ib history paper 2 essay

IB History: Paper 2 Essay Writing and Analysis

The International Baccalaureate (IB) History program challenges students to develop a deep understanding of historical events, themes, and interpretations. One of the key assessment components is the Paper 2 essay, which requires students to analyze and write about historical sources. In this article, we will explore the structure of the IB History Paper 2 essay and provide you with valuable tips and strategies to excel in this challenging task.

 Understanding the IB History Paper 2 Essay

The Paper 2 essay in IB History is often referred to as the "Document-Based Question" (DBQ). It is a timed assessment in which you are provided with a set of historical sources and must craft an essay based on your analysis of these sources. The sources may include primary and secondary documents, images, maps, or texts.

The key components of the IB History Paper 2 essay include:

 1. Source Analysis:

- You are required to analyze the provided sources critically. Consider the origin, purpose, context, and content of each source. Pay attention to biases, perspectives, and limitations of the sources.

 2. Historical Context:

- Understanding the historical context is crucial. You need to place the sources within the broader historical narrative, identifying the events, themes, and time period relevant to the sources.

 3. Essay Prompt:

- The essay prompt will ask you to construct an argument or response based on your analysis of the sources and your knowledge of the historical context. You must address the specific question posed in the prompt.

 4. Essay Structure:

- Your essay should have a clear and organized structure. It typically includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

 5. Use of Evidence:

- You should support your argument with evidence from the sources and your historical knowledge. Effective use of source evidence is essential.

 6. Historical Thinking Skills:

- Demonstrating historical thinking skills such as causation, continuity and change, comparison, and evaluation is essential for a successful essay.

 Essay Writing Tips and Strategies

Writing an effective Paper 2 essay requires a structured approach and attention to detail. Here are some tips and strategies to help you excel:

 1. Begin with Source Analysis:

- Start by thoroughly analyzing each source. Identify the author's perspective, any potential biases, and the context in which the source was created.

 2. Organize Your Thoughts:

- Before you begin writing, outline your essay. Organize your argument, main points, and supporting evidence. A clear structure will make your essay more coherent.

 3. Address the Prompt:

- Ensure that your essay directly responds to the essay prompt. Don't deviate from the question, and make it clear from the beginning how you intend to answer it.

 4. Use Source Evidence:

- Integrate source evidence into your essay. Cite the sources when referencing them. This not only supports your argument but also shows your ability to engage with historical documents.

 5. Provide Historical Context:

- Offer historical context for the sources. Explain how they relate to the broader historical events and themes of the time period.

 6. Develop a Clear Thesis:

- Your thesis statement should provide a concise overview of your argument. It should address the prompt and guide the reader on what to expect in the essay.

 7. Support with Specifics:

- Use specific examples and details from the sources and your historical knowledge. Avoid vague statements and generalizations.

 8. Compare and Contrast:

- If the prompt calls for it, compare and contrast the sources. Analyze similarities and differences among the sources to support your argument.

 9. Engage with Historiography:

- When relevant, engage with historical interpretations or the work of historians. Discuss different viewpoints and their implications for your argument.

 10. Conclude Effectively:

- Your conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis. It's also an opportunity to provide a broader perspective on the topic.

 11. Edit and Proofread:

- After writing your essay, take time to edit and proofread. Check for clarity, grammar, and organization.

 Sample IB History Paper 2 Essay Prompt

Here is a sample Paper 2 essay prompt to give you an idea of what to expect:

"Evaluate the impact of World War I on the emergence of new nation-states in Europe. Using the provided sources and your own knowledge, assess the extent to which the war contributed to the dissolution of empires and the creation of new states."

In response to this prompt, you would need to analyze the provided sources and your historical knowledge to construct an essay that evaluates the impact of World War I on the emergence of new nation-states in Europe.

 Conclusion

The IB History Paper 2 essay is a challenging but rewarding assessment that tests your ability to analyze historical sources and construct well-argued essays. By developing strong source analysis skills, crafting clear and structured essays, and providing evidence to support your arguments, you can excel in this component of the IB History program. Remember to practice writing essays and seek feedback from your teachers or peers to further improve your skills. Good luck with your IB History studies and exams!

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Introduction

Step 1: learn the syllabus, step 2: study the past paper questions, step 3: read, write, and think, step 4: get more examples & ideas, step 5: know your time during the exam, historiography, what to aim for, how to write faster by hand, how much to write.

All historical arguments contained or referred to in this article are solely for exam preparation and do not necessarily reflect the view of the author.

This article includes:

• Steps for IB DP History paper 2 revision;
• Some extra tips (they can’t really fit into the steps);
• Study resources;
• My brief essay outlines,

which worked together to help me reach a 7 on paper 2 in my M21 history SL final exam.

This article works best for:

• Final exam prep;
• Short-term revision;
• Developing exam skills, not necessarily historical skills;
• SL students who need to know just enough for paper 2, not any more content for paper 3.

This article uses topic 10 authoritarian states (20th century) as an example.

In my blog article “ Short-Term Revision ”, I mentioned some of my experience preparing for the DP History final exam. I’ll try not to repeat too much of that here.

TL;DR is at the end of this article.

Learn the syllabus by heart.

For example, this is the IB syllabus for topic 10 authoritarian states:

Completing this revision step means that you can recall exactly what’s in the table. By that, I mean every single word in the table . Do make sure you read the description paragraph above, too, but you don’t need to learn it by heart.

Once you do this, every time when you come across a fact, a historical event, or a historiography, you can immediately identify the sub-topic you can use it for in an essay. Then, you can easily think about your arguments and try to structure your essays every time you revise factual information.

Look at the past paper questions to see what have already been asked, and when. The IB questions don’t tend to repeat a lot, especially not in successive exam sessions. This means you can guess the questions that are likely to come up on your exam paper, althugh officially, the IB discourages doing this.

Here are all the past paper questions summarized in one document, both organized by year and by syllabus theme:

You can download the document as an annotated PDF here , or access it here as a google doc without annotations.

