Edexcel A-Level History Active Recall Guide (9HI0)
Edexcel · A-Level
Edexcel A-Level History Active Recall Guide
A question-and-answer revision guide for Edexcel A-Level History, built to be worked in three passes rather than read.
- Edexcel
- A-Level
- Specification 9HI0
- 40 topics
The 3-step active recall method
Re-reading notes is a futile process when your aim is to remember the information and successfully apply it in exam settings. Active recall is the method you use to ensure the information sticks for a long period of time. But even active recall can be futile unless you have a structured way of implementing it. This is where the 3-step active recall method comes in, a structured method that is signature to the Levo Learning guides.
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Step 1
Answer up to 10 questions cold, closed book, even if you are unsure on the topic.
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Step 2
Answer the same questions again, but open book. Write the correct answer down even if it seems pointless.
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Step 3
Repeat as step 1 and answer the questions closed book again.
Worked across the Edexcel A-Level History specification, one subtopic at a time.
The subject, and what is assessed
Edexcel A-Level History (specification 9HI0) is assessed by three written papers and a coursework component. Paper 1 is a breadth study with interpretations, lasting 2 hours 15 minutes and worth 30%. Paper 2 is a depth study, lasting 1 hour 30 minutes and worth 20%. Paper 3 covers themes in breadth with aspects in depth, lasting 2 hours 15 minutes and worth 30%. Coursework is worth the remaining 20%. Options are chosen by route, so a student sits one combination of Paper 1 and Paper 2 topics rather than the full list.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Breadth study with interpretations | 2 hours 15 minutes | 30% |
| Paper 2 | Depth study | 1 hour 30 minutes | 20% |
| Paper 3 | Themes in breadth with aspects in depth | 2 hours 15 minutes | 30% |
| Coursework | 20% |
Memorisation, then application
Marks are given for applying content to the question that has been set, which cannot happen while the content is still being looked up. Step 1 shows what is actually held. Step 2 puts the correct wording in front of you while the gap is still fresh. Step 3 repeats the cold test, and the difference between the first and third attempt is the part that has moved.
Every question in the guide is paired with its answer in the same document, so step 2 is done from the guide itself rather than from a separate set of notes.
What is inside the guide
Questions are grouped by topic and then by subtopic, following the Edexcel specification. Open a topic to see its subtopics.
The Crusades, c1095-12045 subtopics
- Reasons for the crusades, 1095-119212
- Leadership of the crusades, 1095-119214
- The crusader states of Outremer, 1100-9212
- The changing Muslim response to the crusades, 1095-119210
- What explains the failure of the Fourth Crusade?12
England, 1509-1603: Authority, Nation and Religion5 subtopics
- Monarchy and government, 1509-8813
- Religious changes, 1509-8813
- State control and popular resistance, 1509-8812
- Economic, social and cultural change, 1509-8810
- Was there a general crisis of government in the last years of Elizabeth I's reign, 1589-1603?10
Britain, 1625-1701: Conflict, Revolution and Settlement5 subtopics
- The quest for political stability, 1625-8824
- Religion: conflict and dissent, 1625-8814
- Social and intellectual challenge, 1625-8810
- Economy, trade and empire, 1625-8810
- How revolutionary was the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89? (interpretations)9
Britain, c1785-c1870: Democracy, Protest and Reform5 subtopics
- The growth of parliamentary democracy, c1785-c187011
- Industrialisation and protest, c1785-c187010
- Unionism and cooperation, c1785-c187010
- Poverty and pauperism, c1785-c187010
- What explains the abolition of the slave trade, c1785-1807? (interpretations)11
Russia, 1917-91: From Lenin to Yeltsin5 subtopics
