How powerful were the Venetians during the 9th-15th century? Source A: A “Regatta on the Grand Canal” by Luca Carnevalis (1663-1730). Regatta

is a water festival, a common event in the past when Venetians celebrated the glory of Venice and the Republic’s maritime prowess.

Source B: An analysis of the growing power of Venice by a historian. The Venetians used their sea power, not territorial possessions, to draw tribute. Their wars were fought to improve political arrangements, which would be disadvantageous to the rivals. All these would make Venice’s established trades more secure and gain for them trading privileges which would facilitate commercial expansion into new areas.

Source C: A comment by a historian on the expansion of Venice. Venice had used every means to expand at the cost of its neighbors. In the Veneto, in Lombardy, and in the Romagna, the city consistently used arms and alliances to divide and conquer. In Tuscany, Venetians retarded Florence’s growth by helping Pisa, Lucca and Siena. It has sometimes been argued that, with the spread of the Ottoman Turks, and with France, Spain and the empire throwing their weight around in Italy, Venice had to expand to survive.

Source D: A description of Venice in 528 AD by the secretary to the King of Italy. There lie your houses like seabirds' nests, half on sea and half on land...Your inhabitants have fish in abundance: the same food for all, the houses alike; and so envy, that vice which rules the world, is absent there. All your activity is devoted to the salt works, which comes our wealth. For your gains you repair your boats, which like horses you keep tied at your doors. Fishing is the means of livelihood; salt the industry, democratic equality the social note. Source E: A comment by a historian on Venice’s contribution to Europe’s economic prosperity in the 13th century. The energy and dynamism showed by the thirteenth century Europeans were most clearly shown by the speed in which European entrepreneurs, especially the Venetians, changed their attitude towards the awe-inspiring new power of the Mongol reign which were rumored to be growing in the East. Merchants knew fortunes awaited those who made contact with the Mongolian powers. The Venetian merchants were the first to go to the Far East in search of that fortune.

Source F: A short write-up on the origins of Venice from an internet guide. Venice was created in the 5th century A.D., by refugees from a northern Italy constantly in wars and invasions. The refugees settle in on an island that became Venezia. They started to build houses of wattle and daub, and anchor branches with stakes to protect the pilings from the action of the currents. They started to construct boats and began fishing. They also dried sea water to extract salt, and suddenly the economy of Venice was started.

Section A (Source-Based Case Study): What contributed to Venice’s prosperity?1 (a) Study Source AWhat is this source suggesting about Venice? Explain your answer using details of the drawing and your own knowledge. [5]

Level of

ResponseLevel Descriptor Marks

AllocatedL3 Inference, supported with details from source.

Award 4m for one supported inference and 5m for two Example; I can infer that Venice is a wealthy country as the picture depicts an elaborate event that shows many participants and seems to be showing off its opulence through the scale and the grandeur shown. Also, it suggests that Venice recognizes and celebrates its sea power as an important part of its existence. This shows that Sea power was an essential part of Venetian life as seen from the large numbers of boats and rowers at the Regatta.

4-5m

(b) Study Source B and Source C.How similar are these sources? Explain your answer. [6]

Level of Response

Level Descriptor Marks Allocated

L3 Similarity OR Difference, supported.Example; Both Sources feel that the use of its military to gain power was a part Venice’s foreign policy strategy. This is seen from source B where “Their wars were fought to improve political arrangements, which would be disadvantageous to the rivals.” which shows that war was part of their interactions with foreign powers. This attitude can also be seen in source C where “, the city consistently used arms and alliances to divide and conquer.” which shows that war was part of the actions it took against other powers. OR However, both sources also state different motivations why warfare was needed and utilized by Venice. Source B felt that Venice’s use of war was to “make Venice’s established trades more secure” and for “trading privileges” which shows that it was for trading purposes. However, source C disagrees and feels that the reason for its use of warfare was due to the challenges other aggressive powers. It states that with countries like the France, Spain and the Ottoman

3-4m

Turks “throwing their weight around in Italy” putting pressure on Venice, it was essential for Venice “to expand to survive” meaning that it had to resort to war to fight off other aggressor by growing more powerful.