This document doesn’t include the M21 questions, because I made it for my own revision before M21. The M21 TZ2 questions for topic 10 roughly stated:

Evaluate the impact of foreign policy on the maintenance of power in two authoritarian states. “Full control was not always achieved in authoritarian states.” Discuss with reference to two authoritarian states.

According to this thread on Reddit , treatment of opposition instead of foreign policy came up for TZ1.

What I found was that:

• Almost every sub-topic appeared fewer than twice in past papers.
• There’s usually a gap of around 2 exam sessions (e.g from M18 to N19) between the questions under the same sub-topic.
• The past paper questions (not counting the specimen papers here) never repeat exactly . They can be similar, but always with a slightly different emphasis.
• Usually, only 2 of the sub-topics (emergence, maintenance, and policy) appear in one exam session , except for once in N19 where question 2 was on both maintenance and policy.
• The appearance of sub-topics is quite balanced.
• It’s very rare that a question asks for only one authoritarian state— only happened twice . (Highlighted in yellow.)
• A few questions have appeared only once or never.

So I made guesses based on the findings and other information, and altered my revision plans:

I chose to ignore emergence and turned to focus on the other two sub-topics. My thinking process is outlined in a section of my blog article “Short-Term Revision”.

The things in pink are what I thought, when I was revising, that would be likely to come up. They were either questions that had never come up before under the current syllabus, or those that had only come up once. Most of them also fitted in the “2 exam session gap” time frame. Those were my priorities.

Apart from these, I was convinced that preparing for compare and contrast, or at least formulating arguments for two states , would be necessary.

Take concise, structured notes for every topic that you revise, especially those that are likely to come up based on what have been asked before. But only take notes if you know you can use them to support your arguments, or you’ll just waste time.

You can follow a textbook to save your time researching, which I found to be extremely helpful. I have talked about some history textbooks in this blog post: My Experience & Tips for IB Textbooks: History SL .

As you take notes, also write down thoughtful arguments . If you’re like me who wants to be safe, you can do that for every single possible essay question. Knowing the syllabus by heart helps a lot here, because that helps you formulate your own IB style questions quickly.

Try to come up with counter-arguments and then counter those counter-arguments to strengthen your original arguments. Add the “debates” into your essay, even if those are just your thoughts going back and forth.

I find it helpful to write out complete sentences when I work on my arguments. That helps me to clear up my own ideas and saves me time structuring my sentences during a tight essay exam. Then, I recommend that you condense the arguments so that you can remember them. I also prefer typing over writing on paper because I can write much faster by typing, and I can organize digital files better than physical ones.

As an example, I wrote a 3-line outline for every essay question I could think of. Each line (out of the 3 lines) summarizes a paragraph in my essay. Of course, this is after thinking about or writing out more detailed notes for my arguments and supporting evidence. This is a preview:

You can download the complete PDF document here . Unfortunately, I don’t have any detailed notes because I lost a lot of data on my laptop during a system update.

There’re a lot of my own short-hand notations in the document. So if you do use this to revise and find something confusing, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments or via email (see the end of my “About” page). I’ll try my best to recall what I meant.

To emphasis, I repeat: all historical arguments contained or referred to in this article are solely for exam preparation and do not necessarily reflect my view.

This step can be done together with step 3. Sometimes you might run out of ideas or get confused about what kind of arguments the IB likes. Reading more essays can help. Especially, the good ones can give you some inspiration, as well as some excellent arguments to agree with or argue against in your own essay.

Some places to get example essays:

• Textbook appendices
• P2 Example 18 , scored 13/15
• P2 Example 19 , scored 13/15
• Your school teacher
• Your own paper 2 practices over the 2 years
• Your classmates' essays

I recommend that you get a physical copy of each example essay along with examiner’s comments (if any), so that you can read and annotate it carefully.

If you can’t find existing essays, write them yourself ! Write full essays, paragraphs, introduction, even just a short thesis, and kindly ask your teacher for feedback. Try out new writing approaches because you might find better ways to write. You don’t have to time yourself while writing these. At this point, getting feedback is the most important because it helps you improve and further develop your skills and arguments!

To get ideas for essays, you can also look at the indicative content in IB markschemes . The indicative content tends to be more detailed for papers testing the old syllabus (before first assessment 2017) but the new markschemes can also give you some hint.

Get used to the exam environment by practicing timed paper 2 exams. But it’s fine if you do it at the very end of your revision, because knowing what to write can help you write faster than doing anything else, including doing timed paper 2 exams.

However, it’s still important to plan your time prior to the exam and closely follow the plan. In this way, during the exam, you can stay calm so you don’t rush or forget about your arguments.

As an example, this is my plan, with all time and durations in minutes:

At the very beginning of my exam, I quickly calculated the exact time when I would need to finish each task. For example, if the reading time started at 8:33, I would calculate that I would need to finish my mental outline at 8:38, my written outline at 8:43, my intro at 8:48, etc. I wrote down the minute digits on a scratch paper so that during the exam, I could quickly check if my progress matched my plan.

It is possible to get to 12/15 with only a name-dropping of a historian and his/her argument. True personal story. I did that on my final exam.

Take a look at the example paper 2 essays in the Teacher Support Material , too, especially examples 18 and 19. (I’ve mentioned them above.) No historiography, no quoting of historians, but, bang—they both got 13/15 for the topic 10 question.

As long as there are decent original arguments in an essay, the lack of historians' views is fine , unless you’re aiming for 14 or 15 marks. This really alleviated a lot of stress for me.

You don’t need to have a 7 in every single component to get an overall 7 .

This is how I did my calculation before I took my M21 exams.

I used the IB M19 boundaries for SL TZ2, which was the most recent May exam-route session with available grade boundaries:

Using the modified marks and weightings in M21, I calculated that the number of marks needed to get a 7 for paper 2 was 12/15.

So I calculated that if I got:

• Paper 1: 17/24,
• Paper 2: 12/15,

then my total scaled score (out of 100) would be $\frac{20}{25} \times 25 + \frac{17}{24} \times 30 + \frac{12}{15} \times 45 \approx 77.3 %$, which is higher than 74, the boundary for getting an overall 7.