- Communist government in the USSR, 1917-8510
- Industrial and agricultural change, 1917-8510
- Control of the people, 1917-859
- Social developments, 1917-858
- What explains the fall of the USSR, c1985-91?9
In Search of the American Dream: The USA, c1917-965 subtopics
- The changing political environment, 1917-809
- The quest for civil rights, 1917-809
- Society and culture in change, 1917-808
- The changing quality of life, 1917-808
- What impact did the Reagan presidency (1981-89) have on the USA, 1981-96?8
Germany and West Germany, 1918-895 subtopics
- Political and governmental change, 1918-8911
- Opposition, control and consent, 1918-8910
- Economic development and policies, 1918-8910
- Aspects of life in Germany and West Germany, 1918-8910
- Interpretations: How far was Hitler's foreign policy responsible for the Second World War?9
Britain Transformed, 1918-975 subtopics
- A changing political and economic environment, 1918-799
- Creating a welfare state, 1918-799
- Society in transition, 1918-799
- The changing quality of life, 1918-798
- Interpretations: What impact did Thatcher's governments (1979-90) have on Britain, 1979-97?9
Anglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053-11064 subtopics
- Late Anglo-Saxon England, c1053-6613
- The Norman conquest of England and extension of control in Wales and Scotland, 1066-9313
- State, church and society, 1066-110612
- Normandy, 1066-110611
England and the Angevin Empire in the Reign of Henry II, 1154-894 subtopics
- The restoration and extension of royal authority, 1154-7211
- Reforms in England, 1154-8910
- Henry II and the English church, 1154-7410
- Crises of the Angevin Empire, 1170-8911
Luther and the German Reformation, c1515-554 subtopics
- Conditions in early sixteenth-century Germany10
- Luther's early challenge to the Catholic Church, 1517-2011
- The development of Lutheranism, 1521-4612
- The spread and survival of Lutheranism, 1521-5510
The Dutch Revolt, c1563-16094 subtopics
- Origins of the Dutch Revolt, c1563-6711
- Alva and Orange, 1567-7310
- Spain and the reconquest, 1573-8410
- Securing the independence of the United Provinces, 1584-160910
France in Revolution, 1774-994 subtopics
- The origins and onset of revolution, 1774-8911
- Revolution and the failure of constitutional monarchy, 1789-9311
- The National Convention, the Jacobins and the Terror, 1793-9411
- From the Directory to Brumaire, 1795-9910
Russia in Revolution, 1894-19244 subtopics
- The rule of Nicholas II, 1894-190510
- The end of Romanov rule, 1906-1710
- The Provisional Government and its opponents, February-October 191710
- Defending the Bolshevik revolution, October 1917-2410
The Unification of Italy, c1830-704 subtopics
- Challenges to the restored order and the failure of revolution, c1830-4910
- The rise of Piedmont, 1849-5610
- The creation of the Kingdom of Italy, 1856-6110
- Consolidating the Kingdom of Italy, 1861-7010
The Unification of Germany, c1840-714 subtopics
- Popular pressure and causes of revolution, 1840-4810
- Failure of revolution, 1848-5110
- Austro-Prussian rivalry, 1852-6610
- Prussia and the Kleindeutschland solution, 1866-7110
Mao's China, 1949-764 subtopics
- Establishing communist rule10
- Agriculture and industry, 1949-6510
- The Cultural Revolution and its aftermath, 1966-7610
- Social and cultural changes, 1949-769
The German Democratic Republic, 1949-904 subtopics
- Establishing and consolidating communist rule in the GDR, c1949-6110
- The development of the East German state, 1961-8510
- Life in East Germany, 1949-859
- Growing crises and the collapse of communist rule in the GDR10
India, c1914-48: The Road to Independence4 subtopics
- The First World War and its impact on British India, 1914-2010
- Changing political relationships, 1920-3010
- Consultation and confrontation, 1930-4210
- The road to independence, 1942-4810
South Africa, 1948-94: From Apartheid State to 'Rainbow Nation'4 subtopics
- The response to apartheid, c1948-5910
- Radicalisation of resistance and the consolidation of National Party power, 1960-6810
