Examiner’s Specific Advice

This question is testing your knowledge and your ability to communicate it effectively. Do both!

The key words are ‘Explain why …’ and ‘non-violent protests’ in the context of the USA in the late 1950s. It is not enough to describe the events. It is essential that you provide reasons why the protests were so successful. With very limited time available, you need not write a full essay. Several well-focused paragraphs will be sufficient. An introduction is a luxury you cannot afford, but a short conclusion is essential.

Exemplar Question

2 (03) Explain why non-violent protests in Montgomery at the time of the bus boycott in 1956 were so successful. [12 marks]

Plan

• The role of the NAACP
• The role of Martin Luther King
• The influence of media coverage
• The background of slowly changing attitudes, as seen in decisions of the Supreme Court

View Exemplar Answer 1

View Exemplar Answer 2