HSC Modern History Question Thread

[dancing phalanges]

Hey Susie I can't find much info specifically on the collapse of the hindenburg line other than it broke on september 29, is there battles or something i should be mentioning because I'm just a tad confused on what to write!

[dancing phalanges]

hey guys,

i might've asked this question before... but anyway: what are some tips to do well in the personality section? i've never gotten above 20/25 for it and my teacher didn't give specific tips to make it better. i've been told to include more detail, but is there anything else i can do?

thanks!!

also: under the geopolitical movements dot point in detente, how relevant is all the stuff in the middle east? in class, we were given background on it (suez crisis, stuff like that) but how much of the background is relevant? do i just start talking about the middle east from the six-day war in 1967? does that make sense ahahahah i can rephrase if needed

i'm not too sure, but the only thing i can think of is just to make sure the 15 marker is argument based and that you are writing it as if a mini essay, evaluating every piece of detail you use and how it supports or conflicts with the set question - all i can think of sorry!

[diesxel]

hey guys,

i might've asked this question before... but anyway: what are some tips to do well in the personality section? i've never gotten above 20/25 for it and my teacher didn't give specific tips to make it better. i've been told to include more detail, but is there anything else i can do?

thanks!!

also: under the geopolitical movements dot point in detente, how relevant is all the stuff in the middle east? in class, we were given background on it (suez crisis, stuff like that) but how much of the background is relevant? do i just start talking about the middle east from the six-day war in 1967? does that make sense ahahahah i can rephrase if needed

I'm not sure how helpful this will be, but I did well in the personality section in trials (24/25) so I thought I'd just share what I did. My personality is Trotsky, so for the 10 marker question is pretty much just having succinct notes under each of the first three dotpoints (historical context, background, rise to prominence) which you should be able to translate into paragraphs. And have some details that make you stand out from other student (so do some research)

And for the last dotpoint (significance and evaluation) this is usually the one that gets asked for the 15 marker. This is a more interpretation and analysis based question, and its basically like writing a mini essay. For this, they usually give a quote so I went through the past papers and broke down the questions to figure out how I would answer them and planned out varying responses. You'll usually have to talk about your personality's significance or contribution to their time, or how the events of the time shaped them (or vice versa) or talk about the different historical perspectives of that personality (so for me, that was naive idealist, ruthless authoritarian etc.. this is all  present on the syllabus haha).

so yeah! That's what I did. I don't know if this will help but I hope it does haha. I only know all this from stuff I've picked up from my teacher and reading around atarnotes (and reading Susie's responses, she's a legend)

[Korrasami]

My teacher said that in terms of the battle essay questions (doing Conflict in Europe), knowing the significance is more important than the actual details. Is this true?

[diesxel]

My teacher said that in terms of the battle essay questions (doing Conflict in Europe), knowing the significance is more important than the actual details. Is this true?

This is important for being able to answer the question. You'll find that usually the battle questions ask you to assess the significance or contribution of a certain battle (e.g 2016 HSC was North Africa) in the course of the war. It's important to know the details, yes, but you should know the importance in each battle in contributing to the overall conflict. So you should be able to state "this battle was highly significant...or partially significant... etc.". Usually for these questions I say it's partially significant as other battles also played an important role in the course of the war.

Details of battles will help you to support your overall argument of the significance of the battle. Not sure if this helps but just my 2 cents.

[dancing phalanges]

Hey Susie just a quick question on the personality study
If it asks about the contribution of your personality to national and/or international history - is it necessary to specify in each paragraph which you are referring to?
Also, if the 10 marker asks about:
Describe the significant events in the life of the personality you have studied.
OR
Outline the background and rise to prominence of the personality you have
studied.
OR
Describe the life of your personality.
Would you confine the significant events/rise to prominence to just three events? And if it is describe the life do you do a general background overview and again pick three events?
Thanks so much

[~BK~]

hey susie...

any tips for the perspective, usefulness, reliability q?!?
what way did you attack it?
i got really bad in it for trials but i really don't know where i fell down too much 
thanks.

[sudodds]

Hey!! Just wanted to say love how everyone is all banding together and helping each other out - this is genuinely feeling like a little study group!

I know that there are a few unanswered questions/things that people are concerned with. I'll be free after 8pm, so I'll go through and make sure that everything gets answered, but just letting you know that I'll be available all tonight for questions (as tomorrow I have a lot of last minute tutoring sessions booked, so I won't be able to be as frequently active)

Good luck everyone!!! Only two more sleeps to go!

Susie

[marcusgrahamm]

Hey guys,

I was wondering what your essay plan would be for this question:

"Discuss Hitler's accession to power"

[dancing phalanges]

Hey guys,

I was wondering what your essay plan would be for this question:

"Explain Hitler's accession to power"

That's an odd question as it seems to want you to discuss just the political miscalculations from 1930-1933 which saw him gain power (you know Bruning, Schliecher, Papen etc. underestimating him). I would definitely steer clear of that if it came up in the HSC as it seems like that is all you can discuss as it does not say Explain the reasons for Hitler's accession to power. All I can think of atm!

[marcusgrahamm]

I completely agree - I feel as if discuss or account may fit the scheme of things better as the directive term.

But after reviewing the past HSC question this dot point hasn't really been tested. Specifically in the avenue of questioning Hitler's accession to power itself. And I'm really struggling to create a strong, formulated structure for an essay

[dancing phalanges]

I completely agree - I feel as if discuss or account may fit the scheme of things better as the directive term.

But after reviewing the past HSC question this dot point hasn't really been tested. Specifically in the avenue of questioning Hitler's accession to power itself. And I'm really struggling to create a strong, formulated structure for an essay

I would just ensure you know the names of those who brought him to power (schliecher, papen, bruning etc.) and quotes such as kershaw's "political miscalculations" and bullock's "jobbed in by backstairs intrigue" and just some dates on how it all happened. if it is a specific question then hopefully the other option is better! it is always a good point to know for hitler's rise to power/reasons for the nazis coming to power etc.

[AnnaC]

Hey guys,

I was wondering what your essay plan would be for this question:

"Discuss Hitler's accession to power"

Accounting for Hitler's accession to power wouldn't be that bad! In a way, you'd be using similar examples in accounting for the defeat of the Weimar Republic (whilst making sure that you clearly outline Hitler's inextricable link to the Nazi party's appeal)

A way that I would approach it:
1. Disdain for the Weimar republic and democracy in general (stab-in-the-back myth + November criminals) gave Hitler's party popular support amongst the middle class (Kolb said it was a party which integrated all social strata, esp. in response to events like the Great Depression where they ran soup kitchens, collected food for poor etc.)
2. Nazi ideology seemed attractive in response to the inconsistencies of the ill-supported Weimar gov't (25-point-plan of the NSDAP created roles for all Aryan people in alignment with Volksgemeinschaft + Overy said "Hitler cannot be understood divorced from the society and political culture which made Nazism possible")
3. Conservative elites surrounding Hindenburg had support for a more authoritarian, right-wing gov't (Kershaw: "...devised through the intrigues of influential individuals close to Hindenburg.")

[herb123]

i personally strongly believe there will be 1 question R.E reasons allied victory japanese collapse which would be perfect seeing you can cover heaps of info. my other inkling is on the impact of japanese occupation on occupied territories

haha any predictions for Germany?

[diesxel]

Question!

How would you approach a "shaped by events or events shaped them.." type question to answer for Trotsky? What would be the best events or information to mention to make it a top answer? Thanks so much