- Redefining resistance and challenges to National Party power, 1968-8310
- The end of apartheid and the creation of the 'rainbow nation', 1984-9410
The Rise and Fall of Fascism in Italy, c1911-464 subtopics
- The liberal state, c1911-1810
- The rise of Mussolini and the creation of a fascist dictatorship, 1919-2611
- The fascist state, 1925-4010
- Challenges to, and the fall of, the fascist state, c1935-4611
Spain, 1930-78: Republicanism, Francoism and the Re-Establishment of Democracy4 subtopics
- Creation and destabilisation of the Second Republic, 1930-3610
- The Spanish Civil War, 1936-3910
- Establishing Franco's dictatorship, 1938-5610
- Dictatorship remodelled and the transition to democracy, 1956-7811
The USA, c1920-55: Boom, Bust and Recovery4 subtopics
- Boom and crash, 1920-2910
- Depression and New Deal, 1929-3810
- Impact of the New Deal and the Second World War on the USA to 194510
- The transformation of the USA, 1945-5511
The USA, 1955-92: Conformity and Challenge4 subtopics
- Affluence and conformity, 1955-6310
- Protest and reaction, 1963-7211
- Social and political change, 1973-8010
- Republican dominance and its opponents, 1981-9210
Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII, 1399-15097 subtopics
- Changing relationships between crown and the nobility: 'over-mighty subjects'7
- Changes in the sinews of power7
- The crises of 1399-14058
- Henry V and the conquest of France, 1413-218
- Renewed crises and challenges, c1449-618
- The Yorkists divided, 1478-858
- Henry VII: seizing the throne and trying to keep it, 1485-978
Rebellion and Disorder under the Tudors, 1485-16037 subtopics
- Changes in governance at the centre7
- Gaining the cooperation of the localities7
- Challenging the succession, 1485-14997
- Challenging religious changes, 1533-378
- Agrarian discontent: Kett's rebellion8
- Queen takes Queen? The revolt of the northern earls, 1569-707
- Troublesome Ireland: Tyrone's rebellion, 1594-16038
The Golden Age of Spain, 1474-15987 subtopics
- Changing geographical reach of Spanish power8
- Changing military and financial power8
- The Spanish Inquisition and the persecution of the Jews, 1478-928
- The accession of Charles and the revolt of the Comuneros, 1516-298
- The price revolution and its impact, c1500-c15707
- The campaign for orthodoxy, 1558-708
- The crisis in Aragon, 1590-937
The Witch Craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580-c17507 subtopics
- Changing attitudes to witchcraft in Britain8
- The wider intellectual context: the coming of the age of science and reason7
- The North Berwick witches in Scotland, 1590-91 and the aftermath to 15978
- The Lancashire witches of 1604-138
- The Great Witch Hunt in Bamberg, Germany, 1623-328
- Matthew Hopkins and the East Anglian witch craze, 1645-478
- Cotton Mather and the Salem witch hunt, 1692-939
Industrialisation and Social Change in Britain, 1759-1928: Forging a New Society7 subtopics
- Changing patterns of adult work and working conditions (breadth)10
- The world of childhood (breadth)10
- Josiah Wedgwood: china and canals, 1759-87 (depth)8
- Samuel Greg: cotton and cottages, 1784-1816 (depth)8
- Isambard Kingdom Brunel: railways and ships, 1833-59 (depth)8
- John Kemp Starley: cycles, cycling clubs and emancipation, 1885-1901 (depth)8
- Herbert Austin: creating and adapting to market forces, 1905-28 (depth)8
Poverty, Public Health and the State in Britain, c1780-19397 subtopics
- The impetus for public health reforms (breadth)8
- Changes in public health (breadth)8
- Paupers and pauperism, 1780-1832 (depth)8
- Less eligibility: the Poor Law Amendment Act and its impact, 1832-47 (depth)8
- The government, self-help and charity, 1847-80 (depth)8
- Social and welfare reforms: pressure and action, 1880-1914 (depth)8
- Depression and the dole: poverty in the inter-war years, 1920-39 (depth)8
Britain: Losing and Gaining an Empire, 1763-19147 subtopics
- The changing nature and extent of trade (breadth)8
- The changing nature of the Royal Navy (breadth)8
- The loss of the American colonies, 1770-83 (depth)8
