2024_AQA-GCSE History – Paper 1 Section A/D:
America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
May 2024
Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number
Candidate number
Surname
Forename(s)
Candidate signature
I declare this is my own work.
GCSE
HISTORY
Paper 1 Section A/D: America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality
Wednesday 15 May 2024 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours
Materials For Examiner’s Use
For this paper you must ensure you have:
• An Interpretations Booklet (enclosed). Question Mark
• The other optional Question Paper/Answer Book and Sources Booklet 01
for the Paper 1 Section B topic you are entered for. 02
You will have 2 hours to complete both papers.
03
Instructions 04
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 05
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 06
• Answer all six questions.
• Do all rough work in this book. TOTAL
Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).
Information
• The maximum mark for this paper is 40.
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
Advice
• You are advised to spend about 1 hour on Paper 1 Section A and about 1 hour on Paper 1 Section B.
*JUN2481451AD01*
IB/M/Jun24/G4006/E2 8145/1A/D
,GCSE History Paper 1 Section A/D: America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality Summary
The GCSE History Paper 1 Section A/D focuses on America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and
Inequality, scheduled for May 2025. This paper will assess students’ understanding of the social,
economic, and political developments in the United States during the 20th century, focusing on the
opportunities and inequalities experienced by different groups. The key areas covered include:
1. The Roaring Twenties (1920–1929):
o The economic boom of the 1920s and its impact on different groups in society, including industrial
growth, consumerism, and mass entertainment (e.g., jazz, Hollywood, and the rise of radio).
o The role of prohibition (1920–1933), which banned the sale of alcohol, its effect on society, organized
crime, and the economy.
o The growth of consumer culture, including the development of advertising, new technologies like the
automobile, and the expansion of mass production.
o Racial tensions during this period, including the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and the migration of
African Americans from the rural South to urban North (The Great Migration).
o The women’s suffrage movement and the impact of the 19th Amendment (1920), granting women the
right to vote, and the changing roles of women in society.
2. The Great Depression (1929–1939):
o The causes of the Great Depression, including the stock market crash of 1929 and the resulting economic
collapse.
o The social and economic impact of the Great Depression on American society, including widespread
unemployment, poverty, and the effects on different social groups (e.g., African Americans, women, and
farmers).
o The responses to the Depression, particularly President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, which aimed to
provide relief, recovery, and reform through programs like Social Security, public works, and banking
reforms.
3. Civil Rights Movements (1950s–1960s):
o The struggle for civil rights by African Americans, including key events like the Brown v. Board of
Education decision (1954), which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
o The role of organizations like the NAACP and the influence of individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr.
and his advocacy for nonviolent protest.
o The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956) and the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his
famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
o The passing of key legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
which aimed to dismantle racial segregation and ensure voting rights for African Americans.
o The challenges to civil rights, including the rise of more radical movements like the Black Panther Party,
and the differing approaches to achieving equality.
4. The Struggle for Women’s Rights (1920–1973):
o The continuing fight for women’s rights during this period, including the challenges faced by women in
achieving gender equality in the workforce, education, and politics.
o The feminist movements of the 1960s and 1970s, such as the influence of Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine
Mystique” (1963) and the formation of organizations like the National Organization for Women (NOW).
o The push for reproductive rights, including the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, which legalized
abortion in the United States.
o The impact of changing gender roles during and after World War II, and the effects of the women's
liberation movement.
5. The Economic and Social Landscape Post-World War II (1945–1973):
o The economic prosperity in the post-World War II period and the growth of a consumer-driven economy.
o The rise of suburbia and the increasing disparity between urban and rural areas.
o The influence of McCarthyism and the fear of communism in the 1950s, as well as the subsequent Red
Scare and the impact on politics and civil liberties.
o The challenges to immigration laws, particularly with the growth of the Latino population, and the social
inequalities faced by Hispanic Americans.
6. Inequality and Economic Disparities:
o The uneven distribution of wealth in American society and the persistence of economic inequality,
especially among African Americans, women, and the working class.
o The continued struggles of migrant workers and Native American communities during this period, as well
as the development of Chicano and Native American rights movements.
o The influence of the Great Society programs under President Lyndon B. Johnson, which sought to reduce
poverty and racial injustice, and their success in expanding social welfare programs like Medicare and
Medicaid.
, 2
Do not write
outside the
box
Answer all six questions.
Read Interpretations A and B in the Interpretations Booklet.
0 1 How does Interpretation B differ from Interpretation A about the feminist
movements in the 1960s and early 1970s?
Explain your answer based on what it says in Interpretations A and B.
[4 marks]
4
*02*
IB/M/Jun24/8145/1A/D
, 3
Do not write
outside the
0 2 Why might the authors of Interpretations A and B have a different interpretation box
about the feminist movements in the 1960s and early 1970s?
Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your contextual knowledge.
[4 marks]
4
Turn over ►
*03*
IB/M/Jun24/8145/1A/D
America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
May 2024
Please write clearly in block capitals.
