The 8 Mark "Explain the Importance" Question: Norman England (Q2) (AQA GCSE History): Revision Note
Exam code: 8145
Summary of Question Two
Question Two requires you to explain the importance of an event, group, individual or development from the Norman period
You will need to explain the question using
Second-order concepts
Relevant knowledge and understanding
Amount of marks | 8 |
|---|---|
The time that you should spend on the question | No more than 10 minutes |
An example of the type of question you may encounter can be seen below:
In previous years, this question has focused on the following topics:
Year of Exam | Question Topic |
|---|---|
2018 | The Norman reform of the English legal system (opens in a new tab) |
2019 | The relationship between the Norman Kings and the Church (opens in a new tab) |
2020 | The feudal system under the Normans (opens in a new tab) |
2021 | Learning and education in Norman England (opens in a new tab) |
2022 | Castle building in Norman England (opens in a new tab) |
Sample 1 | The reforms of the monasteries for Norman England (opens in a new tab) |
Sample 2 | Landholding and Lordship in Norman England (opens in a new tab) |
How to Answer an “Explain the Importance” Question
In history, the word "importance" refers to a historical event or person which stands out from other events, individuals and groups
When considering the importance of a historical event or person you should consider:
Causes and consequences
Change and continuity
Cause & Consequences
Causes and consequences are like falling dominos
The causes are what push the dominos over
For the example question, a cause of the Norman reforms to the Church was the corruption in the English Church
The consequences are the other dominos that fall
For the example question. a consequence of the Norman reforms to the Church was an increase in the king's power
Cause and consequence can be directly linked and can be used to help explain the relationship between events, issues or developments
Change & Continuity
Change and continuity can also be viewed as falling dominos
An important event, development or person is a domino which changes the direction of all of the dominos that come after it
Explaining Importance
The question will provide an event or group in which it will want you to explain the importance of
You will need to write about two ways in which it was important
For the example question, the Norman reforms to the Church were important because they introduced bishop courts and increased the king's power
Show the importance of the event or group through a second-order concept
“Explain the Importance” Question Structure
Your answer should consist of:
Specific and relevant knowledge
Cause and consequence or change and continuity
An explanation of how the event or issue mentioned in the question impacted the wider development of the topic
Your answers could be written in PEE paragraphs:
P- Make a point about the question
This point could focus on the importance of the issue or group mentioned in the question
E- Include knowledge to support the point you have made
Focused on the event or group in the question
Show knowledge to demonstrate a cause or change
E- Explain the question
Focus on the key event or group of the question
Include an explanation showing your understanding of the consequence or continuity of the event or group mentioned in the question
To achieve full marks, you need to repeat this structure twice
It is tempting in this question to write your answer like a story, do not do this
The question asks you to explain the causes and consequences or change and continuity of the event or group mentioned in the question
Worked Example of the “Explain the Importance” Question
Worked Example
Explain what was important about the Norman reforms of the Church
[8 marks]
Answer:
The Norman reforms of the Church were important because they changed law and order in England. Lanfranc became Archbishop of Canterbury under William. He enacted a series of reforms. These included, in 1076, establishing exclusive bishop courts to hear and try legal cases involving the clergy. This was important because it gave more legal power to the Church. Clergymen did not face the harsh punishment of the hundreds of courts, making the clergy above the established law system. They also had the responsibility of delivering all trials by ordeal in England. Therefore, the Norman reforms of the Church gave the Church significant legal powers and exemptions.
The Norman reforms of the Church were also important because they increased the king’s power. The king selected all bishops with each having to pay homage to him. He also had to approve all major Church decisions and control what the Church communicated to the pope. This was important because the clergy were heavily under the king’s control. They had to listen to the king over the pope in many circumstances. It also shows how Norman kings recognised the power the Church had. By having tight control of the Church, the king could use the Norman archdeacons and bishops to spread political messages to the people. Therefore, bringing the Church into the king’s control shows how much power the Church had over people in Norman England.
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