The 16 Mark "Explain the Importance of " Question (Edexcel GCSE History): Revision Note
Exam code: 1HI0
Summary of Question 3
Question 3 requires you to explain why a particular event was important for a key theme, such as relations with the Indigenous peoples
You’ll be given three options
You must answer two
Each option is worth 8 marks
This question will require you to use second-order concepts in your answer
Amount of marks | 16 (2 x 8 marks) |
|---|---|
The time that you should spend on the question | No more than 25 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 from the Spain & the 'New World' exam:
Year of exam | Question topic |
|---|---|
2018 (opens in a new tab) | Option one: Queen Isabella’s sponsorship of Columbus for Spanish exploration Option two: Montezuma’s actions for the Spanish conquest of Mexico Option three: The siege of Cuzco for the Spanish conquest of Peru |
2019 (opens in a new tab) | Option one: The founding of Panama for Spanish exploration Option two: Cortés's actions as Governor and Captain-General for Spanish control of Mexico Option three: The discovery of silver in Bolivia for the expansion of the Spanish Empire |
2020 (opens in a new tab) | Option one: The House of Trade for Spanish control over the New World Option two: The Tlaxcalans and Aztec conflict for the Spanish conquest of Mexico Option three: The war between Atahuallpa and Huascar for the Spanish conquest of the Incas |
2021 | No paper available |
2022 (opens in a new tab) | Option one: Columbus’s expeditions to the Caribbean for Spain’s foreign ambitions Option two: Magellan’s voyage for the Spanish Empire Option three: The encomienda system for Spanish control over the Indigenous population |
2023 (opens in a new tab) | Option one: Spanish settlement in the Caribbean for the Tainos and the Caribs Option two: Development of an imperial policy in the Caribbean for Spanish exploration, 1496–1512 Option three: The New Laws (1542) for the native population in the Spanish Empire |
2024 | Option one: Catholic missionaries for extending Spanish authority in the "New World" Option two: Balboa’s claim to the Pacific (1513) for Spanish exploration Option three: Gold and silver from the "New World" for the Spanish economy |
How to explain importance
Importance is a key second-order concept in history
Second-order concepts allow you to:
Understand history
Have a complex explanation
Historical importance is often subjective
Each historian brings their own opinion on what events or people are important
Importance is decided using hindsight. An event is considered important if it:
Created new ideas
Directly changed events at the time
Affected large groups of people
Impacted key themes of the time period, such as:
Relations with Indigenous peoples
Spanish power
Had important long-term impacts that can be seen today
To understand importance, visualise a set of falling dominoes
An important event, development or person changes the direction of all of the dominoes that come after it
Imagine the set of dominoes again
If an important development, event or person is taken out of the sequence, other dominoes are stopped from falling
If it is a less important event, it does not stop the dominoes from falling
How to answer an "Explain the importance of" question
You must only select two of the three options
If you answer one of the questions, you will only be able to achieve a maximum of 8 marks
Choose the two options where you can:
Recall accurate, specific knowledge
Explain why that event mattered for the theme
Give two developed points per answer
Examples of themes for the question are:
Relations between different groups in the New World
A few examples of this theme include the Atahuallpa and Huascar; the Tlaxcalans and Aztecs; and Spanish conquistadors and Indigenous people
Spanish power and control
Did the event increase or decrease Spain's power and control over the Americas?
Expansion of the Spanish Empire
Did the event expand or decrease Spain's empire?
The Spanish economy
Did the event improve or worsen Spain's economy?
Religion
A few examples of this theme include the role of missionaries, Queen Isabella’s motivations, and Las Casas and the New Laws
If you do not explain the importance of the event to the key theme in the question, you will be limited to 2 marks for each option that you answer
"Explain the importance of" question structure
Your answer should include:
Specific relevant knowledge
Complex explanations showing:
How the event impacted the key theme in the question
How important the event was in the development of the Spanish 'New World'
Your answers could be written in PEE paragraphs:
P — Make a point about the question
E — Include evidence to support the point you have made (K)
Focus on the event mentioned in the question
E — Explain the question (SOC)
Focus on the key theme of the questions
Include a complex explanation showing your understanding of the importance
To achieve full marks for one option, you should aim to write two paragraphs
4 marks for each question are awarded for knowledge (K)
4 marks for each question are awarded for your analysis of the second-order concepts, consequences and significance (SOC)
Be sure to:
Put a cross in the box next to your chosen option
Answer in the correct space on the paper
Only answer two options
You will not have time to answer all three options, and you will not get any extra marks for doing so
Worked example of an "Explain the importance of" question
Worked Example
Explain two of the following:
The importance of the rivalry with Portugal for Spanish claims to land in the New World (8)
The importance of Montezuma’s leadership for the Aztec defeat (8)
The importance of Las Casas for the treatment of Indigenous peoples (8)
(Total for Question 3 = 16 marks)
Answer
Indicate your FIRST choice on this page.
Indicate which question you are answering by marking a cross in the box. If you change your mind, put a line through the box and then indicate your new question with a cross.
One reason why the rivalry with Portugal was important can be seen through the Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494 (SOC). This treaty was agreed upon because both Spain and Portugal wanted to claim the new lands being discovered. It gave Spain control over most of the Caribbean and the Americas, while Portugal took Brazil and parts of Africa and Asia (K). This was important because it allowed Spain to claim large areas of land without direct competition from Portugal. As a result, Spain felt more confident sending explorers such as Columbus, Balboa and Cortés to expand its territory, knowing that its claims would be recognised. This laid the foundation for Spain’s growing empire in the Americas (SOC).
A second reason why the rivalry was important is that it forced Spain to act quickly to take land before Portugal could reach it (SOC). This meant that Spain increased its funding of voyages and pushed for faster exploration, such as Columbus’s later voyages and the founding of Santo Domingo in 1496 (K). As a result, Spain was able to build permanent settlements and began taking resources, such as gold. This increased Spain's power and wealth, which helped it become one of the strongest empires in Europe, further challenging Portugal’s influence (SOC).
Indicate your SECOND choice on this page.
Indicate which question you are answering by marking a cross in the box. If you change your mind, put a line through the box and then indicate your new question with a cross.
One reason why Las Casas was important is that he directly influenced the legal treatment of Indigenous peoples in the Spanish Empire (SOC). His campaigns against the cruelty of Indigenous peoples led to the introduction of the New Laws in 1542. These laws made it illegal to force Indigenous people to work or to capture Indigenous people for slavery (K). This was important because it showed that the Spanish government was aware of the awful treatment of Indigenous people and acted to end it (SOC). However, the treatment of Indigenous people did not improve due to the encomienda system, which was run by agents after the New Laws.
Another reason Las Casas was important is that he helped change attitudes in Spain regarding the treatment of Indigenous peoples (SOC). He wrote books such as A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, which described in graphic detail how Spanish settlers were mistreating Indigenous communities (K). These books were widely read in Spain and helped to shock Church leaders and the Spanish public. This was important because it challenged the idea that the Spanish were bringing civilisation and Christianity to the New World (SOC).
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