L4 Both aspects of L3. Similarity AND Difference, supported.Award 5 marks only for well explained answers that are fully supported with evidence from both sources

4-5m

L5 Similarity in Tone Example; Both sources are objective in their tone as they are comments by historians

6m

L6 Similarity in purposeExample; Both Sources are for their readership with the message that Venice was aggressive and expanded in order to facilitate trade and their desired outcome is to inform readers about the reasons for Venice’s actions during its rise.

7m

(c) Study Source DTo what extent is this source reliable in what it reports? Explain your answer. [7]

Level of Response

Level Descriptor Marks Allocated

L1 According to provenanceExample; It is reliable because it is reported by the secretary to the King Italy.

1m

L2 Reliability based on content/Not reliableAward 3 marks only if details from source is given as evidenceExample; This is reliable because it seems to be an eye witness description of what was happening to Venice then in terms of its city structure, government and types of work the people sis.. It describes how its houses and people were in great detail. For example it states how “houses like seabirds' nests, half on sea and half on land” which is a vivid description.

2-3m

L3 Reliable or Not Reliable according to contextual knowledge OR cross-referencing. SupportedExample; This source is reliable as it tallies with my contextual knowledge. It states that “Fishing is the means of livelihood; salt the industry, democratic equality the social note.” This is true of early Venice as its early industries consisted on a dominance of the salt trade in the Adriatic and fishing and its citizens were regarded as equals despite of how wealthy they were.ORThe source is reliable because it is supported by other

4-5m

sources like source F. Source F that they “dried sea water to extract salt” and that fishing also contributed to the growth of their economy. This tallies with what source D says about how “All activity is devoted to salt works” which shows that salt was a dominant activity.

L4 Reliable and not reliable with CK or CRAward 6 marks only for answers that show how the source is reliable by cross-referencing and/or contextual knowledge.

6m

L5 Reliability according to purpose. Example; This source was in praise of Venice and its people to the king of Italy. It is likely to be a bit unreliable because as a diplomat, he probably would have to be gracious about the country and may choose to not highlight the problems of Venice or might paint a better picture.

7m

(d) Study Source E.How useful is this source as evidence about the rise of Venice? Explain your answer.

[7]Level of

ResponseLevel Descriptor Marks

AllocatedL1 Usefulness according to provenance

Example; It is useful because it is written by a historian who is most probably an expert on the subject.

1m

L2 Useful/ not useful according to content, supported. It is useful because it is objective and is stating facts like how the entrepreneurs of Venice had “energy and dynamism” and embraced the opportunities of the Mongol empire by being “the first to go to the Far East in search of that fortune.” This showed that Venice’s power rose from its enterprising businessmen.ORIt is not useful as it lacks other information on how Venice rose to power. It only shows how its adventurous spirit allowed it to take advantage. It does not say how its military conquests or the Doges also contributed to its success

2m

L3 Both aspects of L2 supported, supported 3-4mL4 Usefulness evaluated according to reliability/ not useful

evaluated with CK/CRExample;I know from my contextual knowledge that one of the other reasons for the rise of Venice was foresight and leadership of the Doges. For example, Doge Enrico Dandolo whose leadership during the fourth crusade led to the capture of the Byzantine empire’s capital Constantinople. This crusade allowed Venice to take over territories once controlled by the Byzantine Empire and increase its international status

4-5m

and recognition. Other Doges increased Venice’s power by establishing trade routes like Pietro Ziani and Pietro II Orseolo established diplomatic relations and placated pirates to facilitate trade. The source does not mention this, hence it is not useful. Other sources like B also mention that “Their wars were fought to improve political arrangements, which would be disadvantageous to the rivals” meaning that their aggression made their trade easier and contributed to their success. This is not mentioned, hence the source is useful to a limited extent. This source is useful because it is accurate. I know from my contextual knowledge that the spirit of enterprise was one of the key elements of Venice’s success and one of their great traders was Marco Polo who traveled to the Far East to discover new routes and markets.

L5 Both aspects of L4 6mL5 Usefulness evaluated according to purpose.

Example; This source was written by a Historian whose purpose is to inform readers on the reasons for the rise of Venice. Hence because he is most likely to be an expert on the subject, the source is very useful.

7m