Global History & Geography II: c. 1750 to the Early 21st Century — Sample exam worked answers
Student exam paperA course-authored written history assessment. Use two 60-minute blocks for the midterm, three for the final, and one for the optional sample. Marking and revision have a separate parent-plan session.
8 questions · 24 points · suggested 60 minutes
Student instructions
- Use supplied evidence and your timeline; notes and a glossary are permitted.
- Give short reasoned answers; distinguish observations from interpretations.
- Keep worked keys closed until after attempting the paper.
- Equivalent supported explanations and accessible response formats are accepted.
Historical inquiry methods
| Task | Method |
|---|---|
| Context | Identify period, place, institutions, and earlier conditions. |
| Source | Identify maker, date, purpose, form, and limits. |
| Causation | Explain a mechanism; chronology alone is not causation. |
| Comparison | Use stated criteria and comparable evidence. |
Coverage and marks
| Chapter | Questions | Points |
|---|---|---|
| The World Around 1750 & Atlantic Revolutions | 1 | 3 |
| Nations, Industry & Economic Life | 2 | 3 |
| Reform, Imperialism & Asian Transformations | 3 | 3 |
| World Wars, Revolution & Dictatorship | 4 | 3 |
| Genocide, Postwar Institutions & Cold War | 5 | 3 |
| Independence, Regional Conflicts & Cold War’s End | 6 | 3 |
| Global Networks, Rights & Political Transitions | 7 | 3 |
| Global Challenges & Historical Inquiry | 8 | 3 |
Parent / teacher marking guide
- A person awards each of the three criteria separately.
- Accept different supported interpretations; exact model wording is unnecessary.
- Use feedback and revision to diagnose gaps. A score does not certify homeschool credit.
Question 1 · 3 points
Was Haitian independence achieved by Louverture alone?
Worked answer
No. Enslaved and free participants, multiple leaders, local organization, warfare, and international conditions shaped the revolution. Louverture died before the 1804 declaration, so the later outcome requires its own actors and chronology.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Question 2 · 3 points
An image shows children near machinery. Does it establish their age, pay, and daily hours?
Worked answer
No. It records selected visible details. Verify the date, place, creator, caption, and employment records before inferring age, status, pay, or working time.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Question 3 · 3 points
A foreign account describes Japan before 1868 as having no modern knowledge. What should be investigated?
Worked answer
Check existing literacy, commerce, technology, education, and selective foreign exchange. The account’s date, purpose, and definitions matter; a dramatic transition does not establish an absence of earlier institutions or knowledge.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Question 4 · 3 points
Does May 1945 mark the end of World War II in every theater?
Worked answer
No. Germany’s surrender ended major fighting against Germany, while the war against Japan continued. Japan’s August announcement and September formal surrender have distinct dates and functions.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Question 5 · 3 points
If two territories become independent in the same decade, must their movements and outcomes be the same?
Worked answer
No. Compare local institutions, resources, demands, routes to independence, and later decision structures. Shared timing is a context, not proof of identical causes or consequences.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Question 6 · 3 points
A reform is followed by a state’s breakup. Does that prove the leader intended breakup from the beginning?
Worked answer
No. Compare stated aims, choices, constraints, and intervening events. An outcome can be unintended; chronology alone does not establish an actor’s original purpose.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Question 7 · 3 points
Three websites repeat the same unattributed statistic. Does that constitute three independent sources?
Worked answer
No. Trace their origin; repetition may come from one claim. Verify definition, date, method, and original evidence before treating multiple copies as corroboration.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Question 8 · 3 points
A student concludes that enforcement mattered more than wording in two supplied cases. Must the conclusion match the model’s priority to earn credit?
Worked answer
No. Credit accurate context, relevant evidence, an explained comparison, and acknowledged limits. The conclusion can differ if supported; ask for correction only where reasoning, evidence, or scope is inaccurate.
Identify the relevant context and evidence.
Explain the connection using the supplied information.
Qualify the conclusion with the relevant limitation or distinction.
Marking criteria
- Accurate context or identification.
- Evidence connected to an explained conclusion.
- A correct limitation, distinction, or qualification.
Revisit the covered chapters
- The World Around 1750 & Atlantic Revolutions
- Nations, Industry & Economic Life
- Reform, Imperialism & Asian Transformations
- World Wars, Revolution & Dictatorship
- Genocide, Postwar Institutions & Cold War
- Independence, Regional Conflicts & Cold War’s End
- Global Networks, Rights & Political Transitions
- Global Challenges & Historical Inquiry