A-level HISTORY Component 1K The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975

A-level HISTORY Component 1K The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975 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 7042/1K. • 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 IB/M/Jun21/7042/1K Section A Answer Question 01. Extract A After 1945, American society experienced conflict and fragmentation and Americans continued to be divided by issues such as class. Although many traditional social patterns persisted, a new challenge was emerging to affect the social order. Most Americans were slow to recognise the extent of poverty in the United States during the post-1945 period. Public awareness of the nation’s extensive poverty grew in the early 1960s, stimulated by Kennedy’s commitment to an anti-poverty programme. However, for all its good intentions, Johnson’s Great Society from 1964 did little for the central cities and their inhabitants. The depressed rural areas received even less help from Washington. Yet there were some gains. By the end of the 1960s, the anti-poverty programmes had helped many poor people, young Americans, and the elderly. Yet, as the 1970s unfolded, Americans had become less confident of their ability to solve national problems such as poverty. The reality of inequality was apparent everywhere. Adapted from D Grantham, Recent America, 1998