HSC Modern History Question Thread

[dancing phalanges]

Hiii,
I have my modern trial exam tomorrow afternoon and I feel completely unprepared for the essays!! I have written a few essays and done as many study plans as possible but I'm worries because I dont think I can write a full essay on the points. I'm also struggling to remeber specific detail and stats which I barely know any ahhhh. I know its a bit late to ask this the day before the exam but anyone have any tips for the situation I'm in right now, anything would be helpful Also, how many pages should I be aiming to write for the 25 mark essay???
Thankyou

I'd suggest going over every syllabus dot point and doing a look, cover, write, check like susie recommended for each paragraph u would bring up, dont make it too long or complex though - only memorise as much as you can! so something like
look at dot point and if you have it an essay plan scaffold already done and memorise
pt 1 - opening statement on question
then memorise 1 statistic
1 historian if applicable
just generally write what you would discuss
and then finish with how youd link back to the question
thats around what im doing

i would say try fill the booklet (8 pages if you can) but if thats unrealistic either write big ahha (will probably anyway bc my handwriting will go to shit after 3 hours) or at the very least do 6 pages

[dancing phalanges]

Just a quick question Susie,
With the paper, I want to do WW1 first for the reasons you have given, although, do you think it is worth right when you can start writing maybe going to the extended responses you are doing and Speer questions and writing down stats you can remember in case you forget it the longer the exam goes on?
Thanks

[sudodds]

Just a quick question Susie,
With the paper, I want to do WW1 first for the reasons you have given, although, do you think it is worth right when you can start writing maybe going to the extended responses you are doing and Speer questions and writing down stats you can remember in case you forget it the longer the exam goes on?
Thanks

Definitely! I think that is a very good idea, especially if they are more specific stats that are hard to keep in ya brain

[dancing phalanges]

Definitely! I think that is a very good idea, especially if they are more specific stats that are hard to keep in ya brain

Hey Susie and Jake! I know this is supposed to be the easiest part of the personality study but I am struggling big time on working out what to include in terms of Speer's significance to national and international history ://
I'm just trying to gain an idea of the main points, all I can think of so far is:
1. Prolonged the war with his speeches/transformed munitions industry
2. Controversial figure (Good Nazi, Nuremberg Trials etc.)
3. Exploitation of slave labour/anti-semitism with jewish flats
I'm not even sure if these are all valid!!
Also Susie, would you recommend I learn a couple of quotes and instead focus on the opinions of historians rather than specific quotes - is this still just as valid? I just know my teacher loves historiography

[Jess.martinuzzo]

Hey Jake PLEASEE help me
 
Ive got my modern trial tomorrow and I really have no idea how to do conflict in europe.
We've been doing Russia topics all year and my school decided to throw in a side of germany and I just feel so underprepared for it.
The main issue I have is structuring an essay for it.
We've learnt up to El Alamein.

Say as a hypothetical I got a question asking How the Russian Campaign affected the course of the war....
Would you integrate German Advances, the Air War and El Alamein with it and say that the Russian campaign result stemmed from:
- German Advances and Blitzkrieg tactics - giving Germany ignorance and underestimating other nations
- The Air War - Inability to defeat Britain - Hitler now had to fight on two fronts

Then these factors conbined lead to the Failure of the Russian Campaign where Nazi Superiority and Invincibility was overcome and as a result the course of the war was in favour of the Allies

And would I mention El Alamein?
Im quite unsure how I would integrate that?

So my structure:
Intro
P1 - German Advances
P2 - Air War
P3 - Russian Campaign
P4 - El Alamein?
Conclusion

Is that how you'd answer the question and a typical Conflct in Europe Question?
As well as the first dotpoint - is it a combination of all factors?? Because I dont know any dot point indepth enough to write an entire essay on it.

Thanks, Jess

[dancing phalanges]

Haha sorry guys have another question R.E Speer on this question:
It is the way an individual faces challenges that shapes them and their achievements.
Is this another way of asking the question R.E shaper of events or events shaped them... so could I argue for the other side of my argument, since the question asked to what extent this is accurate, the idea of speer's achievements also coming from opportunities (eg. todt and troost's death etc.)
Thanks

[bellaaaaam18]

hi there!
i'm just going through some past hsc questions for section ii - the national studies and i'm a bit stumped with these questions:

from the 2014 HSC
‘Germany between 1918 and 1939 was the triumph of nationalism over democracy.’ To what extent is this statement accurate?