This is true for N20 and M18, too, and should be true for most exam sessions.

Let’s continue to use M19 as our example. The boundary for an overall 7 is slightly lower, so one can afford to lose one or more points. The following combination of marks can all give an overall 7.

Try calculating the overall result for different combinations and choose to work towards the one that seems the most realistic for you. Once you know what marks you need in each component, you have a more specific and a more accomplishable goal.

Notice that because paper 2 is weighted the more heavily (45%), getting a reasonably high mark on paper 2 is more important than on paper 1 or IA .

You don’t have to write prettily, or even clearly—as long as it’s legible in the context. This is my hand-writing at full speed:

Both my teacher and the examiner grading my final exam papers managed to recognize my writing.

Pick a pen in which the ink can flow smoothly and which you don’t need to press hard on the paper to write with.

If your pen has a cap, leave it off the end of the pen. It takes you more effort to move the pen when the cap is attached to the end, especially when you write a lot. I learned this from this YouTube video .

4 sides (on A4 size paper) should be enough. I even wrote only 3 sides several times and that was fine. Quality over quantity.

When we had timed, in-class summative assessments, I almost never managed to finish my essays.

And, although I usually wrote only a few sides, although I couldn’t really finish the essays, I could still get 10-12 marks out of 15. So, absolutely no worries if you can’t finish your essays or you only write 3 sides.

Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments or via email (see the end of my “About” page). I might share a few of my own history essay practices in the future but that’s not guaranteed 😅

• Learn by heart exactly what’s covered in the paper 2 topic you’re studying.
• Look for patterns in the past paper questions and prioritize the ones that you think are likely to come up.
• As you take notes for the possible essay questions, develop strong arguments that can stand counter-arguments.
• Read exemplar/example essays and indicative content in IB markschemes. Write your own essays/paragraphs and ask your teacher for feedback if you can’t find others' essays.
• Plan how much time you’ll use for each paragraph beforehand, so you don’t panic during an exam.
• You don’t need historiography to get to 12/15 (or you only need to name-drop one or two historians if that counts).
• You don’t need all 7s in all component to get an overall 7. Calculate how many marks you need to get the overall grade that you want to narrow down your goal.
• To write faster, use a smooth, light-weight pen. It’s alright to have messy (but legible) hand-writing.
• It’s fine if you write 3-4 sides on A4 size paper or you can’t finish your essays.

MacGregor Is History

The two topics I have focused on as an IB History teacher are: World history topic 10: Authoritarian states (20th century) World history topic 11: Causes and effects of 20th century wars A third possible topic is: World history topic 12: The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century)

This essay paper is based on 12 world history topics. You need to answer two essay questions on two different topics. Paper Two gives 45% of the final grade for SL (Standard Level) and 25% of the final grade for HL (Higher Level). The IB Syllabus points out these specific parts to study: PAPER TWO Syllabus explanation on what to study Markscheme for Paper Two: PAPER 2 MARKSCHEME 2017

TUTOR COMMENT: This paper focuses on the ability to write history essays so essay skills are essential (if you have poor or no essay skills note that I offer a specific essay writing course). Paper Two has a time limit of 90 minutes. During this time you should be able to write two full essays from two different topics. In the tutoring session you will be given some samples and learn to focus on the question as well as practising organisering an essay answer within the time limit. If you study at SL (Standard Level) this is the Paper that gives you the most marks (45% of your final grade) so it’s important to know what to do.

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Every IB History Past Paper Available: Free and Official

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Taking a practice IB History exam before the actual exam will help you familiarize yourself with the length, style and format of the test. In this guide, we explain the IB History test format and link to the best past papers available . At the end, I'll explain how best to use these IB History past papers for your studying.

Disclaimer: these free exams should be used at your own risk. The exams are not authorized by the IBO and were most likely put up online without the IBO's consent.

2022 IB Exam Changes Due to COVID-19

Because of the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the IB has decided to extend the adaptations which were put in place for 2021 to 2022. May 2022 IB assessments will have two routes, exam and non-exam, depending on which your school chooses. Stay up to date with the latest information on what this means for IB diplomas, course credit for IB classes, and more with our our IB COVID-19 FAQ article .

IB History Exam Format

The IB History course was completely revamped in 2017. Now, there are five prescribed subjects:

• Military leaders
• Conquest and its impact
• The move to global war
• Rights and protest
• Conflict and intervention

Your teacher will choose one that you'll cover, and you'll be tested on this for paper 1 (one hour in length).

There is also a list of twelve world history topics. For paper 2 (1.5 hours), you'll cover two of these:

• Society and economy (750-1400)
• Causes and effects of medieval wars (750-1500)
• Dynasties and rulers (750-1500)
• Societies in transition (1400-1700)
• Early Modern states (1450-1789)
• Causes and effects of Early Modern wars (1500-1750)
• Origins, development and impact of industrialization (1750-2005)
• Independence movements (1800-2000)
• Evolution and development of democratic states (1848-2000)
• Authoritarian states (20 th century)
• Causes and effects of 20 th -century wars
• The Cold War: superpower tensions and rivalries (20 th century)

For students taking IB History HL, they'll have a final paper (paper 3) that is 2.5 hours and will cover one of the four Depth Studies:

• History of Africa and the Middle East
• History of the Americas
• History of Asia and Oceania
• History of Europe

Current IB History Papers

The best source for up-to-date IB History past papers is the IBO store . To find them, search "history exam paper." Each paper and each mark scheme cost about $3 for older tests or $4 for more recent tests. That means a full test's worth will cost you about $12-$16 for SL or $18-$24 for HL. (While the IBO site has a sample SL/HL paper 2 available for free , it's from November 2005, predating the most recent syllabus updates.)

Currently, the IB store has papers from 2011 through 2018, but we recommend only purchasing papers from May 2017 tests or later, as those are the exams that match the new syllabus. Be sure to check not just the test date but also the depth-study area for each exam paper and mark scheme you purchase to make sure they match up—you wouldn't want to purchase a History of Asia and Oceania exam paper but a History of Europe mark scheme!

