Oxford Cambridge and RSA Qualification Accredited www.ocr.org.uk/history Y310/01 The Development of the Nation State: France 1498–1610 Summer 2017 examination series Version 1 H505 For first teaching in 2015 HISTORY A A LEVEL Exemplar Candidate Work
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Oxford Cambridge and RSA
QualificationAccredited
www.ocr.org.uk/history
Y310/01 The Development of the Nation State: France 1498–1610Summer 2017 examination seriesVersion 1
H505For first teaching in 2015
HISTORY A
A LEVEL
Exemplar Candidate Work
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A Level History A
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ContentsIntroduction 3
Question 1: Level 6 - 30 mark answer 4
Commentary 9
Question 1: Level 5 - 24 mark answer 10
Commentary 15
Question 1: Level 4 - 17 mark answer 16
Commentary 20
Question 2: Level 4 - 16 mark answer 21
Commentary 26
Question 2: Level 3 - 12 mark answer 27
Commentary 31
Question 3: Level 5 - 20 mark answer 32
Commentary 36
Question 3: Level 3 - 10 mark answer 37
Commentary 43
Question 3: Level 2 - 8 mark answer 44
Commentary 48
Question 4: Level 6 - 25 mark answer 49
Commentary 53
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IntroductionThese exemplar answers have been chosen from the summer 2017 examination series.
OCR is open to a wide variety of approaches and all answers are considered on their merits. These exemplars, therefore, should not be seen as the only way to answer questions but do illustrate how the mark scheme has been applied.
Please always refer to the specification (http://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/170128-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-history-a-h505.pdf ) for full details of the assessment for this qualification. These exemplar answers should also be read in conjunction with the sample assessment materials and the June 2017 Examiners’ Report to Centres available on the OCR website http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/.
The question paper, mark scheme and any resource booklet(s) will be available on the OCR website from summer 2018. Until then, they are available on OCR Interchange (school exams officers will have a login for this).
It is important to note that approaches to question setting and marking will remain consistent. At the same time OCR reviews all its qualifications annually and may make small adjustments to improve the performance of its assessments. We will let you know of any substantive changes.
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Question 1
Read the two passages and then answer Question 1.
Evaluate the interpretations in both of the two passages and explain which you think is more convincing as an explanation of the nature of the French monarchy during the reign of Francis I. [30]
Passage A
Throughout the sixteenth century, the kings of France maintained the idea that the monarchy was fundamentally consultative in nature. All royal laws and decrees were therefore prefaced with a statement to the effect that the king had taken the opinion of the realm’s most important men in devising his latest measures. In nearly all cases, the king had actually done so and his words were not empty rhetoric. The extent to which the king heeded the advice given to him naturally varied. The most frequently used instrument for taking advice was the royal council. But because the council consisted of only a few persons, usually great lords selected at will, it was customary for the king to consult other bodies when important decisions had to be made. Assemblies of notables became a more common event. The requirement of consultation obliged the kings of France to preserve institutions which had no place in a uniform system of royal administration. The parlements and the provincial estates jealously guarded their powers and they resented the increased authority of the crown. The logical step for the King of France would have been to abolish these institutions outright and fill any resulting gaps with royally-appointed officials. However, the consultative tradition ruled out such far-reaching reform. Thus, the proud institutions of French local government remained in existence, ever ready to reclaim their lost powers should royal authority show signs of faltering. The institution of the governorship confirms the contradictory nature of developments in French government during this period. On the one hand, as royal expenditure exploded to meet the cost of mercenary armies, new administrative methods had to be found. These invariably prompted a greater degree of centralisation and extension of royal authority over local organisations. However, this tendency was constrained first by the consultative tradition of French monarchy, and secondly, by the crown’s continued reliance on the great nobility.
