AQA GCSE History Paper 1 (1AD), June 2025: Question 2

4 marks · Medium difficulty · Short Answer

Explain why the authors of Interpretations A and B have different interpretations about the American economy in the 1920s using the interpretations and contextual knowledge.

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Question

Question text

02 Why might the authors of Interpretations A and B have a different interpretation

about the American economy in the 1920s?

Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your contextual knowledge.

[4 marks]

Mark scheme

Show the mark scheme

02 Why might the authors of Interpretations A and B have a different interpretation about

the American economy in the 1920s?

Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your contextual knowledge.

[4 marks]

The indicative content is designed to exemplify the qualities expected at each

level and is not a full exemplar answer. All historically relevant and valid

answers should be credited.

Target Analyse individual interpretations (AO4a)

Analyse why interpretations differ (AO4c)

Level 2: Developed answer analyses provenance of interpretation to explain 3–4

reasons for differences

Students may progress from identification to explanation of the reasons for the

differences in the interpretations supported by factual knowledge and

understanding related to, for example, differences in provenance, context of

their time of writing, place, previous experience, knowledge, beliefs,

circumstances, and access to information, purpose and audience.

For example, the author of Interpretation A is writing his autobiography, and, in

this extract, he is giving an account of the years in the 1920s when the stock

market grew rapidly. His time in America was spent surrounded by wealthy

people so he is reflecting the experience of the groups that prospered in the

1920s. Whereas the purpose on Interpretation B is to give a warning to the

American government that the speculation of the 1920s was a bad thing in the

long term.

Level 1: Simple answer analyses provenance to identify reasons for difference(s) 1–2

Students are likely to identify relevant reasons for the differences in each

interpretation(s). Related to, for example, differences in provenance, context of

their time of writing, place, previous experience, knowledge, beliefs,

circumstances, access to information, purpose and audience.

For example, Interpretation A is written by someone who experienced the

boom and made money for himself whereas Interpretation B is written by

someone who is looking back at the whole decade and is considering how the

boom ended.

Students either submit no evidence or fail to address the question 0

How to answer it

Explaining Differences in Interpretations (American Economy in the 1920s)

AQA GCSE History • Question 02 • 4 Marks

What this question tests

This 4-mark question assesses your ability to analyse individual historical interpretations (AO4a) and explain why their authors have arrived at different views (AO4c). You must look at the provenance (who wrote it, when, why, and in what circumstances) and combine this with your contextual knowledge of the topic to explain the divergence.

Question Breakdown & Exam Strategy

🧠 Exam Technique (How to get Level 2: 3–4 marks)

Do not waste time comparing what the interpretations say about the economy (that's Question 01!).
Focus purely on why the authors have different views.
Link the author's background, purpose, or audience to their perspective using formula: "Author A says X because as a [provenance detail], they experienced/targeted Y..."

❌ Common Errors

Describing the content of the interpretations instead of explaining provenance.
Making vague statements like "they had different opinions" without backing it up with who the authors are.
Forgetting to use contextual knowledge to support the explanation.

Mark Scheme Guidance:

Level 2 (3–4 marks): Developed answer analysing provenance to explain reasons for differences, supported by contextual knowledge.
Level 1 (1–2 marks): Simple/identified reasons for differences based on provenance.
0 marks: No relevant evidence or failure to address the question.

Worked Example & Indicative Content

💡 Key Contextual Knowledge (1920s US Economy)

The 1920s saw a massive economic boom, consumerism, and mass production (e.g. Model T Fords, radios).
The stock market (Wall Street) experienced a massive speculative bubble where ordinary people bought shares on the margin (borrowed money).
The boom ended dramatically with the Wall Street Crash in October 1929, leading to the Great Depression.
Autobiographies written later often reflect either the glittering lifestyle of the 1920s boom years or carry hindsight warnings about reckless speculation.

✅ Model Answer Structure

"The authors have different interpretations because of their different purposes and experiences. For instance, Interpretation A may be written by someone who personally lived through the boom years, made money, and was surrounded by wealthy individuals, leading them to focus heavily on rapid growth and prosperity. In contrast, Interpretation B may be written with hindsight or as a warning to government officials about the dangers of unchecked stock market speculation. Therefore, while Interpretation A reflects the immediate optimism of those who profited, Interpretation B is shaped by a critical look at the long-term instability and crash that followed."

Topics

Paper 1 AD America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality · Part one: American people and the 'Boom'

Question and mark scheme from the AQA GCSE History examination, Paper 1 (1AD), June 2025. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.