How to Use IB History Past Papers

Each full IB History practice exam will take you 2.5 hours for SL or 5 hours for HL, so you need to get the most out of each test. Below are some pointers for your practice.

Tip 1: Take Papers 1 and 2 Consecutively (If Possible)

For both IB History SL and HL, papers 1 and 2 are administered one after the other, requiring you to maintain your concentration and testing stamina for 2.5 hours. Part of practicing for the test means building up your testing endurance so that you're not making careless errors or losing focus towards the end of the tests.

IB History HL includes a third, 2.5-hour paper administered on a second day of testing, which you should also try to match in your practice schedule. Having a test spread out over multiple days means that you can't just cram and then immediately forget everything after you've finished papers 1 and 2; you'll need to practice retaining information even after the 2.5-hour slog of the first day's papers 1 and 2.

If you don't have time in your schedule for a full 2.5-hour session (or for two 2.5-hour sessions two days in a row for HL), then splitting papers 1 and 2 up over multiple days is OK. Just make sure that in your studying you follow this next tip:

Tip 2: Time Yourself on Each Paper

You must get used to the timing pressures of this exam. The time allowed per paper is:

IB History SL

• Paper 1—1 hour
• Paper 2—1 hour 30 minutes

IB History HL

• Paper 3—2 hour 30 minutes

Don't give yourself extra time. If you do, you will not figure out your pacing for the real exam and will likely score higher than you actually will the day of the test. I want these practice exams to give you an accurate picture of your actual test score.

Stephan Baum/ Wikimedia

Tip 3: Review Your Mistakes!

When you complete your exam (end of Paper 2 for SL or end of Paper 3 for HL), check every mistake. If you skip this step, you will not learn from your errors, and you'll keep making them.

You need to take at least an hour reviewing your exam. I know this may seem like a lot of time, but you want quality practice. If you only end up taking two practice tests with detailed review, you will be better prepared than if you took six tests with no review.

What's Next?

Taking IB History right now? Round out your studying with our complete IB History notes and study guide .

Ready to jump into some US History topics? Learn about the Platt Amendment and Ida Lewis . If you're more interested in political history, be sure to also check out our articles on checks and balances in the US government and how the executive branch can check the judicial branch .

Or perhaps you're interested in learning something that might not come up in history class? Find out more about David Ghantt and the Loomis Fargo heist , the complete history of hip hop , and the competing claims for invention of the 3-hole punch .

Learn more about the IB course offerings:

• The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes
• Which IB Courses Can I Take Online? Can I Get an Online IB Diploma?

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How to ace History Paper  2?

Welcome again to trying to succeed in History exams together. In the previous article , we went through Paper 1 and now it is time for History Paper 2.

History Paper 2 (30 marks)

Recent changes stated that the History Paper 2 exam will last only for 45 minutes and students will be required to write for only one question (For those who don’t know, it used to be 90 minutes for two questions.) Questions are formulated in a way that you need to evaluate two separate historical backgrounds in the same context. Here are some examples from the last exam:

• Evaluate the impact of population change on two societies , each from a different region.
• “The most important causes of wars in the period 750–1500 were political.” With reference to two wars , to what extent do you agree with this statement?

The command term in the instruction is important since it gives a hint about how the student should proceed with their argumentation.:

• Compare and Contrast : State differences and similarities in relation to a particular aspect or event.
• Discuss : Make arguments with examples.
• Evaluate : Weigh strengths and limitations. In this question, it is often asks if an event is a success or a failure. 
• Examine : Consider an argument or conjecture and make a judgment with verification of validity.
• To what extent : Often this refers to a quote or statement where you would have to agree or disagree with something.

We already discussed how we formulate a mini-essay for Paper 1, Paper 2 is also quite similar to that. My teacher says that it would be great if we can write 1000 words for the essay—but let’s face reality I’ll call myself lucky if I can write 800 meaningful words in 45 minutes.

Introduction

For introduction I use the method BOLT:

B – Background information to specify which historical context you’ll be talking about O – Opposing view to determine the counterarguments to your thesis L – List of evidence to specify the historical examples  T – Thesis

Here is an example text with the method:

“Economic aspects contributed to the rise of the Nazis from 1919 to 1934 and the rise of Communist China from 1921 to 1949 . Other factors that can be considered are the use of force by the Nazis and Communist Party of China and the personal abilities of the leaders , Adolf Hitler and Mao Zedong . Finally, economic factors contributed to a greater extent to the emergence of both states, as the previous economic weakness led the population to support the Nazis and the Chinese Communist Party .”

Body Paragraphs

In this part, you need to present opposing arguments and prove each of them in separate paragraphs. I usually try to write two supporting paragraphs with my thesis and one opposing. It is important that in the end, you prove the approach you claimed in the thesis. Rebut the counter-argument with examples and remember to stick to the question as you do so. PEEL method is a classic but efficient method for this:

P – Point: the first sentence that presents your argument E – Evidence: support your argument with facts E – Explain: analyze your evidence and explain how it supports the argument L – Link: connect the argument with the question

The conclusion is also the same with Paper 1, and these phrases can help you:

• In summary, it can be said that….
• The arguments presented justify the statement that….
• To return to the question…

My advice to you is to find past paper questions and try to write as many as you can in 45 minutes. Timing yourself is important to prepare for the exam and with every try, you’ll notice you are able to write more words than the previous one. If your teacher is available try to show these writings to them as well, a little critique does more use than harm. Hope this helps you, good luck to everyone who has to read this because their exam is coming up!

You may also like…

• Cynthia’s overview for History IA .
• Priyasha’s tips for Global Politics EE .

