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Key Personality: Josef Stalin

Leaving Cert > Dictatorship and Democracy in Europe > Key Personalities

Stalin is a Key Personality for:
Russia in the Inter-War Years

Josef Stalin, c. 1930s

Josef Stalin was born in Georgia in 1879. He joined the Bolsheviks and was a follower of Lenin. He took part in the October Revolution in 1917 and was involved in the defence of Tsaritsyn (later renamed Stalingrad).

After the Revolution, Stalin began a slow rise to power. He became General Secretary of the Communist Party, and he appointed loyal supporters to key positions in the party. When Lenin died in 1924, there was a struggle for power between Stalin and Trotsky.

Stalin joined with two other Communist leaders - Kamenev and Zinoviev - to oppose Trotsky, who was expected to succeed Lenin. Trotsky wanted to pursue "Permanent Revolution", spreading Communism through Europe. Stalin favoured the policy of "Socialism in One Country", which would transform the Soviet Union into a powerful and modern state.

Once Trotsky was defeated, Stalin turned on Kamenev and Zinoviev. By 1928, he was in complete control. He turned the Soviet Union into a totalitarian state. The Communist Party controlled all industries, farms, and the press. A Cult of Stalin was developed. Propaganda posters and statues of Stalin were spread everywhere, and many cities were named after him.

In the 1930s, Stalin organised the Great Purge in order to remove anyone he considered to be an opponent to him. People to be purged were tried in show trials in Moscow. He killed Kamenev and Zinoviev this way, and he also wiped out the entire old Communist leadership and large sections of the army, secret police and the public. The Red Army was weakened as a result.

Stalin had photos manipulated to remove anyone he had purged.
This collage shows the same photo being altered
three times, after each person was eventually purged
by Stalin.

Stalin developed his policy of "Socialism in One Country" by starting the Five Year Plans to industrialise Russia. Stalin targeted heavy industry (coal, iron, gas and electricity) to be developed. Although Russia did become more industrialised, the living standards for workers declined. Stalin used prisoners for slave labour in work camps called gulags.

Stalin also began Collectivisation. Individual farms were taken over by the government and combined into collective farms. The kulaks (rich peasants) were opposed to this, so Stalin eliminated them.

By 1939, a Second World War was looming. Stalin signed the Nazi-Soviet Pact with Hitler to give him more time to prepare for war. Hitler invaded Russia in 1941 and Stalin organised Russian resistance in what he called the Great Patriotic War. He sided with the Allies and took part in wartime conferences with Churchill and Roosevelt. He took credit for playing a big role in defeating Hitler.

Stalin remained in power until his death in 1953.

In short...

Background:

joined the Bolsheviks, follower of Lenin.
took part in the Revolution and Civil War.

Rise to power:

General Secretary of the Communist Party - appointed followers to key positions.
Joined with Kamenev and Zinoviev to take down Trotsky after Lenin's death.
"Socialism in One Country".

Totalitarian Dictatorship:

Government in control of everything, Cult of Stalin developed.
Great Purge and show trials.
The effect of the purges.

Five Year Plans and Collectivisation:

Aim of the plans.
Five Year Plans focus and results, results of Collectivisation.
Gulags.

Second World War:

Nazi -Soviet Pact.
Great Patriotic War.
Joined the Allies and met with Roosevelt and Churchill.

Remained in power until his death in 1953.

Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin: the "Big Three" at Yalta, 1945.

Key Personality: Vladimir Lenin

Vladimir Lenin in 1920.

Leaving Cert > Dictatorship and Democracy in Europe > Key Personalities

Lenin is a Key Personality for:
Russia in the Inter-War Years

Vladimir Lenin was born in Russia in 1870. He joined the Marxist Social Democratic Party, which later became the Bolshevik party. After the first Russian revolution in February 1917, Lenin and the Bolsheviks planned and carried out the October Revolution, making Russia a Communist state.

The Bolsheviks had little support from the Russian people at the start, so Lenin signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany to take Russia out of the First World War.

In order to stay in power, Lenin's Bolsheviks, or Reds, had to fight the opposition forces - the Whites - in the Russian Civil War. The Red Army was organised by Trotsky. Lenin began the policy of War Communism in order to supply the army. This meant that the government controlled industry and farms, and geared everything towards the war effort. He also established a secret police, the Cheka, to eliminate opponents. The Cheka began a campaign called the Red Terror against the White forces.

The Red forces won the civil war thanks to these actions and to Lenin's use of propaganda to make people fear the return of the tsar and the intervention of Allied armies. The Bolsheviks, now the Communist Party, were in complete control. A revolt broke out in a naval base in Kronstadt, near Petrograd, where workers were angry about the effect War Communism had had on the Russian people. The revolt was crushed by Red Army soldiers but Lenin realised he had to change his policies.

