERNATIONAL CRISIS/CAUSED PROBLEMS (8 marks):
4.“INTERPRETATION”. HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT? (16 marks)
Paper 2
Britain: Health and the people c1000 to the present day
1. HOW USEFUL IS SOURCE A TO A HISTORIAN STUDYING…? (8 marks)
2. EXPLAIN the SIGNIFICANCE of…(8 marks):
3. EXPLAIN TWO SIMILARITIES OF …(8 marks):
4. HAS … BEEN THE MAIN FACTOR IN … IN BRITAIN? (16 marks +4 SPaG)
Elizabethan England 1568-1603
1. HOW CONVINCING IS INTERPRETATION C ABOUT…? (8 marks):
2. EXPLAIN WHAT WAS IMPORTANT ABOUT…(8 marks)
3. WRITE AN ACCOUNT OF THE WAYS (in which Queen Elizabeth) dealt with the challenge of …(8 marks):
4. This question will DEFINITELY be on Burghley’s Almshouse. It is asking you to use Burghley Almshouse as a case study, and apply this to what you have learnt about Elizabethan society. You will get a statement, which you will be asked to test using Burghley’s Almshouse. (16 marks) | | Examination Y10 Summer 2021 Key Topics:
• America 1920-1973: opportunity and inequality: Boom to bust (1920s positives and negatives up to the Wall Street Crash), the Great Depression and the New Deal (how FDR aimed to solve the depression with the New Deal and the impact WW2 had) and Post-War America (50s rock and roll, the Civil Rights Movement, Kennedy and Johnson and women’s rights)
• Elizabethan England, c1568–1603: Elizabethan court and parliament (Privy council,
patriarchal society and marriage), Life in Elizabethan times (different social classes, theatre, the ‘Golden Age’ and expansion) and troubles at home and abroad (Catholic threats, Norfolk’s rebellions, Essex’s rebellion, Puritan threats, Mary Queen of Scots and the Spanish Armada) . | | --- | | Useful Websites:
• BBC Bitesize : [https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/examspecs/zxjk4j6](https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/examspecs/zxjk4j6)
• [http://www.johndclare.net/](http://www.johndclare.net/)
• [https://spartacus-educational.com/](https://spartacus-educational.com/)
• [https://studywise.co.uk/gcse-revision/history/](https://studywise.co.uk/gcse-revision/history/) | | Useful resources:
• Google Classroom – All resources, revision guides and sample papers have been placed on Google Classroom for you to use.
• Departmental revision booklets
• Departmental example exam questions
• Oxford AQA GCSE History: Britain: Health and the People c1000-Present Day Revision Guide (9-1), Aaron Wilkes
• Oxford AQA GCSE History (9-1): America 1920-1973: Opportunity and Inequality Revision Guide, Aaron Wilkes
• Oxford AQA GCSE History: Elizabethan England c1568-1603 Revision Guide (9-1), Aaron Wilkes
• Oxford AQA GCSE History (9-1): Conflict and Tension in Asia 1950-1975 Revision Guide, Lindsay Bruce and Aaron Wilkes | | Useful Websit

FAQs

What topics are included in Paper 1 for the AQA GCSE History exam?

Paper 1 includes America 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality, and Conflict and Tension in Asia 1950–75.

What topics are included in Paper 2 for the AQA GCSE History exam?

Paper 2 includes Britain: Health and the people c1000 to the present day, and Elizabethan England c1568–1603.

How should students prepare using the guidance provided in this document?

Students are advised to complete many past paper questions with focus on planning, analyse mark schemes for exam technique, use quick quizzes, and create timelines and mind maps to recall large time periods.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Noah