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Past IBDP History Paper 2 Questions and Responses

• To what extent should Germany be held responsible for causing both the First and Second World Wars?
• Why was there so much civil strife and civil war in China during the first half of the twentieth century?
• Compare and contrast the outcome and effects of two revolutionary wars, each chosen from a different region.
• Explain the impact of war on two of the following: women, the arts, the media.
• To what extent is it true to say that a successful economic policy is the most important factor for a single party ruler to remain in power? Examples should be given from two countries each chosen from a different region.
• Compare and contrast the foreign policies of two rulers of single party states, each chosen from a different region.
• To what extent was Hitler a) responsible for, and b) driven by ideological beliefs of Nazism?
• How far would you agree that single party states have been more interested in controlling the minds of young people than in providing genuine education?
• Examine the conflicting aims and policies of rival powers which caused the Cold War.
• Assess the importance of two of the following in influencing the development of the Cold War: Marshall Aid, Warsaw Pact, arms control, détente.
• Examine the impact of the Cold War on two countries (excluding the superpowers), each chosen from a different region.
• “The build up of missiles in Cuba in 1962 was a deliberate, provocative and unjustified action.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
• What were the main social and cultural consequences of the Cold War?
• T o what extent can it be said that the First World War was caused by the alliance system?
• Evaluate the role of ideological differences in two civil wars each chosen from a different region.
• In what ways and for what reasons have tactics changed in twentieth century warfare?
• How valid is the claim that treaties are not necessary to end wars? Support your answer with evidence from at least two regions.
• “Single party states use education as propaganda to obtain support rather than to instil (increase) knowledge.” How far do you agree with this judgement?
• In what ways and for what reasons did China develop its own brand of Marxism/Communism under Mao Zedong?
• To what extent was Spain under Franco (1939 to 1975) a Fascist state?
• How far is it true to say that a successful foreign policy is the most important factor for a single party ruler to remain in power? Examples should be given from two countries each chosen from a different region.
• “In the twentieth century right-wing single party states have often been the result of a conservative reaction to change whilst the left-wing single party states have achieved power as the outcome of a revolutionary process against tradition.” Using examples from at least two regions explain how far you agree with this quotation.
• “Ideological differences played only a minor role in the origin and development of the Cold War.” How far do you agree with this statement?
• In what ways and for what reasons did the Cold War affect the Middle East?
• Analyse the importance of spheres of interest for one of the superpowers in the Cold War.
• Assess the importance in the development of the Cold War of two of the following: the Yalta Conference; Berlin; the arms race; non-alignment; South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
• Examine the impact of the Cold War on the social life and culture of two countries each chosen from a different region.
• Assess the importance of nationalism and selfish ambition as causes of twentieth century wars. Reference must be made to at least two wars.
• Examine critically two treaties and evaluate their success in resolving the armed conflicts which necessitated the treaties.
• Compare and contrast the effects for the country concerned of two of the following: the Chinese Civil War, the Nigerian Civil War, the Spanish Civil War.
• Assess the significance of either the Mexican Revolution (1910-1940) or the Vietnam War (1964-1975).
• In what ways and for what reasons did rulers of single party states play an important role in world affairs between 1917 and 1945?
• Identify the main principles of Communism and assess how far these principles were put into practice by one Communist rule between 1900 and 1990.
• Assess the contributions of organizational and leadership qualities in maintaining power two single party rulers, each chosen from a different region.
• Analyse the role and status of women in two of the following: Maoist China, Nazi Germany, Peronist Argentina.
• “Ideological differences played little part in the origin of the Cold War.” How far do you agree with this judgement?
• To what extent was Germany the cause of East/West disagreements between 1943 and 1963?
• Define “superpower rivalry” and assess its importance in international politics since 1945.
• Analyze the role of either Cuba or Vietnam in the development of the Cold War.
• Compare and contrast the economic and social impact of the Cold War on two countries, each chosen from a different region.
• Analyse the reasons for the outbreak of war either in Algeria in 1954, or in Korea in 1950.
• In what ways and for what reasons did foreign intervention play an important role in two civil war, each chosen from a different region?
• Evaluate the successes and failures of one twentieth century treaty in addressing the causes of conflict, and restoring peace and normality.
• “Promises of improved social and economic conditions win more support for would-be single party rulers than ideological pronouncements.” How far do you agree with this claim?
• Compare and contrast the organisation of one Communist state with one Fascist state.
• Analyze the methods by which either Castro or Stalin maintained his position as ruler of a single party state.
• Evaluate the attempts of two rulers of single party states, each chosen from a different region, to control and use the media.
• “The Cold War was caused by fear, not aggression.” To what extent does this view explain how the Cold War developed between 1945 and 1949?
• Examine the impact of the Cold War on educational developments in two countries, each chosen from a different region.
• Compare and contrast the aims and policies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw Pact up to 1970.
• For what reasons, and with what results, up to 1963, did the United States adopt the policy known as “containment”?
• To what extent has any twentieth century war changed the role of women?
• How far do you agree with the view of some recent historians that Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler at Munich was NOT a mistake?
• “The First and Second World Wars were European civil wars that required outside intervention to settle.” How far do you agree with this quotation?
• In what ways did Truman’s policy of “limited warfare” in Korea set the pattern of military conflict up to 1990?
• Analyse the conditions which led to the establishment of two single party states each chosen from a different region.
• How and why have religious groups a) opposed, and b) supported single party regimes?
• Assess the success and failure of two rulers of single party regimes, each chosen from a different region, in solving the social and economic problems of their countries.
• To what extent was the success of Stalin in retaining power in the USSR between 1929 and 1953 due to the appeal of Communism?
• Examine the impact outside their own countries of two of the following: Fidel Castro, Gamel Abdel Nasser, Julius Nyerere, Mao Zedong.
• Assess the significance for the development of the Cold War between 1945 and 1950 of three of the following:
• The Yalta Conference, 1945
• The Iron Curtain speech, 1946
• The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, 1947
• The expulsion of Yugoslavia from the Soviet block, 1948
• The Berlin Blockade and Airlift, 1948-1949
• The formation of NATO, 1949.
• “A different kind of Cold War.” To what extent is this a valid statement about the Cold War after 1953?
• Explain how East/West relations a) affected and b) how the were affected by one of the following areas: the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Africa.
• Using specific examples, evaluate the successes and/or failures of “Détente”.
• What were the most frequent causes of twentieth century wars? Specific evidence from at least three wars should be used.
• In what ways, and to what extent, was the Second World War “total war”?
• How and why did technological developments play an important part in twentieth century wars?
• Analyze the causes and the results of one of the following: Chinese Civil War (1945-1949); Mexican Revolution (1910-1940); Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).
• “In order to achieve and retain power a leader of a single-party state needed to be ruthless, blind to human suffering, and yet charismatic.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion?
• Account for the rise to power of one of the following: Castro; Mussolini; Nasser.
• Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of Mao and Stalin.
• In what ways, and for what reasons, did the aims and policies of two or more right wing rulers of single party states differ?
• Examine the role of education and/or the arts in two single party states, each chosen from a different region.
• How, and to what extent, did the conferences at Yalta and Potsdam (1945) contribute to the origin of the Cold War?
• “Although it began in Europe the spread of the Cold War to other regions was a much more dangerous development.” To what extent do you agree with this judgment?
• How and why did the policies of either the USA or the USSR affect superpower rivalry between 1950 and 1970?
• In what ways were gender and social issues affected by the Cold War?
• Assess the importance of détente and internal opposition to Communist rule in Communist countries, in ending the Cold War.
• In what ways did the causes of the Second World War differ from the causes of the First World War?
• Evaluate the importance of naval warfare in twentieth century wars. Specific examples must be given from at least two wars.
• Why were there so many Arab-Israeli wars between 1948 and 1978?
• Analyse the results of two wars, each chosen from a different region.
• Assess the social and economic effects of one war on two of the countries involved, in the ten years following the end of the war.
• Analyse the methods used by one single party state ruler in his successful bid for power.
• Evaluate the importance of ideology in the policies of two of the following rulers of single party states: Castro; Hitler; Lenin; Nyerere.
• In what ways, and to what extent, did either Nasser or Peron improve social and economic conditions?
• Examine the global impact of one ruler of a single party state.
• To what extent did events in the final year of the Second World War turn wartime allies into Cold War enemies?
• Compare and contrast the policies of the USA and the USSR towards Korea between 1945 and 1955.
• Assess the impact of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan on the development of the Cold War between 1945 and 1961.
• In what ways, and to what extent, did the Cold War become less confrontational after 1970?
• Assess the importance of social and economic issues in causing opposition to communist regimes.

