2025 AQA A-Level HISTORY 7042/1F
Component 1F Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885
Question paper and Marking scheme Merged
A-level
HISTORY
Component 1F Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885
Friday 23 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7042/1F.
• Answer three questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer two questions.
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
• You are advised to spend about:
– 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A
– 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B.
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Extract A
Gladstone was a very strong leader. The force of his personality and his personal
authority in parliament were essential for holding together the Liberal Party and carrying
out his government’s many different reforms. In political circles, Gladstone was always
the biggest beast in the forest, and everything his government did was touched by his
personal qualities and political skill. He was especially successful as a public speaker, 5
as he could hold audiences transfixed by his speeches for hours. During his time in
office, it was his growing enthusiasm for democracy that meant that the electorate
increased significantly. By 1885, the electorate became large enough to meet his desire
for greater democracy, but not too large for his strong belief in maintaining the existing
social hierarchy. Gladstone was proud that Britain was the most powerful country in the 10
world, but he disapproved of the showy imperialism that he saw in Disraeli.
Adapted from R Jenkins, Gladstone, 2012
Extract B
Extract B not reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions.
The extract is adapted from pages 70 – 71 of Gladstone and the Liberal Party by
Michael J Winstanley, printed by Routledge in 1990, ISBN 9780415035743.
Adapted from M Winstanley, Gladstone and the Liberal Party, 1990
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1F
, 3
Extract C
During the years 1865 to 1885, Gladstone was the Liberal Party. Even Liberals who did
not like his leadership had to admit that fact. His domination of his cabinets was
sometimes a cause of complaint amongst his ministers. Gladstone was deeply
conservative, and he was absolutely consistent in his policies. He did not hide his
conservative values when delivering speeches. Indeed, it was Gladstone’s conservative 5
attitude and desire to maintain stability in Britain that caused him to prioritise social
changes in Ireland in both his ministries during the years 1865 to 1885. Irish radicalism
had become so unmanageable that Gladstone’s policies for Ireland were carefully
calculated, conservative decisions to maintain British rule. By the 1880s, Gladstone’s
obsession with Ireland had come to dominate his political life as party leader. However, 10
this was a problem for the Liberal Party as Gladstone’s supporters were mainly interested
in religious beliefs and ideals, not social change in Ireland.
Adapted from D Steele, Gladstone and Ireland, Irish Historical Studies, 1970
0 1 Using your understanding of the historical context, assess how convincing the
arguments in these three extracts are in relation to Gladstone’s leadership in the years
1865 to 1885.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1F Turn over ►
Component 1F Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885
Question paper and Marking scheme Merged
A-level
HISTORY
Component 1F Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885
Friday 23 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
• an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
• Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7042/1F.
• Answer three questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer two questions.
Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
• You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
• You are advised to spend about:
– 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A
– 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B.
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Extract A
Gladstone was a very strong leader. The force of his personality and his personal
authority in parliament were essential for holding together the Liberal Party and carrying
out his government’s many different reforms. In political circles, Gladstone was always
the biggest beast in the forest, and everything his government did was touched by his
personal qualities and political skill. He was especially successful as a public speaker, 5
as he could hold audiences transfixed by his speeches for hours. During his time in
office, it was his growing enthusiasm for democracy that meant that the electorate
increased significantly. By 1885, the electorate became large enough to meet his desire
for greater democracy, but not too large for his strong belief in maintaining the existing
social hierarchy. Gladstone was proud that Britain was the most powerful country in the 10
world, but he disapproved of the showy imperialism that he saw in Disraeli.
Adapted from R Jenkins, Gladstone, 2012
Extract B
Extract B not reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions.
The extract is adapted from pages 70 – 71 of Gladstone and the Liberal Party by
Michael J Winstanley, printed by Routledge in 1990, ISBN 9780415035743.
Adapted from M Winstanley, Gladstone and the Liberal Party, 1990
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1F
, 3
Extract C
During the years 1865 to 1885, Gladstone was the Liberal Party. Even Liberals who did
not like his leadership had to admit that fact. His domination of his cabinets was
sometimes a cause of complaint amongst his ministers. Gladstone was deeply
conservative, and he was absolutely consistent in his policies. He did not hide his
conservative values when delivering speeches. Indeed, it was Gladstone’s conservative 5
attitude and desire to maintain stability in Britain that caused him to prioritise social
changes in Ireland in both his ministries during the years 1865 to 1885. Irish radicalism
had become so unmanageable that Gladstone’s policies for Ireland were carefully
calculated, conservative decisions to maintain British rule. By the 1880s, Gladstone’s
obsession with Ireland had come to dominate his political life as party leader. However, 10
this was a problem for the Liberal Party as Gladstone’s supporters were mainly interested
in religious beliefs and ideals, not social change in Ireland.
Adapted from D Steele, Gladstone and Ireland, Irish Historical Studies, 1970
0 1 Using your understanding of the historical context, assess how convincing the
arguments in these three extracts are in relation to Gladstone’s leadership in the years
1865 to 1885.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1F Turn over ►
