2025 AQA A-Level HISTORY 7042/1J
Component 1J The British Empire, c1857–1967
Question paper and Marking scheme Merged
A-level
HISTORY
Component 1J The British Empire, c1857–1967
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
7042/1J.
• 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
Decolonisation was primarily an economic decision. After World War Two, Britain found
itself in an economically weakened position and it recovered less quickly than other
European countries. This weakness was compounded by the success of the economic
integration of the West European countries in the 1950s which led to the British
government and business becoming isolated. International trade was bypassing British 5
economic interests. This led to anxiety about Britain’s place in the world system. The
productivity of British industry, cushioned for so long by the Empire, fell increasingly
behind that of its continental competitors. Britain had also become increasingly
pessimistic about the prospects of economically developing the poorer colonies, and it
was clear that these countries would continue to become more dependent on Britain. 10
There soon became a desire to rid Britain of its responsibilities to the colonies, and this
lay behind Macmillan’s decision to accelerate decolonisation in Africa in the 1960s.
Adapted from RF Holland, European Decolonisation 1918–1981, 1985
Extract B
After World War Two, there were signs that even a rebranded British Empire had only
limited prospects. The Cold War changed the international situation. On the one hand, it
was bound to make Britain a valuable ally to the United States. But, on the other, the
Americans became more willing to see pro-independence nationalists in colonies as
potential allies against communism. They were less happy to be seen as the friends of 5
Britain, an old-fashioned imperialist power, as that might encourage nationalist leaders to
look east towards Moscow. This situation helped to motivate nationalist leaders, like the
Gold Coast’s Kwame Nkrumah, to reject attempts by Britain to keep its colonies within a
west-leaning association. This was the setting in which the Suez crisis exploded in 1956.
This revealed that Britain had lost the capacity to act alone without approval from 10
Washington. Britain lacked the financial resources, military power and political leverage
to sustain an empire and throughout the post-war period this was proven as colony after
colony gained its independence.
Adapted from J Darwin, Unfinished Empire: The Global Expansion of Britain, 2013
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1J
, 3
Extract C
An unintended consequence of Britain’s attempted economic development of its colonies
was that colonial workers were able to mass together in factories and towns. In cities,
people from different backgrounds could meet together and exchange ideas and discuss
grievances. This made them more prone than peasants scattered in fields to dissent and
rebel, something that the British were powerless to stop. The British were right to fear 5
this, as it was in the towns that nationalism flourished. These new national liberation
movements became more aggressive towards Britain from the late 1940s onwards,
taking encouragement from India in 1947 and the tide of world opinion which seemed to
be with them. British efforts to defeat the nationalist movements resulted in the use of
oppressive measures and several atrocities. This undermined the old basis of British 10
colonial rule, and it soon became apparent that Britain could no longer hold onto its
empire. Britain, by the late 1960s, had been driven out of its colonies, and the Empire
was no more.
Adapted from B Porter, The Lion’s Share: A Short History of British Imperialism
1850–2004, 2004
0 1 Using your understanding of the historical context, assess how convincing the
arguments in these three extracts are in relation to British decolonisation in the years
1947 to 1967.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1J Turn over ►
Component 1J The British Empire, c1857–1967
Question paper and Marking scheme Merged
A-level
HISTORY
Component 1J The British Empire, c1857–1967
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
7042/1J.
• 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
Decolonisation was primarily an economic decision. After World War Two, Britain found
itself in an economically weakened position and it recovered less quickly than other
European countries. This weakness was compounded by the success of the economic
integration of the West European countries in the 1950s which led to the British
government and business becoming isolated. International trade was bypassing British 5
economic interests. This led to anxiety about Britain’s place in the world system. The
productivity of British industry, cushioned for so long by the Empire, fell increasingly
behind that of its continental competitors. Britain had also become increasingly
pessimistic about the prospects of economically developing the poorer colonies, and it
was clear that these countries would continue to become more dependent on Britain. 10
There soon became a desire to rid Britain of its responsibilities to the colonies, and this
lay behind Macmillan’s decision to accelerate decolonisation in Africa in the 1960s.
Adapted from RF Holland, European Decolonisation 1918–1981, 1985
Extract B
After World War Two, there were signs that even a rebranded British Empire had only
limited prospects. The Cold War changed the international situation. On the one hand, it
was bound to make Britain a valuable ally to the United States. But, on the other, the
Americans became more willing to see pro-independence nationalists in colonies as
potential allies against communism. They were less happy to be seen as the friends of 5
Britain, an old-fashioned imperialist power, as that might encourage nationalist leaders to
look east towards Moscow. This situation helped to motivate nationalist leaders, like the
Gold Coast’s Kwame Nkrumah, to reject attempts by Britain to keep its colonies within a
west-leaning association. This was the setting in which the Suez crisis exploded in 1956.
This revealed that Britain had lost the capacity to act alone without approval from 10
Washington. Britain lacked the financial resources, military power and political leverage
to sustain an empire and throughout the post-war period this was proven as colony after
colony gained its independence.
Adapted from J Darwin, Unfinished Empire: The Global Expansion of Britain, 2013
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1J
, 3
Extract C
An unintended consequence of Britain’s attempted economic development of its colonies
was that colonial workers were able to mass together in factories and towns. In cities,
people from different backgrounds could meet together and exchange ideas and discuss
grievances. This made them more prone than peasants scattered in fields to dissent and
rebel, something that the British were powerless to stop. The British were right to fear 5
this, as it was in the towns that nationalism flourished. These new national liberation
movements became more aggressive towards Britain from the late 1940s onwards,
taking encouragement from India in 1947 and the tide of world opinion which seemed to
be with them. British efforts to defeat the nationalist movements resulted in the use of
oppressive measures and several atrocities. This undermined the old basis of British 10
colonial rule, and it soon became apparent that Britain could no longer hold onto its
empire. Britain, by the late 1960s, had been driven out of its colonies, and the Empire
was no more.
Adapted from B Porter, The Lion’s Share: A Short History of British Imperialism
1850–2004, 2004
0 1 Using your understanding of the historical context, assess how convincing the
arguments in these three extracts are in relation to British decolonisation in the years
1947 to 1967.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun25/7042/1J Turn over ►
