LEARNING INTENTIONS: I WILL KNOW….1.THE PURPOSE OF THE ESSAY.2.WHAT THE ESSAY QUESTION WILL LOOK LIKE.3.THE CHOICES I HAVE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.4.HOW TO STRUCTURE THE ESSAY.5.SOME TIPS TO HELP LEARN THE CONTENT OF THE ESSAY.6.SOME OF THE MOST COMMON ‘DOH!’ MOMENTS.

Planning a ‘Force or Movement’ essay

A ‘FORCE OR MOVEMENT’ ESSAY HAS TO EXPLAIN HOW A ‘BIG IDEA’ HELPED LEAD TO AN EVENT.

THE EVENT IS ALWAYS THE OVERTHROW OF A GOVERNMENT.

THE ESSAY WILL ALSO HAVE TO DESCRIBE HOW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE EVENT.

The Purpose of a ‘Force or Movement’ essay

1. THE ESSAY QUESTION AT THE END OF YEAR WILL NOT ASK YOU TO RECALL THE DETAILS OF A PARTICULAR EVENT.

1. IT WILL BE A ‘GENERIC’ QUESTION – MEANING YOU CAN ANSWER IT USING ANY TOPIC STUDIED IN CLASS.

Typical questions for the ‘Force or Movement’ essay

“DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN HOW A FORCE OR MOVEMENT INFLUENCED A SPECIFIC GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL TO

CHALLENGE THE AUTHORITY OF A GOVERNMENT, OR A RIVAL FOR POWER.

DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS CHALLENGE.”

Examples of previous questions for the ‘Force or Movement’ essay. Look for

similarities!

“HOW DID AN HISTORICAL FORCE OR MOVEMENT INFLUENCE AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP TO SEEK CHANGE?

DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN THE CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE.”

Examples of previous questions for the ‘Force or Movement’ essay. Look for

similarities!

DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND AND EVENTS THAT LED

TO THE END OF A GOVERNMENT’S OR A LEADER’S RULE.

HOW DID AN HISTORICAL FORCE OR MOVEMENT RELATED TO THESE EVENTS HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON

PEOPLE’S LIVES AT THIS TIME?

Examples of previous questions for the ‘Force or Movement’ essay. Look for

similarities!

Common features

Each essay requires you to identify:

1.A Historical Force.

2.A group or individual motivated by the force to seek change.

3.A government that lost power.

4.A particular event.

5.The Causes and Consequences of this event.

Two of the options at the end of the year…

Russian Revolution Vietnam War

Historical Force Communism Nationalism

Group orindividual

The Bolsheviks Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh.

Government that lost power.

The Provisional Government

The French

The Event The October/November Revolution.

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu

Causes Lack of political progress, World War One, Bolshevik organisation.

French colonial rule, history of Nationalism, peasant support, Viet Minh organisation.

Consequences Introduction of Communist rule, EPIC.

Creation of DRV, Division of Vietnam.

The basic structure for all Force or Movement essays is the same:

Causes Event Consequences

Paragraph One about Causes

Paragraph Two about Causes

Paragraph Three about

Causes

ONE paragraph describing the

event itself.

Paragraph One describing

consequences and how people were affected.

Paragraph Two describing

consequences and how people were affected.

Paragraph Four about Causes

A possible ‘Scaffold’ for a Force or Movement essay

The structure which follows can be used to prepare notes for the in-class essay practice. You do not need to use this structure.

Introduction to the essay

“The November Revolution of 1917 saw the introduction of a Communist government in Russia under the leadership of Lenin’s Bolshevik Party. The causes of the revolution included resentment over the lack of political progress under Tsar Nicholas and the social and economic problems caused by Russia’s doomed involvement in World War One. Although the Tsar had abdicated in March 1917 the Bolsheviks were able to take advantage of the weakness of Kerensky’s Provisional Government and seize power by force. Once in control they applied Lenin’s version of Karl Marx’s model of Communist rule. The Bolsheviks seized private property, distributed land to the peasants and introduced a range of methods to secure communist control of Russia.”

Introduction to the essay: The Purpose of an introduction in History

“The November Revolution of 1917 saw the introduction of a Communist government in Russia under the leadership of Lenin’s Bolshevik Party. The causes of the revolution included resentment over the lack of political progress under Tsar Nicholas and the social and economic problems caused by Russia’s involvement in World War One. Although the Tsar had abdicated in March the Bolsheviks were able to take advantage of the weaknesses of Provisional Government and seize power by force. Once in control they applied Lenin’s version of Marx’s model of Communist rule. The Bolsheviks seized private property, distributed land to the peasants and introduced a range of methods to secure communist control of Russia.”

The introduction should:Identify the event.Identify the group.Identify some of the causes you will write about.Identify some of the consequences.BRIEFLY offer a definition or outline of the Historical Idea.

Paragraph One: Lack of political reform

The 1905 Revolution forced Tsar Nicholas to introduce reforms. The failure of these reforms to address the concerns of many Russians encouraged groups like the Bolsheviks.

Your notes

Paragraph Two: Impact of World War One

Russia’s involvement in World War One exposed the weaknesses of the nation. This had a significant impact on all social groups in Russia.Your notes

Paragraph Three: The March Revolution

The March Revolution was a result of increasing dissatisfaction with the Tsar’s leadership and divided power between the Petrograd Soviet and the Provisional Government.

Your notes

Paragraph Four: Rise of the Bolsheviks

Lenin's return to Russia in April and uncompromising leadership placed the Bolsheviks in a strong position by October.

Your notes

Paragraph Five: Revolution

In November 1917 Trotsky and Lenin put their planning into practice and overthrew Kerensky’s Provisional Government.

Your notes

Paragraph Six: Consequences

Although the Bolsheviks had successfully stormed the Winter Palace they needed to take decisive steps to secure their position.

Your notes

Paragraph Seven: Consequences

The Bolsheviks used their position to introduce a communist state under Lenin.

Your notes

Conclusion

The Bolshevik party was instrumental in forming a new communist government under the leadership of Lenin in Russia in 1917.

Your notes

How to revise the content

The Russian Revolution is a huge topic and revising for an essay can feel overwhelming. Try this tips:1.Turn the PowerPoint into a series of Flashcards (with the Topic sentence on one side and notes on the other).2.Use AUDACITY to record notes. Save them as an MP3 and listen to them on your iPod/phone.3.Write your notes out and deliver them as a speech.4.Write questions on Post It notes and put them around your study space and house. 5.Create your own PowerPoint notes and use animation features to conceal the answer until you reveal them.6.Work with another student to develop essay notes. Create ‘20 Questions’ to answer.7.Use the resources on the Wikispace!