Lenin introduced the New Economic Policy which would end food confiscation from peasants, allow them to sell surplus food and allow small-scale private industry. Lenin argued that this policy was necessary to ensure the survival of the Communist Party, and his argument was proven right when the economy improved by the mid 1920s. Rich farmers (kulaks) prospered.

The last known photo of Lenin.
The strokes had rendered him mute
and paralysed.

Lenin suffered a series of strokes between 1922 and 1923. He died in January 1924, at the age of 53. His body lay in state for a week and was passed by thousands of mourners. A cult developed around Lenin after his death. His body was embalmed and displayed in a special mausoleum in London, and Petrograd was renamed Leningrad. He was succeeded by Josef Stalin, although his Last Testament revealed he was opposed to Stalin gaining power.

In short...

Background:

Born in Russia in 1870.
Joined the Social Democratic Party.
Planned the October Revolution.

Holding on to power:

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk,
Actions taken in the Civil War
War Communism, Red Terror, Propaganda.

After the Civil War:

Kronstadt Rebellion makes him realise new policies are needed.
New Economic Policy enacted. (measures, results)

Death and Cult:

Suffered stroked in 1922 and 1923, died in 1924.
Lay in state for a week, body embalmed and displayed in mausoleum.
Petrograd renamed Leningrad.
Cult of Lenin developed by his successor, Stalin.

"Comrade Lenin cleans the earth from scum".
What is the message of this cartoon?

Dictatorship and Democracy: Key Concepts

Leaving Cert > Dictatorship and Democracy in Europe

Anti-Semitism
Hatred and persecution of Jewish people. Many European nationalists believed that the Jews were not part of their nation. The Nazis saw the Jews as an inferior race.

Blitzkrieg
German for "lightning war". Blitzkrieg was the name of the tactic used by Hitler to invade Poland. Planes attack the enemy's road and rail networks, tanks advance in to enemy territory to cut off reinforcements and infantry arrives to defeat the weakened enemy infantry units.

Collaboration
Co-operating with the enemy. This can either be done by "puppet" governments or by individuals and small groups. The Vichy France government led by Pétain collaborated with the Nazis.

Collectivisation
The policy of Stalin's government to force peasant farmers to give up their farms and form large collective farms. The work, machinery and profits were shared.

Communism
Communists believed that the working class should revolt against the middle class and abolish private property. The government would control agriculture and industry for the benefit of the people.

Democracy
A system of government where the people exercise power through voting in elections.

The Depression
A depression occurs when an economy is doing badly. Factories and businesses close and there is widespread unemployment. The Great Depression which began in 1929 was the most severe depression of the 20th century.

Dictatorship
Rule by one person or party who control all power, using propaganda and a secret police. Dictators often kill or imprison those who oppose them.

Fascism
Fascism was the belief in nationalism, dictatorship, racism and the use of violence against opponents. It was opposed to democracy and communism.

Herrenvolk
The Nazi idea of the Germans as a master race, superior to all other races.

Holocaust
The word used to describe the slaughter of Jews by Nazis in extermination camps during the Second World War.

Inflation
An increase in the price of products, usually a large increase.

Lebensraum
The Nazi policy of conquering land in Eastern Europe to make Germany self-sufficient.

Personality Cult
The worship of a leader. Propaganda is used to create an image of a wise and all-knowing leader who the people can trust.

Propaganda
Spreading information to convince people of your point of view in order to gain or maintain power.

Protectionism
Using tariffs (taxes) to protect home industry and employment from foreign competition.

Reichskirche
German for "Empire's Church". Hitler's plan to unite all of the German Protestant churches into one German national church.

Resistance
A group, usually in secret, who resist enemy troops after they have invaded a country by targeting them for surprise attacks.

Totalitarianism
Totalitarian governments seek to control all aspects of life through the use of propaganda, terror and a secret police.

Russia in the Inter-War Years

Leaving Cert > Dictatorship and Democracy in Europe > Russia in the Inter-War Years

"The love of Stalin - the happiness of the people!"
A Soviet propaganda poster featuring Josef Stalin. What message do you think it's trying to give?

In Third Year, you occasionally met the Soviet Union. Hitler made a pact with it in 1939, it was one of the Allies in World War II, and it fought the Cold War against America for decades after that. Now, in Leaving Cert, you learn about the Soviet Union's own history.

The Russian Revolution in 1917 saw the Tsar (king) overthrown and Russia transformed from an empire into a soviet republic. A civil war soon broke out between two factions of the revolutionaries: the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks. After three years of fighting, the Bolsheviks emerged victorious and the new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (formerly Russia and all of its territories) came into being, with Vladimir Lenin as its leader.