- The birth of British Australia, 1788-1829 (depth)8
- Learning from past mistakes: Canada and the Durham Report, 1837-40 (depth)8
- Nearly losing an empire: the British in India, 1829-58 (depth)8
- The Nile valley, 1882-98 (depth)8
The British Experience of Warfare, c1790-19187 subtopics
- Changes in organising the military (breadth)8
- Changes in weaponry and the role of the people (breadth)8
- Britain and the French Wars, 1793-1815 (depth)7
- The Crimean War, 1854-56 (depth)7
- The second Boer War, 1899-1902 (depth)8
- Trench warfare on the Western Front, 1914-18 (depth)8
- The war in the air, 1914-18 (depth)8
Protest, Agitation and Parliamentary Reform in Britain, c1780-19287 subtopics
- Reform of parliament: the franchise, reform and redistribution11
- Changing influences in parliament: the impact of reform8
- Radical reformers, c1790-181911
- Chartism, c1838-c185011
- Contagious Diseases Acts and the campaign for repeal, 1862-867
- The Women's Social and Political Union, 1903-1410
- Trades union militancy, 1915-2711
Ireland and the Union, c1774-19237 subtopics
- Irish nationalism: from agitation to civil war14
- British reaction: from resistance to acceptance8
- Towards emancipation, 1774-18307
- Industrialisation in Ulster, 1825-557
- The Irish Famine, 1843-519
- The Irish land issue, 1870-829
- Trades union militancy in Ireland, 1907-148
The Changing Nature of Warfare, 1859-1991: Perception and Reality7 subtopics
- Reporting and portraying war8
- Attempts to influence the public response to war6
- Increased firepower and steam power, 1859-708
- Technology of defence: machine guns, smokeless powder and artillery, c1900-169
- Radios, the internal combustion engine and mobile warfare, 1917-19408
- The war at sea, 1917-45: submarines, air power and complex codes8
- Air power and nuclear weapons, 1943-917
Germany, 1871-1990: United, Divided and Reunited7 subtopics
- Social change in Germany and West Germany, 1871-19907
- Economic change in Germany and West Germany, 1871-19908
- Ruling the Second Reich, 1871-797
- The birth of democratic Germany, 1917-199
- A new Reich, 1933-359
- Establishing and ruling the new Federal Republic, 1949-607
- Reunification: recreating a united Germany, 1989-908
The Making of Modern Russia, 1855-19917 subtopics
- The changing status and condition of the peasantry8
- Agriculture and productivity: meeting the country's needs?7
- The political reforms of Alexander II, 1855-707
- Revolution and reform, 1904-066
- The end of the Romanovs and the triumph of the Bolsheviks, 1916-188
- Khrushchev and attempts to reform the Soviet system, 1956-616
- Gorbachev and the downfall of Soviet communism, 1985-917
The Making of Modern China, 1860-19977 subtopics
- The growth of industry7
- Ideologies and individuals behind economic growth8
- Opening up China to foreigners, 1860-706
- Defeat and humiliation, 1894-19017
- The Japanese threat, 1931-417
- The Sino-Soviet split, 1958-696
- Reconciliation with old enemies and the return of Hong Kong, 1978-976
Civil Rights and Race Relations in the USA, 1850-20097 subtopics
- The changing geography of civil rights issues7
- Changing portrayal of civil rights issues in fiction and film7
- 'Free at last', 1865-779
- The triumph of 'Jim Crow', 1883-c19007
- The New Deal and race relations, 1933-416
- 'I have a dream', 1954-689
- Obama's campaign for the presidency, 2004-095
Mass Media and Social Change in Britain, 1882-20047 subtopics
- Changing patterns of women's lives within the family and in the world of work8
- Changing patterns of family leisure6
- The age of the press barons, 1914-369
- Wireless and the war: propaganda, information and entertainment, 1939-457
- Media in the sixties: satire, image and social change7
- The Thatcher governments and the media, 1979-907
- The Labour government versus the media: the problem of the Iraq dossiers, 2002-047
Sample questions
Taken from the Edexcel A-Level History guide. Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The Crusades, c1095-1204
What spiritual reward did Urban II offer crusaders who died or fought for the cause?
