WJEC GCSE in HISTORY - UNIT 1 - SAMPLE ASSESSMENT MATERIALS - Study in Depth: Wales and the wider perspective - 1A The Elizabethan Age, 1558-1603

Sep 5, 2026

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WJEC GCSE History Unit 1 sample assessment materials for teaching from 2017 and awards from 2019. The focus is “Studies in Depth – Wales and the wider perspective,” with sections including the Elizabethan Age, radicalism and protest, depression-war-recovery, and austerity-affluence-discontent. The included candidate instructions require answering all questions using provided spaces, and questions assess source interpretation, historical significance, and extended written responses with accurate spelling, punctuation, grammar, and appropriate specialist vocabulary.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages71

Reading Time2 h 59 min

AccessFree to download

UNIT 1: Studies in Depth – Wales and the wider perspective

1A The Elizabethan Age, 1558-1603

1B Radicalism and Protest, 1810-1848

1C Depression, War and Recovery, 1930-1951

1D Austerity, Affluence and Discontent, 1951-1979

Summary of assessment

GCSE WJEC GCSE in HISTORY APPROVED BY QUALIFICATIONS WALES SAMPLE ASSESSMENT MATERIALS Teaching from 2017 This Qualiﬁcations Wales regulated qualiﬁcation is not available to centres in England. For teaching from 2017 For award from 2019 GCSE HISTORY UNIT 1 SAMPLE ASSESSMENT MATERIALS Contents Question Papers and Mark Schemes Page UNIT 1: Studies in Depth – Wales and the wider perspective 1A The Elizabethan Age, 1558-1603 5 1B Radicalism and Protest, 1810-1848 21 1C Depression, War and Recovery, 1930-1951 37 1D Austerity, Affluence and Discontent , 1951-1979 53 SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT 69 | Candidate Name | Centre Number | | | | | Candidate Number | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | 0 | | | | | GCSE HISTORY UNIT 1 STUDY IN DEPTH – WALES AND THE WIDER PERSPECTIVE 1A. THE ELIZABETHAN AGE, 1558-1603 SAMPLE ASSESSMENT MATERIALS 1 Hour INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the spaces at the top of this page. Answer all questions on the examination paper. Write your answers in the spaces provided in this booklet. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES The number of marks is given in brackets at the end of each question. Question 5 will assess your ability to construct a balanced, reasoned and well substantiated extended response. In addition your answer to question 5 will assess your ability to spell, punctuate and use grammar accurately and use a wide range of specialist language as appropriate. QUESTION 1 This question is about popular entertainment in Elizabethan times. Study the sources below and then answer the question which follows. Source A There are four theatres in London of beauty which have various names. In them a different play is presented to the public every day. Of all the theatres, the largest is the Swan; it has space for three thousand persons and is built of flint stones supported by wooden columns, painted to look like marble. It looks like a Roman building. [A description of Elizabethan theatres, from the writings of Johannes de Witt, a Dutch visitor to London (1596)] Source B [A drawing of the Swan Theatre from the late sixteenth century] What can be learnt from Sources A and B about the theatre in Elizabethan times? [4] [12 x answer lines] QUESTION 2 This question is about the problem of religion. Study the source below and then answer the question which follows. Source C Awake now lovely people of Wales ! I remember one excellent virtue which improved your lives namely the worship of pure Christianity. But recently you have not participated in anything of the good fortune of the world! This is because no one has written nor printed anything in your language. Therefore now you should be glad and offer your thanks to God, and to her grace the Queen. For by their authority and their command, your Bishops with the help of William Salesbury are bringing to you in Welsh and in print the Holy Scriptures. [Bishop Richard Davies, translator of the New Testament into Welsh, writing in the Preface to the translated New Testament (1567)] To what extent does this source accurately explain the importance of the translation of the Scriptures into Welsh? [6] [In your answer you should refer to the strengths and limitations of the source and use your own knowledge and understanding of the historical context.] [18 x answer lines] QUESTION 3 This question is about the Catholic threat. Why was Mary, Queen of Scots significant in the Catholic threat to Elizabeth? [12] [36 x answer lines]

FAQs

What is the theme of GCSE History Unit 1 in these sample assessment materials?

Unit 1 focuses on “Studies in Depth – Wales and the wider perspective,” covering four historical depth studies.

How should candidates answer the questions?

Candidates must write their name, centre number and candidate number in the spaces provided, answer all questions, and write answers in the spaces in the booklet.

What skills do the questions assess in the Elizabethan Age section?

The questions assess source-based learning, including what can be learned from provided sources and the historical significance of key figures.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Miles