Lenin introduced new economic policies (all under a plan called the New Economic Policy) to transform Russian society. He died after a series of strokes only a few years later, and was succeeded, after a violent power struggle, by Josef Stalin. Stalin set about creating a totalitarian dictatorship: he created a cult of personality around himself, he removed his political opponents in purges and show trials, and he tried to industrialise the Soviet economy through his Five Year Plans and Collectivisation. These measures were largely successful, but by the late 1930s bigger problems were looming on the horizon...

Continue to Italy in the Inter-War Years

Lenin's hold on power:

The Cheka, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

The Russian Civil War, 1918-21:

Whites and Reds, War Communism, Red Terror, Why Lenin and Trotsky won.

The New Economic Policy (NEP):

Kronstadt Rebellion, the main points of the NEP, the results of the NEP.

Stalin's rise to power:

Death of Lenin, Stalin's beliefs, Power struggle (Trotsky, Kamenev, Zinoviev), Creating a totalitarian dictatorship, Purges and Show Trials.

The Soviet Alternative: Transforming Society and Economy:

Five Year Plans and Collectivisation: aims, measures and results.

Key Terms:
Communism, Dictatorship, Totalitarianism, Cult of Personality, Propaganda, Collectivisation.
(click here)

Key Personalities:
Vladimir Lenin
Josef Stalin.

Case Study:
Stalin's Show Trials

A young Stalin (left) and Lenin (right). Lenin didn't trust Stalin by the end of his life, but
Stalin kept this secret and used photos like this to promote himself amongst the public.

Higher Level (100 marks each)
2015: How did Mussolini and/or Stalin use propaganda and terror to remain in power?

2014: What challenges faced the Soviet Union in peace and war, 1924-1945?

2013: How did Stalin transform the Soviet economy and/or use show trials to consolidate his power?

2012: What were the main characteristics of Stalin's rule in Russia?

2011: To what extent did Lenin and/or Stalin bring about social and economic change?

2010: How effective were the internal and external policies of Josef Stalin?

2009: How did dictators use propaganda and/or terror to maintain their power?

2008: What did Lenin and Stalin contribute to communism in Russia?

2006: To what extent did Stalin transform the society and economy of the Soviet Union?

Ordinary Level:
2014, Dictatorship and Democracy, Part C:
How did Stalin's show trials affect life in the Soviet Union? (40)

2012, Dictatorship and Democracy Part C:
What changes in Stalin bring about in Soviet Russia? (40)

2011, Dictatorship and Democracy, Part B
2013, Dictatorship and Democracy, Part B
2014, Dictatorship and Democracy, Part B:
Write a short paragraph on Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. (30)

2011, Dictatorship and Democracy, Part C:
Why did Stalin set up show trials and to what extent did they achieve his desired result? (40)

A Soviet propaganda poster for Collectivisation.
The bottom captain reads
"Poor and middle class, increasing crops, establishing a technological culture,
and strengthening the economy!"
How do you think this poster was used?

Stalin
Stalin

Welcome!

The best and brightest of the Renaissance are here to welcome you. The others will be along shortly.

Welcome to the History Blog! This site is designed to help you with your study of Junior Cert and Leaving Cert History. To the left, you'll see links for each year. Click on your year and you will find a list of all the topics you will study. Each topic page has information, tips and links to pictures, games and other useful websites.

How does this site work?

A note for parents and teachers.

As well as the topics you study in school, the In the News and On This Day sections below give you information on other things that happened in history, from the Stone Age as far as yesterday.

The fresco as it used to be, as it was before the botched restoration, and after.

You might have heard of the old lady in Spain who took it upon herself to restore a decaying 19th century fresco in her local church. She's back in the news now that the fresco has become a tourist attraction.

The trailer for Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" has been released. The film is set to cover Abraham Lincoln's time as President of the United States, his efforts to abolish slavery, and the civil war that followed.

Have you studied Emily Dickinson in English? The Emily Dickinson museum in her home town of Amherst, Massachusetts has revealed what is thought to be only the second known photograph of her. (full story here)

September 21st

1170:

Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
died on this day in 1558.

The Normans invade Dublin.

1776:
British troops capture and burn some of New York City during the American War of Independence.

1792:
France is declared a republic. The monarchy is abolished.

1937:
J.R.R. Tolkein publishes The Hobbit.

1964:
Malta becomes independent from the UK.

1981:
Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first female Justice of the Supreme Court in the United States.

coming soon

Junior Cert (Ordinary Level)

Main Page: The Exams

Are you confused about how the Junior Cert History paper is laid out? This page will explain the layout and provide advice on how you should approach the different parts of the paper.