From the 2015 HSC
How effective was the Nazi party up to 1939 in dealing with the political, economic and social issues arising from the Weimar Republic?
and
To what extent was Nazi racial policy the key factor in the consolidation of Nazi power in Germany up to 1939?

hopefully someone can help me out and give me some key points that i culd base an essay off of!

thanks,
bella

[jakesilove]

Haha sorry guys have another question R.E Speer on this question:
It is the way an individual faces challenges that shapes them and their achievements.
Is this another way of asking the question R.E shaper of events or events shaped them... so could I argue for the other side of my argument, since the question asked to what extent this is accurate, the idea of speer's achievements also coming from opportunities (eg. todt and troost's death etc.)
Thanks

100% can, just make sure to actually engage in the question! If you're planning to mould another essay to a particular question, just spend a minute or two thinking about whether that is a good idea, and whether it will be super obvious to a marker that you've just changed your thesis a bit to fit the question. If the answer to the first question is yes, and the answer to the second is no, then go ahead!

hi there!
i'm just going through some past hsc questions for section ii - the national studies and i'm a bit stumped with these questions:

from the 2014 HSC
‘Germany between 1918 and 1939 was the triumph of nationalism over democracy.’ To what extent is this statement accurate?

From the 2015 HSC
How effective was the Nazi party up to 1939 in dealing with the political, economic and social issues arising from the Weimar Republic?
and
To what extent was Nazi racial policy the key factor in the consolidation of Nazi power in Germany up to 1939?

hopefully someone can help me out and give me some key points that i culd base an essay off of!

thanks,
bella

I'm not going to be able to go through each of those questions and give essay plans right now. Instead, can I suggest posting up your first draft of some essay plans, including 1) A thesis 2) The main points you plan to cover 3) How your main points prove your thesis. From there, I can critique/improve on your plan so you can write a kick-ass essay!

[dancing phalanges]

hi there!
i'm just going through some past hsc questions for section ii - the national studies and i'm a bit stumped with these questions:

from the 2014 HSC
‘Germany between 1918 and 1939 was the triumph of nationalism over democracy.’ To what extent is this statement accurate?

From the 2015 HSC
How effective was the Nazi party up to 1939 in dealing with the political, economic and social issues arising from the Weimar Republic?
and
To what extent was Nazi racial policy the key factor in the consolidation of Nazi power in Germany up to 1939?

hopefully someone can help me out and give me some key points that i culd base an essay off of!

thanks,
bella

that 2014 one is a tricky one! This is how I would break it down:
First I would personally look at 1918-1933 and the Collapse of the Weimar Republic and to what extent this was an example of nationalism over democracy in which i would state it is moderately true (discuss the impact of the nazi party and things like TOV in increasing nationalistic feeling and hence anti-weimar sentiments but also discuss how it wasn't just a championing of nationalism over democracy rather democracy also fell due to the constitution, depression etc.) at least my view there then for the 2nd half 1933-39 discuss how hitler was able to maintain a sense of nationalism in german society to get rid of lingering democratic values - i would break this up thematically, socially - working class reforms, hitler youth, culturally - censorship, burning of books, economically - cant remember off the top of my head haha and politically - this is where i would say democracy was not triumphed by nationalism as it was more hitler's ability to get rid of democracy through political acts eg. the banning of all political parties, reichstag decree etc.) all a bit confusing but just my take dont know if its right haha

1st 2015 question - basically look at the political, economic and social reforms hitler brought in to get rid of lingering democratic values eg. P - reichstag decree etc., E - again cant exactly remember haha guess you could maybe bring in working class but better researching that and S - cultural, book burnings etc. basically how did hitler transform german society to reflect nazi values on the past democratic values

2nd 2015 question - i need to look at that tonight! one i have neglected! however, in terms of other factors which helped consolidate power, they all overlap from previous questions which i love so again political - reichstag decree (get rid of freedoms) etc., social - banning un-german books, hitler youth, the church, women etc., i would also look at role of gestapo and fear - stuff like that but focus a good long 1-2 paras on racial policy!

hope that helps!

[maria1999]

hey modern fam,

any one got any predications for the personality study? Or even conflict in the pacific? Legal was pretty spot on today!

[sudodds]

hey modern fam,

any one got any predications for the personality study? Or even conflict in the pacific? Legal was pretty spot on today!

Ahaha - take all predictions with a grain of salt obviously, and please don't adjust your study pattern based on a prediction that is literally based on nothing but gut feeling, but I'm feeling changing attitudes (either western or home front) will be a question for WW1 - either the long response or the 10 marker. For personality study, i'm predicting an "interpretations" question, similar to the one we had in our HSC. Russia, i'm thinking Bolshevik question and power struggles question, Cold War, either detente or renewal and end will show up

But again - I have no real basis for these predictions, these are just guesses (and not even educated ones at that aha)

[dancing phalanges]

Ahaha - take all predictions with a grain of salt obviously, and please don't adjust your study pattern based on a prediction that is literally based on nothing but gut feeling, but I'm feeling changing attitudes (either western or home front) will be a question for WW1 - either the long response or the 10 marker. For personality study, i'm predicting an "interpretations" question, similar to the one we had in our HSC. Russia, i'm thinking Bolshevik question and power struggles question, Cold War, either detente or renewal and end will show up

