Example National 5 History questions - Short essay

1. Short essay questions
Era of the Great War
1. To what extent was the machine gun the most effective weapon on the
Western Front during the Great War?
2. To what extent did food shortages have the biggest impact on Scottish
civilians during the Great War?
3. To what extent did the Suffragettes’ campaign hurt the chances of women
gaining the vote?
4. How important was patriotism as a reason that influenced Scots to
volunteer to fight during the Great War?
5. To what extent was the problem of rats the biggest problems facing soldiers
in the trenches during the Great War?
6. To what extent did propaganda have the most important role in
encouraging Scottish civilians to support the war effort?
The Atlantic Slave Trade
1. To what extent did tribal conflict encouraged by the slave trade cause the
most harm to African societies?
2. How important were military benefits as a reason Britain did not abolish the
slave trade before 1807?
3. To what extent was the influence religion the main reason that Britain
abolished the use of slavery?

2. 4. How important was slave resistance in leading to the abolition of the
Atlantic slave trade?
5. To what extent was overcrowding the main problem faced by slaves during
the Middle Passage?
6. To what extent was political opposition the main reason that Britain took so
long to abolish the use of slavery?
7. To what extent were Europeans most to blame for the slave trade
occurring?
8. How important was the impact of the work of campaigners such as Thomas
Clarkson in ending the slave trade?
9. To what extent was the threat of being separated from families the main
punishment which limited slave resistance on the plantations?
10. How successful was plantation slave resistance in stopping slavery?
Hitler and Nazi Germany
1. To what extent were the social policies of the Nazi Government crucial to
their maintenance of power between 1933 and 1939?
2. To what extent was the unpopularity of the Weimar government due to
economic problems in Germany?
3. How important were Nazi economic policies to the Nazis maintaining power
between 1933 and 1939?
4. How successful were the Nazis in their policies towards women in Germany,
1933-1939?
5. To what extent were Jews the minority group that most suffered from Nazi
policies, 1933-1939?

3. 6. To what extent did the Churches provide the main source of opposition to
Nazi rule in Germany, 1933-39?
7. How successful were Nazi attempts to control young people in Germany?
8. To what extent was discontent with the Weimar Republic the main reason
for the Nazi rise to power by January 1933?
9. How important was the use of concentration camps crucial to the Nazis’
maintenance of power?
10. To what extent was Hitler's success in 1933 due to violence and
intimidation?
11. How important was anger about reparations as a reason for German
opposition to the Treaty of Versailles?