  Topic 3 The rise and rule of single-party states  

May 2008: Paper II TZ1

May 2008: Paper II TZ2  

Topic 1 Causes, practices and effects of war  

1. Compare and contrast the causes of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. 2. Examine the role of warfare either at sea or in the air in two wars each chosen from a different region. 3. Why, and with what results, was the First World War not confined to Europe? 4. Analyse the results of one twentieth century treaty or peace settlement. 5. For what reasons, and in what ways, did one twentieth century war affect the social and economic conditions of two countries fighting in it?   Topic 3 The rise and rule of single-party states   11. Analyse the rise to power of either Hitler or Lenin. 12. Compare and contrast the regime of one right wing and one left wing single-party state. 13. With reference to at least two rulers, assess the importance of social and economic policies for rulers of single-party states. 14. In what ways, and with what results, did either Castro or Mussolini use foreign policy to support his regime? 15. To what extent was the ruler of one single-party state successful in achieving his aims?  Topic 4 Peace and cooperation: international organizations and multiparty states 16. How successful were international organisations in achieving peace in the second half of the twentieth century? 17 . Compare and contrast the social and economic policies of the League of Nations and the United Nations. 18. “Democratic government can only be achieved in a multiparty state.” To what extent do you agree with this assertion? 19. Discuss the domestic and foreign policies of the government of either the USA (1933 to 1945), or Spain (1975 to 1990). 20. Assess the successes and failures of the foreign policies of two multiparty states each chosen from a different region. May 2009: Paper II  

May 2009 TZ2/XX Topic 1 Causes, practices and effects of war   1. Analyse (a) the long-term causes and (b) the short-term causes, of the Second World War. 2. Define limited war and explain to what extent one twentieth century war was a limited war.     3. Compare and contrast the social and economic issues caused by two wars, each chosen from a different region.   4. To what extent did foreign involvement affect the outcome of either the Spanish Civil War, or the Vietnam War?     5. For what reasons, and with what results, did the nature of war at sea change between 1939 and 1990? Topic 3 The rise and rule of single-party states

Topic 1 Causes, practices and effects of wars  

Topic 3 Origins and development of authoritarian and single-party states    

May 2010    Topic 1 Causes, practices and effects of wars

May 2011 PAPER 2 Topic 1 Causes, practices and effects of wars  

Topic 3 Origins and development of authoritarian and single-party states  

13. Compare and contrast the methods used in the rise to power of two right-wing leaders of single-party states. 14. Analyse the domestic policies by which either Mao or Nyerere attempted to solve the problems that they faced when they rose to power. 15. “Strong economic policies are the key reason for a single-party state leader maintaining power.” With reference to either Hitler or Castro, to what extent do you agree with this statement? 16. “Totalitarianism has had a significant impact on the lives of ordinary people.” With reference to one right-wing regime, evaluate the validity of this statement. 17. To what extent did the policies of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region, affect the arts? 18. Evaluate the effects of the policies of two rulers of single-party states, each chosen from a different region, on the role and status of women.

