History exam for 16 year olds in 1968

[Brazen]

Shamelessly stolen from a friend's Facebook post. Who said education hasn't been dumbed down? And which three would you choose?

University of London

General Certificate of Education

Summer 1968

Special Paper

History

Three Hours

Answer THREE Questions



1. 'The custodian of the social memory.' Consider this definition of the historian

2. Is a dictator necessarily a tyrant?

3. How would you justify the selection of Runnymede as a site for the British memorial to President Kennedy?

4. 'Saxon, Norman and Dane are we.' Discuss the contribution of each to the English race

5. Examine the case for and against televising proceedings in Parliament.

6. Illustrate the value to the historian of either court records or place names

7. Contrast the civilizations of Greece and Rome

8. Why did the ascetic ideal appeal so strongly to medieval man?

9. 'Fashion is transient, craftsmanship is permanent.' Discuss

10. What should be the functions of a trade union in present-day Britain?

[Brazen]

Having said that, the modern equivalent looks pretty daunting to me. But then I know nothing about history!

Explain why Clemenceau wanted the Treaty of Versailles to be so harsh on Germany.
Explain why the Weimar republic faced opposition between 1919 and 1923.
Explain why women were an important part of Hitler's plans for German.
Explain why Hitler wanted to take over Czechoslovakia.
Explain why the Soviet Union blockaded Berlin in 1948.
Explain why the USA became involved in Vietnam.

[Threviel]

Having said that, the modern equivalent looks pretty daunting to me. But then I know nothing about history!

Explain why Clemenceau wanted the Treaty of Versailles to be so harsh on Germany.
Explain why the Weimar republic faced opposition between 1919 and 1923.
Explain why women were an important part of Hitler's plans for German.
Explain why Hitler wanted to take over Czechoslovakia.
Explain why the Soviet Union blockaded Berlin in 1948.
Explain why the USA became involved in Vietnam.

Those I can somewhat explain, but the ones in the first post is very much harder, for me at least.

[Josquius]

Is this real?

It doesn't seem so much like history to me, more like philosophy or the like. Totally not what I thought old history exams were like- I thought they placed a heavy focus on forcing people to remember exact dates?
Modern GCSEs are quite crappy, too much focus on nattering about the validity of sources rather than the actual history. Modern A-Levels though (yeah, yeah its for 16 year olds not 18 year olds) tend to be much better, they ask clear historical questions, not broad abstract ones.

[Grey Fox]

I don't know what an ascetic ideal is

[Solmyr]

Is this real?

It doesn't seem so much like history to me, more like philosophy or the like. Totally not what I thought old history exams were like- I thought they placed a heavy focus on forcing people to remember exact dates?
Modern GCSEs are quite crappy, too much focus on nattering about the validity of sources rather than the actual history. Modern A-Levels though (yeah, yeah its for 16 year olds not 18 year olds) tend to be much better, they ask clear historical questions, not broad abstract ones.

Remembering exact dates is exactly what history exams are not. Pretty much in every exam I see, you have to analyze things rather than spout off chronologies.

[CountDeMoney]

University of London

General Certificate of Education

Summer 1968

Special Paper

History

Didn't know 16 year olds were going to a University for a certificate in 1968.
"Special paper"? Seems a bit much for a 16 year old.

[Richard Hakluyt]

There were a number of examination boards for the old GCEs. These boards were usually part of a university. Eg Oxford examioners, Cambridge examiners, the joint matriculation board.

They set the syllabus and examinations and issued the certificates.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I should also add that, unlike GCSEs, GCEs were only taken by more able pupils..........perhaps a third to a half of the total. The paper is also a "special paper", probably taken by exceptional history students who were going to walk the standard GCE.

[Josephus]

10. What should be the functions of a trade union in present-day Britain?

To which I can see several Languishites saying ..."Nothing, not since Thatcher. na na na na na"

[Admiral Yi]

To which I can see several Languishites saying ..."Nothing, not since Thatcher. na na na na na"

Why only since?

[Valmy]

Shamelessly stolen from a friend's Facebook post. Who said education hasn't been dumbed down? And which three would you choose?

Those are doable.  Especially since I would have had a class recently where alot of those ideas were discussed right?  I would probably choose 5, 7, and 8 if I was given this test today without any preparation.

[Malthus]

I don't know what an ascetic ideal is

The notion that people should deprive themselves of good things in order to please god. More or less.

[Grey Fox]

I don't know what an ascetic ideal is

The notion that people should deprive themselves of good things in order to please god. More or less.

History, my ass!

[Ed Anger]

7. Contrast the civilizations of Greece and Rome

Fags and according to the movie Caligula, fisting.