Paper 1 Question Types » Paper 1 Question (c): The 16-Mark How Far Do You Agree Essay

The question

A statement in quotation marks, then "How far do you agree? Explain your answer." Then two bullet points ("You may use the following in your answer") and "You must also use information of your own."

A justified judgement

"I partly agree" is not enough. Name the yardstick, apply it, and show why one factor wins. Example: "Using the test of which factor actually forced the change, X mattered most, because without it Y could not have worked."

Timing

The papers say about 45 minutes per option. Our guide is roughly 9 minutes for (a), 12 for (b) and 24 for (c): 2 minutes planning, 20 writing and 2 checking. This is our guide, not an official rule.

Fact file: Montgomery, USA, 1955-56

• In Montgomery, Alabama, segregation laws kept black and white passengers apart on buses.
• On 1 December 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger.
• A boycott began on 5 December. Black residents walked, shared cars and organised carpools instead of using the buses.
• The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) ran the boycott, with Martin Luther King Jr as president.
• The boycott lasted 381 days and the bus company lost a great deal of income, but the city would not change the rules.
• Four black women challenged bus segregation in the courts. On 13 November 1956 the Supreme Court upheld the ruling that it was unconstitutional.
• Buses were desegregated in Montgomery on 21 December 1956.

Question

'The main reason the Montgomery Bus Boycott succeeded was the Supreme Court ruling.' How far do you agree? Explain your answer. You may use the following in your answer: the Supreme Court ruling; the bus company's loss of income. You must also use information of your own. [16 marks]

Strong answer

I largely agree. The ruling was the legal reason segregation ended, but it could not have come without the boycott and the people who organised it.

The ruling was decisive. On 13 November 1956 the Supreme Court upheld the decision that bus segregation was unconstitutional, so the city had no choice. Buses were desegregated on 21 December 1956, soon after. Until then Montgomery had refused to change, so only a court could force it.

However, the bus company's loss of income kept the pressure on. Many black residents chose to walk instead of riding, and over 381 days the company lost a great deal of money. This showed the city that the protest would not fade away, yet it did not change the rules, so on its own it was not enough.

A third aspect is organisation. The MIA, led by Martin Luther King Jr, arranged carpools, which let ordinary people keep the boycott going for over a year. Four women also brought a court case during the boycott, and the boycott kept public attention on it.

Using the yardstick of which factor actually forced the end of segregation, the Supreme Court ruling was the main reason, because only it ended the law. But the boycott and the MIA kept the issue in the news and supported the case. I therefore agree to a large extent, but not completely.

Weaker answer

I agree. The Supreme Court said segregation on buses was not allowed and so the boycott worked. Rosa Parks was also important. That is why it succeeded.

Common mistakes

• Only agreeing. Always test the other side, even if you agree overall.
• Sticking to the bullets. You cannot reach the top level without your own point.
• Telling the story. Each paragraph must answer the question, not narrate events.
• A judgement with no reasons. "Overall I agree" earns little. Name the yardstick.
• Doing both (c)(i) and (c)(ii). Only one is marked well.

Fact file: the Great Fire of London, 1666

• The fire began on 2 September 1666 in a bakery in Pudding Lane and burned for four days.
• Most houses were made of wood and often covered in pitch, and the streets were narrow.
• The summer had been dry and a strong east wind drove the flames.
• Houses could be pulled down to make firebreaks, but the order came late.
• Fire-fighting used buckets and hand pumps.
• About 13,200 houses and 87 parish churches were destroyed.

Question

'The main reason the Great Fire of London spread so quickly was the wooden houses.' How far do you agree? Explain your answer. You may use the following in your answer: the wooden houses; the delay in making firebreaks. You must also use information of your own. [16 marks]

Model answer

I largely agree, because the fire needed fuel, but other things decided how fast it spread.

The wooden houses were the fuel. Most were built of wood and covered in pitch, so they burned easily. The streets were narrow, so flames jumped from house to house and spread across about 13,200 houses.

The delay in making firebreaks also mattered. Pulling houses down creates a gap that flames cannot cross, but the order was given late, so the fire kept spreading. This made the fire much worse, but a firebreak could only slow a fire that the wooden houses had already made dangerous, so it was a second cause.

The weather was a third aspect. The summer had been dry, so the timber was dry, and a strong east wind drove the flames across the city. Fire-fighters with only buckets and hand pumps could not match this.

Using the yardstick of what made the spread so fast, I rate the wooden houses highest, since without them the wind and delay could not have mattered as much. Yet the wind and the late firebreaks turned a fire into a disaster, so I agree to a large extent, but not entirely.

Exam tip

Before you write, tick off three aspects on your plan: the statement's factor, the other bullet and one of your own. Then name your yardstick in the conclusion.