Adapted from M. Rady, France: Renaissance, Religion and Recovery 1494–1610, first published in 1988
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Passage B
Can the monarchy be called ‘contractual’ if local privileges are repeatedly flouted, or ‘popular and consultative’ if the bulk of the population is unrepresented and consultation is usually nothing more than a sham designed to give a veneer of respectability to preordained policies? Many of his [Francis I’s] statements, notably the angry outbursts he directed at the parlements, reveal an uncompromising authoritarian disposition, bent on centralisation. The estates of Languedoc certainly did not see him as a ‘contractual monarch’: they complained in 1522 that they were being treated ‘as if they had never had or acquired the said privileges’. True, Francis did sometimes bargain with them, but only over the means of raising the sum, not over the sum itself. He did not mind suppressing offices so long as he received as much money in compensation as he would have got from their sale. Sometimes he got more! The estates could hope for a reversal in their favour, but in the long run royal policy seriously undermined provincial autonomy. The political philosophy of Francis is best summed up by the words of Chancellor Poyet in 1540: ‘the King is not asking for advice as to whether or not they [his laws] are to be obeyed: once the prince has decreed them, one must proceed; no-one has the right to interpret, adjust or diminish them’. Can a monarchy holding such views be deemed ‘contractual’ or ‘popular and consultative’?
* Preordained = already decided
Adapted from R. J. Knecht, French Renaissance Monarchy, published in 1984.
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Level 6 answer – 30 marks
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Examiner commentaryThe opening is strong with the response seeing the two interpretations as representative of the wider debate about Francis I and the French monarchy. The two views are briefly outlined and a view is offered. Rady’s view is explained and detailed knowledge is used to evaluate it; this is sustained throughout the first main paragraph. The consistent level of analysis continues into the next paragraph and again detailed knowledge is used to evaluate the view. Similarly, in dealing with Knecht, the view is explained and detailed knowledge is used to evaluate and pursue an argument, which is sustained throughout. The judgement is developed and the response, whilst arguing that Knecht’s view is stronger, does also acknowledge that there are some limitations to the argument. The answer is well focused and knowledge is used to evaluate not simply deployed and with the developed judgement it is placed at the top of Level 6.
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Level 5 answer – 24 marks
Question 1
Evaluate the interpretations in both of the two passages and explain which you think is more convincing as an explanation of the nature of the French monarchy during the reign of Francis I. [30]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening explains the views of the two interpretations. Interpretation A is evaluated using contextual knowledge, but in a few places the level of knowledge is quite general. However, the focus is analytical and the interpretation is treated critically. The response does reach an interim judgement about A. Interpretation B is also explained and evaluated, but the level of knowledge used is more limited and would benefit from greater development and explanation. There are some stronger elements, for example when the response considers the sale of offices. The judgement is less convincing and would benefit from greater precise support, rather than the general comment
that A is more balanced. The interpretations are evaluated using knowledge, but the evaluation is uneven and this places the response in Level 5 not Level 6. In order to reach the higher level there would need to be greater depth of knowledge used to evaluate the interpretations, particularly B.
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Level 4 answer – 17 marks
Question 1
Evaluate the interpretations in both of the two passages and explain which you think is more convincing as an explanation of the nature of the French monarchy during the reign of Francis I. [30]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening paragraph is generalized and offers only a very limited view as to which interpretation is more convincing. There is no real attempt to outline the view of the two interpretations about the issue in the question. Although the response attempts to argue, there is very little supporting material. The supporting material that is included is often quite general or simplistic in nature. As a result, the attempts at evaluation are not very convincing. On a number of occasions the response uses material from the other interpretation to challenge or support the interpretation being discussed and does not bring in the required contextual knowledge. However, even where knowledge is brought in it is not fully developed and the comments are quite limited. The response does become slightly stronger as it progresses and there are some signs of supporting material in discussing the nobility and the issue of venality, but this is not characteristic of the response as a whole. There is a judgement with some attempt at support, but as with much of the rest of the answer it is not fully developed or convincing. The answer is placed in Level 4 because there is some evaluation using contextual knowledge, but it would need far greater depth of knowledge when evaluating to reach Level 5.
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Level 4 answer – 16 marks
Question 2
‘France was no more unified in 1610 than it was in 1498.’ How far do you agree? [25]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening paragraph does offer a view and there is some awareness of change over time. The paragraph on finances does see some awareness of change and continuity, but comparison is limited and the focus is more on explanation. The discussion of religion sees some descriptive elements and only limited awareness of change. The interim judgement is also not developed. The comments about the monarchy are quite general and this makes attempts at comparison less convincing. The judgement is a little more convincing, but would also benefit from greater development. The lack of synthesis and the focus on explanation places the answer in Level 4 and the change/continuity element takes it out of Level 3. However, to reach Level 5 there would need to be a greater depth of knowledge and comparison/synthesis across the period.