Centre number
Candidate number
Surname
Forename(s)
Candidate signature
I declare this is my own work.
GCSE
HISTORY
Paper 1 Section A/D: America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality
Wednesday 15 May 2024 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours
Materials For Examiner’s Use
For this paper you must ensure you have:
• An Interpretations Booklet (enclosed). Question Mark
• The other optional Question Paper/Answer Book and Sources Booklet 01
for the Paper 1 Section B topic you are entered for. 02
You will have 2 hours to complete both papers.
03
Instructions 04
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 05
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 06
• Answer all six questions.
• Do all rough work in this book. TOTAL
Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).
Information
• The maximum mark for this paper is 40.
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
Advice
• You are advised to spend about 1 hour on Paper 1 Section A and about 1 hour on Paper 1 Section B.
*JUN2481451AD01*
IB/M/Jun24/G4006/E2 8145/1A/D
,GCSE History Paper 1 Section A/D: America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality Summary
The GCSE History Paper 1 Section A/D focuses on America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and
Inequality, scheduled for May 2025. This paper will assess students’ understanding of the social,
economic, and political developments in the United States during the 20th century, focusing on the
opportunities and inequalities experienced by different groups. The key areas covered include:
1. The Roaring Twenties (1920–1929):
o The economic boom of the 1920s and its impact on different groups in society, including industrial
growth, consumerism, and mass entertainment (e.g., jazz, Hollywood, and the rise of radio).
o The role of prohibition (1920–1933), which banned the sale of alcohol, its effect on society, organized
crime, and the economy.
o The growth of consumer culture, including the development of advertising, new technologies like the
automobile, and the expansion of mass production.
o Racial tensions during this period, including the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and the migration of
African Americans from the rural South to urban North (The Great Migration).
o The women’s suffrage movement and the impact of the 19th Amendment (1920), granting women the
right to vote, and the changing roles of women in society.
2. The Great Depression (1929–1939):
o The causes of the Great Depression, including the stock market crash of 1929 and the resulting economic
collapse.
o The social and economic impact of the Great Depression on American society, including widespread
unemployment, poverty, and the effects on different social groups (e.g., African Americans, women, and
farmers).
o The responses to the Depression, particularly President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal, which aimed to
provide relief, recovery, and reform through programs like Social Security, public works, and banking
reforms.
3. Civil Rights Movements (1950s–1960s):
o The struggle for civil rights by African Americans, including key events like the Brown v. Board of
Education decision (1954), which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
o The role of organizations like the NAACP and the influence of individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr.
and his advocacy for nonviolent protest.
o The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956) and the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his
famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
o The passing of key legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
which aimed to dismantle racial segregation and ensure voting rights for African Americans.
o The challenges to civil rights, including the rise of more radical movements like the Black Panther Party,
and the differing approaches to achieving equality.
4. The Struggle for Women’s Rights (1920–1973):
o The continuing fight for women’s rights during this period, including the challenges faced by women in
achieving gender equality in the workforce, education, and politics.
o The feminist movements of the 1960s and 1970s, such as the influence of Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine
Mystique” (1963) and the formation of organizations like the National Organization for Women (NOW).
o The push for reproductive rights, including the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, which legalized
abortion in the United States.
o The impact of changing gender roles during and after World War II, and the effects of the women's
liberation movement.
5. The Economic and Social Landscape Post-World War II (1945–1973):
o The economic prosperity in the post-World War II period and the growth of a consumer-driven economy.
o The rise of suburbia and the increasing disparity between urban and rural areas.
o The influence of McCarthyism and the fear of communism in the 1950s, as well as the subsequent Red
Scare and the impact on politics and civil liberties.
o The challenges to immigration laws, particularly with the growth of the Latino population, and the social
inequalities faced by Hispanic Americans.
6. Inequality and Economic Disparities:
o The uneven distribution of wealth in American society and the persistence of economic inequality,
especially among African Americans, women, and the working class.
o The continued struggles of migrant workers and Native American communities during this period, as well
as the development of Chicano and Native American rights movements.
o The influence of the Great Society programs under President Lyndon B. Johnson, which sought to reduce
poverty and racial injustice, and their success in expanding social welfare programs like Medicare and
Medicaid.
, 2
Do not write
outside the
box
Answer all six questions.
Read Interpretations A and B in the Interpretations Booklet.
0 1 How does Interpretation B differ from Interpretation A about the feminist
movements in the 1960s and early 1970s?
Explain your answer based on what it says in Interpretations A and B.
[4 marks]
4
*02*
IB/M/Jun24/8145/1A/D
, 3
Do not write
outside the
0 2 Why might the authors of Interpretations A and B have a different interpretation box
about the feminist movements in the 1960s and early 1970s?
Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your contextual knowledge.
[4 marks]
4
Turn over ►
*03*
IB/M/Jun24/8145/1A/D