• With reference to one war before 1945 and one war after 1945, assess the significance of either air power or naval power in deciding its outcome.
• “The contribution of outside intervention to victory in twentieth century civil wars was greatly exaggerated.” With reference to two civil wars, each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Analyse (a) the causes and (b) the short-term results of either the Algerian War (1954–1962) or the Gulf War (1991) .
• Compare and contrast the social and economic results of two wars fought in the second half of the twentieth century.
• To what extent did the peace settlements after the First World War (a) deal with the issues which caused the war and (b) produce new problems, hindering future peace?
• Assess the importance of religious and economic factors in the origins of either the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) or the Indo-Pakistan wars (1947–1949, 1965, 1971).
• “Weaknesses in the constitution and the failure of political parties to support democracy caused the failure of the multiparty state in Weimar Germany (1919–1933).” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
• In what ways, and with what success, did one democratic (multiparty) state deal with issues of either gender inequality or the inequitable distribution of wealth?
• To what extent were the problems faced by Nigeria between 1961 and 1966 successfully resolved?
• Analyse the methods used to attain civil rights in two democratic (multiparty) states, each chosen from a different region.
• Evaluate the domestic, social and economic policies of two of the following leaders of the United States between 1953 and 1969: Eisenhower; Kennedy; Johnson.
• Compare and contrast either social welfare systems or education systems in two democratic (multiparty) states.
• In what ways, and with what success, did either Sukarno or Nasser deal with domestic challenges after gaining power?
• In what ways, and with what success, did one authoritarian or single-party ruler deal with internal opposition?
• To what extent was the maintenance of power by either Mao or Castro a result of successful economic policies?
• “The rise to power of authoritarian or single-party leaders depended upon the use of force rather than popular support.” With reference to two leaders, each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Compare and contrast the status and treatment of women or minorities in two authoritarian or single-party states, each from a different region.
• Assess the role of each of the following in the rise to power of Stalin and Hitler: ideological appeal; underestimation by opponents; propaganda chosen from a different region.
• “The Potsdam Conference marked the end of the wartime alliance and laid the foundations for post-war hostility.” With reference to the period up to 1949, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• With reference to two countries, each chosen from a different region (excluding the US or the USSR), assess the social and economic impact of the Cold War.
• In what ways, and with what success, did the US and the USSR attempt to reduce Cold War tensions between 1956 and 1979?
• For what reasons, and with what results, did the Cold War affect the Middle East between 1956 and 1979?
• Compare and contrast the impact of two of the following leaders on the Cold War: Mao; Castro; Kennedy.
• To what extent did (a) ideological and (b) economic factors contribute to the ending of the Cold War?
•   “The success of guerrilla movements depends on the leader’s ability to maintain discipline and the support of their followers.” With reference to two guerrilla wars, assess the validity of this statement.
• Analyse the social and economic effects of one war that occurred in the first half of the twentieth century. 
• Assess the reasons for either the Indo-Pakistan War (1947–1949) or the Gulf War (1991).
• For what reasons, and with what results, did foreign intervention occur in either the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) or the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970)?
• “Technology is a key factor in winning wars.” With reference to two wars that took place in the second half of the twentieth century, explain to what extent you agree with this statement.
• Assess the importance of each of the following as causes of either the First World War or the Second World War: treaties; economic factors; ideology.
• With reference to one democratic state (excluding Weimar Germany), analyse (a) the challenges it faced and (b) how successfully these challenges were overcome.
• “Full democracy undermined the state.” To what extent do you agree with this statement with reference to Germany (1919–1933)?
• Analyse to what extent pressure (lobby/interest) groups may both strengthen and weaken a democratic state.
• Assess how effectively the governments of either Canada (1968–1984) or Argentina (1983–1995) dealt with political and economic challenges.
• With reference to two democratic states, analyse the causes of political extremism and how successful the states were in dealing with it.
• Analyse how democracy was established in either South Africa after 1991 or Japan after 1945.
• With reference to the leaders of two single-party states, each chosen from a different region, analyse to what extent internal conflict and weak governments contributed to their rise to power.
• Analyse the ways in which either Stalin or Nasser came to power.
• Assess the importance of the use of force for the establishment of totalitarian control.
• A ssess the importance of the cult of personality in the maintenance of power of one of the following: Mao; Castro; Perón.
• Compare and contrast the treatment of religious groups in two single-party states, each chosen from a different region.
• Assess the success of either Hitler or Nyerere in implementing their social and economic policies.
• Analyse the reasons for the growth of independence movements in one European colonial empire.
• “Pakistan owes its independence to the work of Jinnah.” To what extent do you agree withthis statement?
• Assess the factors which enabled one Eastern European state to gain independence from Soviet control.
• Analyse the importance of either Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) or Nkrumah (Ghana) to the success of the independence movements in their respective countries.
• Why did post-colonial governments in Asia and Africa experience instability after gaining their independence?
• For what reasons, and with what results, did Yugoslavia dissolve?
• “Conflicting views about the treatment of Germany were a major cause of the Cold War.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
• By what methods, and with what results, did the USSR impose control on Eastern Europe between 1945 and 1956?
• Analyse the reasons for, and the impact of, changes in US–Chinese relations in the 1970s.
• Assess the impact of the Cold War on the economies of two countries, each chosen from a different region.
• Analyse the impact of either Gorbachev or Reagan on the course of the Cold War in the 1980s.
• Assess the impact of the Cold War on two non-aligned states, each chosen from a different region.
• With reference to either the Central Powers in the First World War (1914–1918) or the Axis Powers in the Second World War (1939–1945), to what extent was their defeat the result of poor tactics and strategies?
• Assess the importance of economic causes in the origins of either the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) or the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988).
• “Victory was the result of superior technological development.” With reference to either the Falklands War (1982) or the Gulf War (1991), to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Examine the factors that hindered the successful establishment of collective security in either the period 1920–1930 or the period 1945–1955.
• Evaluate the contribution of external involvement to the outcome of two civil wars, each chosen from a different region.
• “The poor military strategy of governments is the principal reason for the success of guerrilla movements.” With reference to two guerrilla wars of the 20th century, how valid is this statement?
• Examine the obstacles to the success of democracy in Weimar Germany (1919–1933).
• For what reasons, and by what methods, did political and economic change occur in Japan between 1945 and 1952?
• With reference to one democratic state in the first half of the 20th century, examine how it coped with threats from either internal or external sources.
• Examine the methods used, and level of success achieved, in the struggle to gain gender equality in one 20th century democratic state.
• To what extent was Canada successful in dealing with the political and economic challenges it faced in the period 1968–1984?
• “Coalition government proved unworkable and unable to promote stability.” With reference to two 20th century democratic states, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• “Widespread support for the ideology of authoritarian or single-party leaders was the most important factor in their rise to power.” With reference to two leaders, each chosen from a different region, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Assess the importance of the use of force and economic policies in the maintenance of power of one authoritarian or single-party ruler.
• “The domestic policies of Stalin were beneficial to the Soviet Union up to 1939.” How valid is this statement?
• With reference to one of the following leaders: Castro; Perón; Nyerere, assess the extent to which his economic policies were successful.
• Analyse the successes and failures of either Mao or Nasser as leader of a single-party state.
• Examine the status of women or the role of education in two single-party or authoritarian states, each chosen from a different region.
• With reference to one African or Asian nationalist movement, assess the reasons for its success in achieving independence from colonial rule.
• “Challenges to Soviet control of Central and Eastern European and Balkan states (1945–1968) were both rare and unsuccessful.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Compare and contrast the methods used in the struggle for independence and the reasons why independence was finally granted to Algeria and the Belgian Congo.
• In what ways, and with what success, did Mugabe deal with the challenges faced by the newly independent state of Zimbabwe?
• How successful were the methods used to deal with the political challenges faced by one Central and Eastern European or Balkan state after it achieved independence?
• Assess the importance of the leadership of either Ho Chi Minh in the organisation of resistance to colonial control or Havel in the organisation of resistance to Soviet control.
• Evaluate the reasons for the change in East–West relations from the Yalta conference to the end of the Potsdam conference.
• To what extent did the US policy of containment prove effective in limiting Soviet expansion between 1947 and 1962?
• Examine the social and cultural impact of the Cold War on two states (excluding the US and the USSR), each chosen from a different region.
• Assess the significance of events in either Germany (1945–1961) or the Congo (1960–1964) to the development of the Cold War.
• Evaluate the causes of the change in US-Chinese relations after 1969.
• “The break-up of the Soviet Union was the unintended result of policies introduced by Gorbachev.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
• With reference to one Allied power and one Central Power, examine the reasons for their involvement in the First World War in 1914.
• Examine the reasons for, and significance of, foreign intervention in two 20th century civil wars,each chosen from a different region.
• Compare and contrast the impact of naval and air power in two 20th century wars before 1945 or two 20th century wars after 1945.
• Examine the successes and failures of collective security in the 10 years after either the First World War or the Second World War.
• Evaluate the importance of religion and economic factors as causes of either the Indo–Pakistan wars (1947–1949; 1965; 1971) or the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970).
• Examine the reasons for, and the consequences of, the war between Iran and Iraq (1980–1988).
• Examine the reasons for the establishment of democracy in Germany in 1919, and evaluate how effectively it dealt with the economic and political challenges it faced up to 1929.
• “The problems that arose from economic crises were the greatest challenge to democratic government in the first half of the 20th century.” With reference to two states, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• Evaluate the reasons for, and methods used in, the post-war reconstruction of Japan between 1945 and 1952.
• Examine the extent to which South Africa was successful in addressing the political, social and economic challenges it faced between 1991 and 2000.
• Examine the methods used, and the level of success achieved, by two 20th century democratic states in their efforts to address gender inequality.
• Examine the methods used, and the level of success achieved, by one civil rights movement in a 20th century democratic state.
• Examine the importance of each of the following in the rise to power of either Stalin or Hitler: popular support for their aims; underestimation by opponents; economic conditions .
• Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of two of the following: Mao; Nasser; Castro.
• With reference to two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region, evaluate the effectiveness of the methods used to deal with opposition.
• With reference to two authoritarian or single-party states, each chosen from a different region, evaluate the impact of domestic policies on the status of women.
• To what extent was Nyerere successful in achieving his domestic policy aims in Tanzania?
• “The use of force was the most important factor in the maintenance of power of the authoritarian or single-party leader.” With reference to two authoritarian or single-party leaders, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
• To what extent did decisions about post-war Germany contribute to the breakdown of East–West relations between 1945 and 1949?
• Evaluate the reasons for the adoption by the Soviet Union of peaceful coexistence and examine the impact of this policy on Cold War relations between 1956 and 1964.
• Evaluate the successes and failures of the policy of containment up to 1973 in either the Middle East or Asia.
• To what extent did the arms race influence the development of the Cold War after 1970?
• Compare and contrast the economic impact of the Cold War on two countries (excluding the USSR and the US), each chosen from a different region.
• To what extent were Reagan’s policies responsible for ending the Cold War?