One piece of advice you should consider right away is to look at the amount of marks given to each section. You should spend more time on the sections with the higher marks.

Q. 1 Pictures (35 marks)

Q. 2 Documents (35 marks)

Q. 3 Short Questions (60 marks)

Q. 4 People in History (50 marks)

Junior Cert (Ordinary Level): Q.1 - Pictures

Main Page: Junior Cert (Ordinary Level)

The first things you'll notice about your Junior Cert paper when you get it are the pictures on your source paper. The source paper contains the pictures for the Picture Questions, and the documents for the Document Questions.

Picture Questions feature topics from each of the three years. The topics which appeared on Picture Questions in the last few years are as follows:

2017: This year's pictures weren't tied to specific parts of the course.

2016: Ancient Ireland, Early Christian Ireland, The Age of Exploration

2015: The Middle Ages, Social Change, 20th Century Ireland.

2014: Early Christian Ireland, the Irish 1798 Rebellion, the Irish Civil War.

2013: The Middle Ages, The Great Famine, World War II.

2012: Archaeology, the Stone Age, the Middle Ages.

You might be tempted to look for patterns there, but really there's no way to predict what could come up next. Topics that have appeared constantly (such as Archaeology and the Middle Ages) continue to do so, and topics that haven't appeared before (such as the Famine or the Renaissance) can appear as well.

Every picture has three questions attached to it. The first two will be about features or information contained on the picture. The third question usually asks you something else about the topic in question.

Answering a Picture Question

Study the pictures carefully:
Don't just glance at them. Have a look at what they are, and look at the details, you might be asked a question about one of them.

Read the questions carefully:
If you're asked to give two pieces of information, don't just give one. If you're asked to give one piece of information, don't waste your time giving more.

Timekeeping:
The Picture Questions are worth 35 marks altogether. They can be an easy source for marks, but you must not spend too much time on them. Other parts of the paper carry much more marks with them. You should spend only about 15 minutes on the Picture Question.

Sample Picture Question

2012 OL Q.1

Picture A1 shows an archaeologist at work and Picture A2 shows an aerial view of an archaeological site.

1. Why would an archaeologist use the tools marked X as seen in Picture A1? (3)

2. How would an archaeologist know that the area marked Y in Picture A2 was worth
investigating? (3)

3. Name one way in which archaeologists date the things they find.

Picture B shows a Stone Age village.

1. How do we know that the people in the picture were farmers? (3)

2. What materials did they use for making the house in the picture? (3)

3. The first people in Ireland were called hunter-gatherers. What kind of food did they eat? (4)

Picture C shows an old map of Galway city.

1. How do we know that the people of the city feared attack? (4)

2. Give one reason why the city was built on this site. (4)

3. In what way does the map tell us that trade was important to the city? (4)

4. Choose one of the following terms from the Middle Ages and explain it: (4)
Jousting; Curfew; Black Death.

Junior Cert (Ordinary Level): Q.2 - Documents

Main Page: Junior Cert (Ordinary Level)

The last half of your source paper, after the pictures, is taken up with Documents. You will have two documents which could relate to any part of the course that you have studied. They might be old newspaper reports, diary entries, letters, or pieces from books.

Unlike in Higher Level, Document questions in Ordinary Level aren't as much about topics as they are about different types of sources. You will be asked questions about the source, not just about the information it contains.

Answering a Document Question

Study the documents carefully:
Don't just glance at them. Read them very carefully before looking at the questions. Underline key points. Quote from the document if you want, (as long its relevant) but keep your answers short. A 2-mark question requires just one piece of information.

Timekeeping:
The Document Questions are worth 35 marks altogether. They can be an easy source for marks, but you must not spend too much time on them. Other parts of the paper carry much more marks with them. You should spend only about 20 minutes on the Document Question.

Sample Document Questions

2012 ORDINARY LEVEL, Q.2

DOCUMENT 1:
These are lines from a song about an event in Irish history. James Carey had given evidence that led to men being hanged by the British. The British then tried to move him out of the country but he was killed on board ship by Pat O'Donnell.

My name is Pat O'Donnell and I come from Donegal,
I am, you know, a dangerous foe to traitors one and all;
For the shooting of James Carey I've been tried in London town,
And now, upon the gallows high, my life I must lay down.

I sailed aboard the Montrose, in August eighty-three,
And on my voyage to Capetown he was made known to me.
When I heard he was James Carey, we had angry words and blows,
And the villain he strove to take my life on board of the Montrose.

Source: "The First Book of Irish Ballads", Daniel O'Keeffe, Mercier, Cork, 1955.

