Exam Connection: Whole Unit Overview

🎯 Exam Connection: Whole Unit Overview

This topic is a revision and reference resource — it supports all other topics in Unit 2. Use it to check your knowledge of dates, statistics, and how topics connect.

The most frequently tested topics across all AQA sittings:

• Economic Boom (5/5 sittings — VERY HIGH): WCRAM causes, Model T price, credit statistics
• Wall Street Crash and Depression (5/5 — VERY HIGH): causes and consequences, Hoover's failures
• New Deal (4/5 — HIGH): Three Rs, alphabet agencies (CCC, WPA, TVA), Social Security Act, what it failed to do
• Civil Rights movement (4/5 — HIGH): Montgomery, Birmingham, March on Washington, Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act
• Interpretations questions (every sitting): Historians' views on the New Deal, Civil Rights movement, American prosperity

Interpretation questions (Paper 1, Section A) — what to expect: AQA provides two short extracts from historians and asks: (1) How do they differ? (2) Why might they differ? (3) Which is more convincing? Typical topics: Was the New Deal a success? Was FDR a genuine reformer or just saving capitalism? Was King the most important civil rights leader? Was violence necessary or counterproductive? Always use your OWN KNOWLEDGE to evaluate — the interpretations are in the question paper, but marks come from how you use your knowledge to support or challenge them.

The "how far do you agree" essay structure that gets Level 4:

1. Para 1: Argue FOR the statement — with at least 2 pieces of specific evidence
2. Para 2: Argue AGAINST (or present alternative factors) — with at least 2 pieces of specific evidence
3. Para 3 (if time): A second developed point on one side
4. Conclusion: A clear, reasoned judgement — "On balance... because... This is more important than... because..."