Show the answer
An indulgence remitting the penance owed for confessed sins. -
England, 1509-1603: Authority, Nation and Religion
What caused Wolsey's fall from power in 1529?
Show the answer
His failure to secure the king's annulment from Catherine of Aragon. -
Britain, 1625-1701: Conflict, Revolution and Settlement
When did Charles I become king, and to which dynasty did he belong?
Show the answer
He became king in 1625 as the second Stuart monarch, succeeding his father James I. -
Britain, c1785-c1870: Democracy, Protest and Reform
What was a 'rotten borough' in the unreformed electoral system?
Show the answer
A constituency with very few voters that still returned MPs, such as Old Sarum, often controlled by a single patron. -
Russia, 1917-91: From Lenin to Yeltsin
When did the Bolsheviks seize power in Russia?
Show the answer
In the October Revolution of 1917, led by Lenin. -
In Search of the American Dream: The USA, c1917-96
Which party dominated the presidency in the 1920s?
Show the answer
The Republicans (Harding, Coolidge and Hoover). -
Germany and West Germany, 1918-89
When and how was the Weimar Republic proclaimed?
Show the answer
On 9 November 1918 in Berlin, when Philipp Scheidemann declared a republic as Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated at the end of the First World War. -
Britain Transformed, 1918-97
Which party declined and which rose after 1918?
Show the answer
The Liberal Party declined, while Labour rose to become the main alternative to the Conservatives.
Questions about this guide
How do you use active recall for Edexcel A-Level History?
Answer up to 10 questions cold and closed book. Answer the same questions again open book, writing the correct answer down. Then answer them closed book one more time. The difference between the first and third attempt is what has moved into recall.
How is Edexcel A-Level History assessed?
Edexcel A-Level History is assessed by 4 components: Paper 1, breadth study with interpretations (2 hours 15 minutes, 30%); Paper 2, depth study (1 hour 30 minutes, 20%); Paper 3, themes in breadth with aspects in depth (2 hours 15 minutes, 30%); Coursework (20%).
What topics does the Edexcel A-Level History active recall guide cover?
It covers The Crusades, c1095-1204, England, 1509-1603: Authority, Nation and Religion, Britain, 1625-1701: Conflict, Revolution and Settlement, Britain, c1785-c1870: Democracy, Protest and Reform, Russia, 1917-91: From Lenin to Yeltsin, In Search of the American Dream: The USA, c1917-96, Germany and West Germany, 1918-89, Britain Transformed, 1918-97, Anglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053-1106, England and the Angevin Empire in the Reign of Henry II, 1154-89, Luther and the German Reformation, c1515-55, The Dutch Revolt, c1563-1609, France in Revolution, 1774-99 and Russia in Revolution, 1894-1924. The full list is set out on this page.
Is the Edexcel A-Level History guide a PDF?
Yes. It is a digital PDF sent to the email address on your order after purchase. Check the address is correct at checkout, and check junk or spam if it has not arrived.
Does the guide include the answers?
Yes. Every question has its answer in the same document, grouped by topic, so step 2 of the method is done from the guide.
Edexcel A-Level History Active Recall Guide
Every question paired with its answer, grouped by topic, ready to work in three passes.