Questions:
1.   Pat O'Donnell was from what county? (2)

2.   O'Donnell and Carey were on board what ship? (2)

3.   Where was the ship bound when the killing took place? (2)

4.   How did O'Donnell kill Carey? (2)

5.   Was O'Donnell found guilty or not guilty of the killing? (2)

6.   Why do you think that songs like this were written? (4)

7.   Why would the words of songs like these be of interest to historians? (4)

DOCUMENT 2:
Tommy Hamilton recalls his career as a footballer and the reason he left Manchester United in 1955 to come back to Ireland.

Every year, all the Irish footballers in England got papers to go and register for conscription into the army, but all you'd do was hand the papers in to the club secretary and you'd get word back that it had been deferred for another year.

Anyway, I went back for my third year at United and we all got the forms as usual and handed them to the secretary as normal. Everyone else was deferred for a year, but I got word that I was to go and register for the British Army. I went to the manager, Matt Busby, and he said "We'll look after that". That was July 1955. It got to October and he came back to me and said, "Look, I've contacted Everton and Arsenal where there are other Irish lads and there's nothing we can do, you'll have to go into the army."

I said, "Well, I'm not going into the army". He said, "I don't know what we're going to do so." In the end, he came back and said the directors had agreed that, "If you go back home to Ireland, whatever club you sign for there, if they agree that if you're ever transferred back to England, United will get 50 per cent of the transfer fee, then you can leave." They were the conditions on which I could leave. I was delighted just to go.

Source: "Gods versus Mortals", Paul Keane, ISP, Kells, 2010.

Questions:
1. What did the Irish footballers do each year to avoid conscription into the British army? (2)

2.   What did the Manchester United manager say to Tommy Hamilton when he was called up for
   army service in July 1955? (2)

3.   Who was the Manchester United manager in July 1955? (2)

4.   What, if anything, did the Manchester United manager do to help Hamilton avoid army service
       in 1955? (3)

5. What was agreed between Manchester United and Hamilton to allow him to return to
      Ireland? (4)

6.   Explain the term primary source. Give one example. (4)

Junior Cert (Ordinary Level): Q.3 - Short Questions

Main Page: Junior Cert (Ordinary Level)

The Short Questions are worth 60 marks overall. There are 20 questions to choose from, but you only need to answer 10, at six marks each.

The questions cover every topic you've learned about since First Year, and the best way to prepare for them is to practise answering Short Questions on past papers.

Sample short questions are featured on each topic's page.

Answering Short Questions

Read the questions carefully:
Don't just glance at them. Read them very carefully before answering them. Find the ten questions you can answer best. Keep your answers clear and short. Don't try to write paragraphs. Read over your answers when you're done.

Timekeeping:
The Short Questions are worth 60 marks altogether. They can be an easy source for marks, but give yourself plenty of time to tackle the longer questions later. Spend about 20-25 minutes on short questions.

Sample Short Questions

2012 ORDINARY LEVEL, Q.3

Answer TEN of the following questions. Each is worth 6 marks.

1.   Which date is earlier: 96 BC or 90 AD?

2. Name one service which early Christian monasteries provided in Ireland.

3. Name an Irish saint and the site associated with that saint.

4.   Name a work of art produced by Early Christian Irish monks.

5.   Explain one way that soldiers might have tried to capture a castle during the Middle Ages.

6.   State one fact about the training which a knight received during the Middle Ages.

7.   Name one Renaissance artist and a work of art associated with that artist.

8.   Choose one of the following terms from the Renaissance and explain it:
              Patron;       Perspective;       Fresco.

9.   Give one reason why sea travel was so dangerous during the Age of Exploration.

10. Give one reason why Europeans undertook voyages of exploration.

11. Name one plantation which you have studied and the ruler who was responsible for it.

12. Name one group of people who received land in Ireland during the plantations.

13. Other than the people dying of hunger, name one major impact of the Great Famine in Ireland.

14. Choose one of the following terms from the Great Famine and explain it:
              Eviction;       Charity;       Blight.

15. Give one reason why there was an Industrial Revolution in Britain in the nineteenth century.

16. Name one important invention or development of the Agricultural or Industrial Revolution
      and the person responsible for it.

17. From your study of International Relations in the 20th Century, mention one historic event
      which followed from World War II.

18. Name one important political leader, outside of Ireland, from the period 1922-1989 and the
      country he/she was leader of.

19. Choose one of the following terms from International Relations in the 20th Century and
      explain it:
              Nazi Party;       Soviet Union;       Nationalist;       Common Market.