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Level 3 answer – 12 marks
Question 2
‘France was no more unified in 1610 than it was in 1498.’ How far do you agree? [25]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening does provide an overview of the period which is used to support the view offered at the end of the paragraph. The response does pursue an argument and there is explanation, but the level of supporting knowledge is limited and comments are quite general. This is repeated in the discussion of the impact of the wars of religion on unity, seen very clearly in no specific peace treaties being mentioned or discussion of the scale of the division, for example the number of nobles supporting the Huguenot cause. The comments on foreign policy are similarly quite superficial and lack the depth needed for a convincing argument. The paragraph on Henry IV tends to be descriptive and his rule is not really compared or contrasted with other monarchs. There is a limited judgement, but overall there is a lack of comparison and therefore the response, which has some explanation and argument, is placed in Level 3. In order to reach Level 4 there would need to be much greater sense of analysis and support for the argument.
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Level 5 answer – 20 marks
Question 3
‘Religion helped rather than hindered the development of France in the sixteenth century.’ How far do you agree? [25]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening does offer a view, although it could be developed and perhaps be a little clearer. The first main paragraph does explain the situation up to 1534, but there is only a limited attempt at synthesis and then it is only for part of the period. However, the knowledge in support of the explanation is sound and the argument quite convincing. The following paragraph does see some attempt at synthesis and explanation of continuity, which is used to support the argument pursued. There is similarly some synthesis in the paragraph on the wars of religion and again the argument is well supported by a range of knowledge across the period. The judgement also shows some synthesis and therefore, whilst the synthesis is not always developed it is present throughout much of the essay and there is good supporting detail so the response reaches Level 5. However, in order to reach Level 6 there would need to be much greater evidence of comparison across the period.
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Level 3 answer – 10 marks
Question 3
‘Religion helped rather than hindered the development of France in the sixteenth century.’ How far do you agree? [25]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening is aware of some issues but is not well focused on the question of religion, which despite being the question focus is only just touched on. The discussion about the impact of the wars of religion on finances is very general. The comments about increased centralisation are also quite general and the supporting knowledge is not developed to support the points being made. This tendency continues when discussing the power of individual monarchs, with general supporting detail and, in places, some assertion. This means that attempts to compare different periods or aspects are less convincing. This trend is also seen in the section on religion and the attempts at analysis are limited and less convincing. The conclusion is weak and the line of argument pursued is never very clear. The response does show some explanation, but this is not well supported and this keeps the answer in Level 3. In order to reach Level 4 the line of argument would need to be clearer and the argument would need more detailed support.
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Level 2 answer – 8 marks
Question 3
‘Religion helped rather than hindered the development of France in the sixteenth century.’ How far do you agree? [25]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening does raise some issues, but no real view is offered about the actual question. There is some discussion of religion under Francis I and Henry II, but there is also some description and irrelevance. There is a limited attempt to argue that weak royal authority was more important, but this is not very convincing as the depth of knowledge is limited and in places the material is imparted not used to pursue an argument. The issue of the nobility is not really made relevant to the question. The conclusion does attempt to reach a judgement, but it is not very convincing and does not really follow from the main body of the answer. The response is not well focused on the demands of the question and there is limited explanation which places the answer in Level 2, but at the top because there is some explanation. In order to go into Levels 3 and 4 there would need to be much greater depth of argument and for Level 4 much greater supporting knowledge.
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Level 6 answer – 25 marks
Question 4
Assess the impact of warfare on the stability of France in the period from 1498 to 1610. [25]
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Examiner commentaryThe opening focuses on the continuity of war across the period and offers a view that its impact was not positive. The impact of the wars are explained and there is detailed supporting knowledge. Comparisons are made and explained. The answer is consistently analytical and there is evidence of synthesis and judgement in each paragraph. In discussing the wars of religion, comparisons within the period are also made and the level of support ensures that the argument is supported and convincing. The judgement also shows evidence of comparison and is balanced with some awareness of positives. The answer is well focused and with synthesis throughout reaches the top level. Given the depth of support and consistent analysis it reaches the top of the level.
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OCR acknowledges the use of the following content:Passage A Adapted from M Rady, ‘France: Renaissance,Religion and Recovery, 1483-1610’, pp38-40, Hodder, 1988.
Passage B Adapted from R Knecht, ‘French Renaissance Monarchy: Francis I and Henry II’, page unknown,Longman, 1984.
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