Examiner’s Specific Advice

As with the previous question, take note of the instruction to use both the sources and your own knowledge. If you omit either one of these elements in your answer you will not be able to get a high mark. Your references to the sources should be clearly indicated in your text, e.g. ‘Source A states that …’, and you should refer to all three sources in your answer.

The question is about the importance of the role of the Supreme Court. There are aspects of this in Sources A and B, and in Source C there are hints of other factors that were encouraging change for African-Americans. You will also need to use your own knowledge to add more explanation of the factors mentioned in the sources and also to include extra factors. You should therefore be able to produce an answer that has both range and balance, two key elements in the requirements for higher levels. To reach the highest level you must offer a judgement and in your conclusion explain, on the basis of the evidence you have produced, how important the Supreme Court was in relation to other factors.

Exemplar Question

Read the sources and then answer the questions that follow.

Use Sources A, B and C and your own knowledge.

1 (02) How important was the Supreme Court in the development of African-American Civil Rights from 1954 until the Freedom Rides of the early 1960s?
[24 marks]

Plan

• Introduction – indicating range of factors that encouraged change in the status of African-Americans
• The role of the Supreme Court – in making laws on the desegregation of education and transport
• Other factors encouraging change – effects of Second World War, changing economic circumstances, world opinion towards USA and its treatment of African-Americans, etc.
• Conclusion on how important the Supreme Court was; for example, was it reflecting the changes in attitude that were taking place anyway?

View Exemplar Answer 1

View Exemplar Answer 2