20. Give one reason why the information in historical documents can be sometimes incorrect.

Junior Cert (Ordinary Level): Q.4 - People in History

Main Page: Junior Cert (Ordinary Level)

People in History questions are worth 25 marks each. You must answer two on the Ordinary Level paper.

The section is split into two parts, A and B. Part A is history before 1600, Part B is history after it. You must pick one question from each of the two parts (A and B).

The following People in History figures have appeared in recent papers:

2017:
A:
An archaeologist at work.
A monk living in a monastery in early Christian Ireland.
A native of the New World when the European explorers arrived. (never before asked)

B:
A named religious reformer during the Reformation.
A person living in a British city about 1850.
An important political leader from outside Ireland during the period 1920-1985.

2016:
A:
A person living in a named ancient civilisation outside of Ireland.
A person living in a town during the Middle Ages.
A named religious reformer during the Reformation.

B:
A person who received land in Ireland during the plantations.
A person living in Ireland during the Great Famine.
An old person talking about changes that have taken place in the countryside in Ireland since about 1950.

2015:
A:
An archaeologist at work.
A person living in Celtic Ireland.
A named artist during the Renaissance.

B:
A named revolutionary leader leader (in America or France or Ireland) during the Age of Revolutions, 1770-1815.
A person living in Ireland during the Great Famine.
An important political leader from outside Ireland during the period 1920-1985.

Sample People in History questions are featured on each topic's page, or see the list below.

Answering People in History Questions

Read the questions carefully:
Don't just glance at them. Read them very carefully before answering them. Find the two questions you can answer best. If you're asked to write about a named person or place, name that person or place.

Your information must be relevant (important)
It is very important that the information you write down in a People in History answer is relevant and important to the question. For example, if you're writing about George Washington as a named leader in a revolution, you'll talk a lot about his actions during the American Revolution, but writing down that his face is on the $1 bill will get you no marks because it has nothing to do with the question.

Have at least 10 points:
You should try to have at least 10 relevant points of information in order to get full marks for your answer.

Read the Hints:
There are hints for every question. If you get stuck, or are having trouble planning your answer, use those hints. try to write a few lines on each hint.

Timekeeping:
The People in History questions are important. If you're prepared for them, you can get a lot of marks from them. Spend about 15-20 minutes on each question. You should aim for a page/page and a half of writing, depending on how big your writing is.

List of common People in History questions

FIRST YEAR

Archaeology:
An archaeologist at work.

Ancient Ireland:
A person living in an ancient civilisation in Ireland.
A monk in an early Christian monastery.

Ancient Rome:
A person living in an ancient civilisation outside of Ireland.

The Middle Ages:
The lord or lady of a medieval castle.
A serf on a medieval manor.
A knight in a medieval castle.
A monk in a medieval monastery.
A craftsman in a medieval town.

The Renaissance:
A named Renaissance artist from Italy.
A named Renaissance artist from outside Italy.
A named Renaissance scientist.
A named Renaissance writer.

SECOND YEAR

The Age of Exploration:
A named leader on a voyage of exploration.
A sailor on a voyage of discovery.

The Reformation:
A named religious reformer.

The Plantations:
A settler who received land in a named plantation.
A native Irish landowner who lost land in a named plantation.

The Age of Revolutions:
A named leader involved in a revolution (America or France or Ireland).
A supporter/person fighting in a revolution during the period 1771-1815.

From Farm to Factory:
A farm labourer during the Agricultural Revolution.
A factory/mine worker during the Industrial Revolution.
A factory/mine owner during the Industrial Revolution.
A worker in an English city in 1850.

THIRD YEAR

Political Developments in 20th Century Ireland
A unionist living in Ulster around 1912-14.
A named leader involved in the struggle for Irish independence, 1900-21.
A person involved in the struggle for Irish independence, 1900-21.
A person living in Northern or Southern Ireland during the war years, 1939-45.
A named political leader in the Republic of Ireland, 1960-85.

Social Change in 20th Century Ireland
An old person talks about changes that have taken place in Ireland in the countryside or in the cities since 1900.

International Relations in the 20th Century
A soldier who took part in World War II.
A named leader involved in one of the crises during the rise of the superpowers. (Option)
A named leader in the movement for European unity between 1945-1992. (Option)
A named leader in the struggle for African or Asian independence after 1945. (Option)

Junior Cert (Higher Level)

Main Page: The Exams

Are you confused about how the Junior Cert History paper is laid out? This page will explain the layout and provide advice on how you should approach the different parts of the paper.

One piece of advice you should consider right away is to look at the amount of marks given to each section. You should spend more time on the sections with the higher marks.