(Time Zone 2)

November 2015 Topic 1 Causes, practices and effects of wars  

May 2016 (Time Zone 1)

Topic 5 The Cold War  

Specimen Paper 2017 Topic 1: Society and economy (750–1400) –

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• 2. Assessment for Paper 2

Unlike Paper 3, there are no indicative comment markschemes due to the fact that students can choose their own case studies.

The grid below sets out the markbands in a student friendly way.

Markbands for paper 2

The markbands for marking Paper 2 essays are set out here in a way that makes them easier to read. It is a good idea to give students this grid so that they can see how to get the the top markbands. They could, for example, hand in each essay with one of these grids and tick which boxes under which criteria they believe they have reached .

The system is to use 'best fit' so not all the criteria in each markband has to be met. Once the markband has been decided on, start in the middle and then move up or down according to how well the student has performed within that markband.

Please note that for the 2020 exams the knowledge category has been adjusted so that the 7 - 9 band is for 'partly accurate and relevant' knowledge.

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IB History Paper 2 essay templates and notes

These notes contain International Baccalaureate (IB) History Paper 2 notes. Notes are 72 pages long and has everything you need to ace paper 2. 

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These notes contain International Baccalaureate (IB) History Paper 2 notes. Notes are 72 pages long and has everything you need to ace paper 2. This is a package of various topics that follows the syllabus. Contents are:

• Essay templates for Hitler
• Essay templates for Mao
• Essay templates for Mussolini
• Essay templates for Mao and Hitler comparing the two leaders
• Notes for Hitler and Germany
• Notes for Mao and China
• Notes for The Chinese Civil War (1927–37 and 1946–49)
• Notes for The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
• Notes for World War 1
• Notes for World War 2

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