2025 AQA A-LEVEL HISTORY Component 2S The Making of
Modern Britain, 1951–2007 Question Paper & Mark Scheme
(Merged) Friday 6 June 2025 [VERIFIED]
A-level
HISTORY
Component 2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Friday 6 June 2025 Afternoon 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
7042/2S.
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.
IB/M/Jun25/G4003/E5 7042/2S
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From the ‘Daily Mirror’, a left-wing popular newspaper, 6 June 1963. This article
appeared on the newspaper's front page under the headline: ‘The Big Lie’.
War Minister, John Profumo, caused a political sensation last night by resigning from the
Government. In a dramatic letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Profumo admitted that he lied
to the Commons about his association with red-haired model Christine Keeler. This
admission finally clears away the cloud of rumour and suspicion which has hung over the
political scene for more than three months. The ‘Daily Mirror’ does not kick a man when 5
he is down, but Mr Profumo, who married a beautiful and pleasant woman, is now truly
down and out. God knows he was never a good minister: it seems now that he is not a
very important man. But there is guilt in many a human heart, and skeletons in many
cupboards. The question is: what the hell is going on in this country? All power corrupts
– and the Tories have been in power for nearly twelve years. They are certainly 10
experiencing their full quota of fallen idols.
Source B
From the book ‘Scandal 63’ published in September 1963. This was written by a group
of investigative journalists who worked at ‘The Sunday Times’, a right-wing establishment
newspaper.
Source B cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source B argues that the Labour Party feared that the Profumo Affair had actually
led to public sympathy for Macmillan.
IB/M/Jun25/7042/2S
, 3
Source C
From a speech by Harold Wilson to 2000 Labour supporters at Birmingham Town Hall,
January 1964. Wilson was launching the Labour Party’s election campaign.
Source C cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source C is Wilson arguing that Labour is best equipped for the new ‘jet-age’.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the political situation
in 1963/64.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun25/7042/2S Turn over ►
Modern Britain, 1951–2007 Question Paper & Mark Scheme
(Merged) Friday 6 June 2025 [VERIFIED]
A-level
HISTORY
Component 2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Friday 6 June 2025 Afternoon 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
7042/2S.
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.
IB/M/Jun25/G4003/E5 7042/2S
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From the ‘Daily Mirror’, a left-wing popular newspaper, 6 June 1963. This article
appeared on the newspaper's front page under the headline: ‘The Big Lie’.
War Minister, John Profumo, caused a political sensation last night by resigning from the
Government. In a dramatic letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Profumo admitted that he lied
to the Commons about his association with red-haired model Christine Keeler. This
admission finally clears away the cloud of rumour and suspicion which has hung over the
political scene for more than three months. The ‘Daily Mirror’ does not kick a man when 5
he is down, but Mr Profumo, who married a beautiful and pleasant woman, is now truly
down and out. God knows he was never a good minister: it seems now that he is not a
very important man. But there is guilt in many a human heart, and skeletons in many
cupboards. The question is: what the hell is going on in this country? All power corrupts
– and the Tories have been in power for nearly twelve years. They are certainly 10
experiencing their full quota of fallen idols.
Source B
From the book ‘Scandal 63’ published in September 1963. This was written by a group
of investigative journalists who worked at ‘The Sunday Times’, a right-wing establishment
newspaper.
Source B cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source B argues that the Labour Party feared that the Profumo Affair had actually
led to public sympathy for Macmillan.
IB/M/Jun25/7042/2S
, 3
Source C
From a speech by Harold Wilson to 2000 Labour supporters at Birmingham Town Hall,
January 1964. Wilson was launching the Labour Party’s election campaign.
Source C cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source C is Wilson arguing that Labour is best equipped for the new ‘jet-age’.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context,
assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the political situation
in 1963/64.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/M/Jun25/7042/2S Turn over ►