Q. 1   Pictures (15 marks)

Q. 2 Documents (15 marks)

Q. 3 Short Questions (20 marks)

Q. 4   People in History (40 marks)

Q. 5   Source Question (30 marks)

Q. 6   Long Questions (60 marks)

Junior Cert (Higher Level): Q.6 - Long Questions

Main Page: Junior Cert (Higher Level)

Question 6 is divided into four parts: A, B, C and D. The last three are the same every year, but we'll get to them in a moment. Part A can be about any topic you studied in First and Second Year.

The topics which appeared in Part A in the last few years are as follows:

2017: The Renaissance

2016: The Reformation

2015: Our Roots in Ancient Civilisation (Ancient Ireland).

2014: The Age of Exploration.

2013: Ancient Civilisation Outside of Ireland (Rome)

2012: The Middle Ages.

2011: Our Roots in Ancient Civilisation (Ancient Ireland).

2010: The Renaissance.

Part B is always Social Change in 20th Century Ireland.

Part C is always Political Developments in 20th Century Ireland.

Part D is always International Relations in the 20th Century.

You must choose two of the four parts (A, B ,C ,D) to answer. They are 30 marks each, so this whole question is worth 60 marks in total.

Answering a Source Question

Understand exactly what the question is asking you:
Your answer should only relate to the question and not include information you don't need - it doesn't matter if you write down something that's correct, if it has nothing to do with the question it still won't get any marks. For example, if you're asked to write an account of' political developments in the Republic of Ireland during the 1960s', don't start talking about Irish politics in the 1950s. If you're asked to write about one of a range of topics, choose one and write about that one only, you won't get marks for writing about all of them.

Timekeeping:
The four parts are worth 30 marks each. You must answer two of the parts to get a total of 60 marks. Make sure you spend about 20 minutes on each part. Keep an eye on the amount of marks going for the different questions (it changes every year). The more marks there are going for a question, the more relevant points you should write in your answer to that question. Remember that each relevant point is worth 2 marks. A 10-mark question would require at least 5 relevant points, but always have more just in case!

Sample Questions

Sample questions for this part of the paper can be found at the following links:

2008 HL Q.6 A - From Farm to Factory (Industrial England) (scroll down)

Social Change in 20th Century Ireland

Political Developments in 20th Century Ireland

International Relations in the 20th Century

Junior Cert (Higher Level): Q.5 - Source Question

Main Page: Junior Cert (Higher Level)

The Source Question is like a mix between the Picture Question and the Document Question. You'll find a picture and a document both relating to the same topic, and you must answer a mixture of short and long questions on the picture, the document and the topic involved.

The Source Question topic is always a topic that you learned in Second Year.

The topics which appeared on Source Question in the last few years are as follows:

2017: The Reformation.

2016: From Farm to Factory: Industrial England

2015:The Age of Exploration.

2014: The Age of Revolutions.

2013: The Plantations.

2012: The Reformation.

2011: Rural Ireland (the Great Famine).

2010: The Age of Exploration.

Compared to other sections, there's a smaller range of topics that can come up.

The Source Question is usually divided into three parts. Part A will ask about one source, Part B will ask about another source, and Part C will test your knowledge of the topic in general by asking you to write an account of something related to it.

Answering a Source Question

Study the sources carefully:
Don't just glance at them. Read them very carefully before looking at the questions. Underline key points. Quote from the document if you're asked to, but keep your answers short. A 2-mark question requires just one piece of information.

Understand exactly what the question is asking you:
Your answer should only relate to the question and not include information you don't need - it doesn't matter if you write down something that's correct, if it has nothing to do with the question it still won't get any marks. For example, if you're asked to write an account of 'achievements of the Portuguese voyages of exploration', don't start talking about Spanish voyages. If you're asked to write about the Spanish conquest of either Mexico or Peru, choose one and write about that one only, you won't get marks for writing about them both.

Timekeeping:
The Source Question is worth 30 marks. Make sure you spend about 20-25 minutes on it. Keep an eye on the amount of marks going for each part (it changes every year). The more marks there are going for a question, the more relevant points you should write in your answer to that question. Remember that each relevant point is worth 2 marks. A 10-mark question would require at least 5 relevant points, but always have more just in case!

Sample Source Question

2012 HIGHER LEVEL, Q.5

SOURCE A:
An edited extract from Martin Luther's letter to the Archbishop of Mainz, 1517.

Papal indulgences for the building of St. Peter's are being distributed under your most distinguished name. I do not bring accusation against the preachers so much as I grieve over the wholly false impressions, which the people get from them - the unhappy souls believe that if they have purchased letters of indulgence they are sure of their salvation; they believe that so soon as they cast their contributions into the money-box, souls fly out of purgatory and there is no sin too great to be absolved (forgiven).