But again - I have no real basis for these predictions, these are just guesses (and not even educated ones at that aha)

Hey Susie,
With the significance question for the personality was does this exactly entail in terms of Speer because I'm really confused :// I posted up the top some ideas I had but don't know if they are right or not. It's the one bit of personality I haven't prepped for ://
My predictions are:
WW1 10 marker will be on the reasons for Allied victory and german collapse
germany questions
how nazism transformed german social and cultural life 1933-39
reason why hitler rose to power
war in pacific
success of allied strategies 1937-1941
home front australia and japanese
personality

i agree interpretations and probably on how it allows us to come to a better understanding of our personality or something!
just my thoughts haha

[fantasticbeasts3]

Hey Susie,
With the significance question for the personality was does this exactly entail in terms of Speer because I'm really confused :// I posted up the top some ideas I had but don't know if they are right or not. It's the one bit of personality I haven't prepped for ://
My predictions are:
WW1 10 marker will be on the reasons for Allied victory and german collapse
germany questions
how nazism transformed german social and cultural life 1933-39
reason why hitler rose to power
war in pacific
success of allied strategies 1937-1941
home front australia and japanese
personality

i agree interpretations and probably on how it allows us to come to a better understanding of our personality or something!
just my thoughts haha

oh man i hope your predictions are correct for ww1, germany and the personality. as for susie's 'prediction,' if cold war ends up being detente i'll probably cry because that's my biggest weakness - we haven't done the end or renewal so the question might be changed to something earlier yay.

does anyone have tips for cramming in between exams? i have maths in the morning so my brain is going to be absolutely fried from that and i can't seem to retain any information for modern :-/

[dancing phalanges]

oh man i hope your predictions are correct for ww1, germany and the personality. as for susie's 'prediction,' if cold war ends up being detente i'll probably cry because that's my biggest weakness - we haven't done the end or renewal so the question might be changed to something earlier yay.

does anyone have tips for cramming in between exams? i have maths in the morning so my brain is going to be absolutely fried from that and i can't seem to retain any information for modern :-/

ahh luckily i dont do maths but i am still utterly overwhelmed by the amount of content, i am trying to rush through germany because im reasonably confident with that and then go onto war in the pacific! i guess a good way to test yourself before modern would be to find a friend get up the syllabus and just talk to each other/bounce ideas off each other off each dot point then fill in late minute gaps if it doesnt cause too much stress!!
and susie or jake - would you say i am okay for germany and war in the pacific, if i am not at all confident in one topic just completely skipping it in my revision since i will always have another option? or should i still skim it, just trying to make the most of my time! thanks

[sudodds]

Hey Jake PLEASEE help me
 
Ive got my modern trial tomorrow and I really have no idea how to do conflict in europe.
We've been doing Russia topics all year and my school decided to throw in a side of germany and I just feel so underprepared for it.
The main issue I have is structuring an essay for it.
We've learnt up to El Alamein.

Say as a hypothetical I got a question asking How the Russian Campaign affected the course of the war....
Would you integrate German Advances, the Air War and El Alamein with it and say that the Russian campaign result stemmed from:
- German Advances and Blitzkrieg tactics - giving Germany ignorance and underestimating other nations
- The Air War - Inability to defeat Britain - Hitler now had to fight on two fronts

Then these factors conbined lead to the Failure of the Russian Campaign where Nazi Superiority and Invincibility was overcome and as a result the course of the war was in favour of the Allies

And would I mention El Alamein?
Im quite unsure how I would integrate that?

So my structure:
Intro
P1 - German Advances
P2 - Air War
P3 - Russian Campaign
P4 - El Alamein?
Conclusion

Is that how you'd answer the question and a typical Conflct in Europe Question?
As well as the first dotpoint - is it a combination of all factors?? Because I dont know any dot point indepth enough to write an entire essay on it.

Thanks, Jess

Just gonna bump this, as I'm worried its going to get lost in the current modern panic aha

Hey Susie,
With the significance question for the personality was does this exactly entail in terms of Speer because I'm really confused :// I posted up the top some ideas I had but don't know if they are right or not. It's the one bit of personality I haven't prepped for ://

I can't comment on Speers significance specifically - but just remember that the fact that he is on the modern history syllabus means that he must have been pretty freaking significant aha, or else why would we bother studying him? Having a look at what you wrote, I'd definitely say they sound like the right kinda things to include, however imma defer to jake here if he has any contradicting advice as he actually studied Speer. In terms of your historiography question, I think it is always worthwhile getting some quotes, however I definitely think paraphrasing can be equally effective (particularly as it demonstrates that you actually understand the argument)!