1998 Test: Paper III

1. Account for the financial weakness of the French Monarchy in the second half of the eighteenth century and show how far this weakness was responsible for the outbreak of revolution in France in 1789.

2. In what ways did Napoleon I’s domestic policies benefit France in the period 1799-1815?

3. How far did the Congress of Vienna solve the problems faced by its delegates?

4. Evaluate the achievements of Robert Peel as Home Secretary and as Prime Minister of Britain.

5. Compare and contrast the contributions of Mazzini and Garibaldi to Italian unification.

6. What were the causes and results of the 1848 revolutions in the Austrian Empire?

7. In 1867, Bismarck said: “Anyone who has looked into the eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think hard before starting a war.” Analyze Bismarck’s foreign policy in light of these words.

8. What was the Eastern Question and why did it cause problems for Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century?

9. Assess the importance of the development in any one European country in the second half of the nineteenth century, of two of the following: railways; social legislation; agricultural changes.

10. In what ways did educational reform affect any one European country between 1850 and 1900?

11. How far would you agree that Napoleon III was more successful in his domestic than his foreign policy?

12. Why, in spite of his efforts to reform Russian institutions, was Alexander II assassinated?

13. What were the main problems faced by the Third French Republic between 1870 and 1900?

14. Evaluate the relative importance of imperialism, the arms race and the failure of diplomacy in causing the First World War.

15. Compare and contrast the roles of Lenin and Trotsky in establishing the USSR up to 1924.

16. How far is it true to say that the Weimar Republic was doomed from its foundation?

17. “Its frown will soon be more dreaded than a nation’s arms.” Why did this comment on the League of Nations, made in 1929 prove to be incorrect?

18. Compare and contrast the foreign policies up to the outbreak of the Second World War of Mussolini and Hitler.

19. Analyze the causes and results of the Spanish Civil War.

20. Assess the impact of Hitler, and the Second World War on one Scandinavian country.

21. How and why did the Second World War bring about the social and economic changes in one European country excluding Scandinavia?

22. Why and with what results for Europe did the USSR become involved in the Cold War up to the death of Stalin?

23. Explain whom you consider was more successful in his own country, Adenauer or de Gaulle?

24. Analyze the internal history of one East European country, excluding the USSR, from 1953 to 1990.

25. How has twentieth century Europe been affected by two of the following: increased leisure opportunities; pressure groups; peace movements?

1999 Test: Paper III

1. To what extent was the weakness of the French Monarchy responsible for the outbreak and course of the French Revolution between 1789 and January 1793?

2. “He restored order and brought back prosperity.” How far do you agree with this judgment of the domestic policies of Napoleon I during the period 1799 to 1815?

3. Evaluate the economic and political causes of the 1848 Revolutions in the Austrian Empire and German Confederation.

4. Analyze the events of 1848 which deposed Louis Philippe and explain why his reign ended in revolution.

5. In what ways was the unification of Italy hindered between 1848 and 1870 by both the Papacy and the division of Italy into separate spheres?

6. Why had Prussia replaced Austria as the leading Germanic power by 1866?

7. Napoleon III said, “Some people say the Empire means war; personally I say the Empire means peace.” How far do you agree with Napoleon III’s statement?

8. Explain the domestic policies of Gladstone and Disraeli in Britain between 1868 and 1880 and assess their importance for Britain.

9. Examine the role of Russia in the Eastern Question between 1850 and 1878 and assess the success of Russia’s policies in this area during this period.

10. Analyze the aims, successes, and failures of Bismarck’s domestic policies 1871 to 1890.

11. Explain the nature and assess the importance of the development of either industry or transport in one nineteenth century European country.

12. In what ways, and for what reasons, was there an increase of either education or the franchise [right to vote] in one or more European countries during the nineteenth century?

13. Why was the Dual Monarchy of Austria/Hungary important in European history between 1867 and 1918?

14. Assess the political developments in one Scandinavian country in either the nineteenth or the twentieth century.

15. Analyze the part played by the failure of Tsardom in causing the February/March Revolution in Russia in 1917.

16. “In 1914 Europe arrived at a point when every country was afraid of the present and Germany was afraid of the future.” What do you understand by this comment and how far do you agree with it?

17. Compare and contrast the economic aims and policies of Lenin (1917 to 1924) and Stalin (1928 to 1941).

18. How and why was Hitler able to become dictator of Germany?

19. Why was the League of Nations ignored in the pre-war crises of 1938 to 1939?

20. With what justification can the term “total war” be applied to the Second World War?

21. Compare and contrast political and economic developments under Adenauer in Germany and de Gaulle in France.

22. How, why, and with what success, did Tito follow independent policies in Yugoslavia between 1945 and 1980?

23. “Politically Khrushchev brought new hope to the USSR and to Europe, economically he was a disaster.” How justified is this comment of Khrushchev as leader of the Soviet Union 1953 to 1964?

24. Explain in what ways and to what extent either Spain or Portugal moved away from dictatorship in the 1970s.

25. Assess the importance of the changes in either the media or working conditions and patterns, in twentieth century Europe.