SOURCE B:

SOURCE C:
An edited extract from Exsurge Domine, the Papal Bull of Pope Leo X issued June 15, 1520.

Alas, we have even seen with our eyes and read the many errors that are heretical, false, scandalous, and offensive to pious ears. We have therefore held a careful inquiry and we have found that these errors or theses are not Catholic, but rather are against the doctrine and tradition of the Catholic Church. As far as Martin himself is concerned, O good God, what have we overlooked or not done? What fatherly charity have we omitted that we might call him back from such errors? For wishing to deal more kindly with him, we urged him through various meetings with our representative and through our personal letters to abandon these errors. We have even offered him safe conduct and the money necessary for the journey to come without fear to talk openly and face to face. But he always refused to listen. Therefore:

We ask him earnestly that he and his supporters desist within sixty days, counting from the publication of this bull from preaching, from publishing books and pamphlets concerning some or all of their errors. Furthermore, all writings which contain some or all of his errors are to be burned. Furthermore, this Martin is to recant perpetually such errors and views. Or he should personally, with safe conduct, inform us of his recantation by coming to Rome. We would prefer this latter way in order that no doubt remain of his sincere obedience. If, however, this Martin and his supporters much to our regret, should stubbornly not comply, we shall condemn this Martin and his supporters as stubborn and public heretics.

Questions

A. Sources A and B

1. According to Source A, for what purpose were the papal indulgences being distributed? (2)

2.   What is Luther's objection to the papal indulgence? (2)

3.   What later action supposedly taken by Luther is shown in Source B? (2)

B.   Source F

1.   What was the result of the Pope's inquiry? (2)

2. Give two pieces of evidence to show that the Pope wished to deal kindly with Luther. (2)

3. Mention two activities which Luther and his supporters must end within 60 days. (4)

4. From your study of the Reformation, give two differences between the beliefs of a
      named reformer and the beliefs of the Catholic Church. (4)

C.

1. Write an account of one of the following elements of the Catholic Counter-Reformation: (12)
              (a)   The Council of Trent.
              (b)   The Court of Inquisition.
              (c)   The Jesuits.

Junior Cert (Higher Level): Q.4 - People in History

Main Page: Junior Cert (Higher Level)

People in History questions are worth 20 marks each. You must answer two on the Higher Level paper.

The section is split into two parts, A and B. Part A is history before 1600, Part B is history after it. You must pick one question from each of the two parts (A and B).

The following People in History figures have appeared in recent papers:

2017
A:
A woman living in a named ancient civilisation outside of Ireland.
A craftsman in a medieval town.
A settler who received land during a named plantation in Ireland during the 16th or 17th century.

B:
A worker in a factory or a mine during the Industrial Revolution in Britain c. 1850.
A British or American soldier who took part in D-Day, June 1944
A named political leader in the Republic of Ireland during the period 1960-1985.

2016
A:
A farmer living in ancient (pre-Christian) Ireland.
A monk in a medieval monastery.
A named Renaissance artist from outside Italy.

B:
A named leader on a voyage during the Age of Exploration.
A person living in Ireland, North or South, during World War II, 1939-1945.
A named leader involved in one of the crises during the rise of the superpowers (Berlin Blockade; Korean War; Cuban Missile Crisis)
or
A named leader in the struggle for African or Asian independence after 1945
or
A named leader in the movement for European unity between 1945 and 1992.

2015
A:
An archaeologist at work.
A servant who worked in a medieval castle.
A named Renaissance writer or scientist.

B:
A settler who received land during a named plantation during the 16th or 17th century.
A named leader in a revolution (America, France or Ireland) during the period 1771 - 1815.
A named leader in the struggle for Irish independence, 1900 - 1912.

Sample People in History questions are featured on each topic's page, or see the list below.

Answering People in History Questions

Read the questions carefully:
Don't just glance at them. Read them very carefully before answering them. Find the two questions you can answer best. If you're asked to write about a named person or place, name that person or place.

Your information must be relevant (important)
It is very important that the information you write down in a People in History answer is relevant and important to the question. For example, if you're writing about George Washington as a named leader in a revolution, you'll talk a lot about his actions during the American Revolution, but writing down that his face is on the $1 bill will get you no marks because it has nothing to do with the question.

Have at least 10 points:
You should try to have at least 10 relevant points of information in order to get full marks for your answer.

Timekeeping:
The People in History questions are important. If you're prepared for them, you can get a lot of marks from them. Spend about 15-20 minutes on each question. You should aim for a page/page and a half of writing, depending on how big your writing is.

List of common People in History questions

FIRST YEAR

SECOND YEAR

THIRD YEAR