2025 AQA A-Level HISTORY 7042/2P
Component 2P The Transformation of China, 1936–1997
Question paper and Marking scheme Merged
A-level
HISTORY
Component 2P The Transformation of China, 1936–1997
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
7042/2P.
• 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.
Source A
From a speech to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by
Lu Dingyi, May 1956. Lu Dingyi was the director of Mao’s Propaganda Department.
Source A cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source A shows Mao’s motivations for launching the Hundred Flowers Campaign.
Source B
From a criticism published in the ‘Shenyang Daily’ newspaper, by Chang Po-Sheng, June
1957. Chang was a university professor and head of the Propaganda Department of the
Communist Youth League.
Source B cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source B shows why Mao changed the course of the Hundred Flowers campaign and
launched the Anti-Rightist campaign.
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2P
, 3
Source C
From a memoir, ‘No Wall Too High’, by Xu Hongci, published in Britain, 2008. A former
Communist Youth League member, Xu was imprisoned in labour camps but escaped to
Mongolia.
Source C cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source C shows the impact of the Anti-Rightist campaign on its victims.
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 political developments
in China in the years 1956/57.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2P Turn over ►
Component 2P The Transformation of China, 1936–1997
Question paper and Marking scheme Merged
A-level
HISTORY
Component 2P The Transformation of China, 1936–1997
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
7042/2P.
• 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.
Source A
From a speech to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) by
Lu Dingyi, May 1956. Lu Dingyi was the director of Mao’s Propaganda Department.
Source A cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source A shows Mao’s motivations for launching the Hundred Flowers Campaign.
Source B
From a criticism published in the ‘Shenyang Daily’ newspaper, by Chang Po-Sheng, June
1957. Chang was a university professor and head of the Propaganda Department of the
Communist Youth League.
Source B cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source B shows why Mao changed the course of the Hundred Flowers campaign and
launched the Anti-Rightist campaign.
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2P
, 3
Source C
From a memoir, ‘No Wall Too High’, by Xu Hongci, published in Britain, 2008. A former
Communist Youth League member, Xu was imprisoned in labour camps but escaped to
Mongolia.
Source C cannot be reproduced here due to third-party copyright restrictions
Source C shows the impact of the Anti-Rightist campaign on its victims.
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 political developments
in China in the years 1956/57.
[30 marks]
Turn over for Section B
IB/G/Jun25/7042/2P Turn over ►
