Question Bank of HKCEE (history paper I)(1988-2000)
The rise of the nation states in Europe 1815--1914
1988Compare the factors which made possible the unification ofGermany with those which
made possible the unification ofItaly in the 19th century. (25)
1989 a) What is meant by 'nationalism' ? (7)
b) In what ways did nationalism affect relations among European countries during the
period 1871--1914? (18)
1990
1991 Explain why Bismarck succeeded in unifying Germany. (30)
1992 To what extent did international political conditions contribute
to the success of the Italian unification movement? (30)
1993
1994
1995a) Why and how did Austria attempt to suppress German unification movement after
1815? (10)
b) Why, despite Austria's opposition, was Germany able to achieve unification in 1871?
(20)
1996
1997 *DBQ (Unification of Italy) (1+2+6)
1998*Explain how Bismarck and Kaiser William II affected the development of German history (15+15)
1999 *DBQ (Germany) (12)
2000 a) What were the obstacles to the Italian and German unification movements? (20)
b) Which of these unification movements do you think faced greater obstacles? Justify
your answer. (10)
The Russian Revolution
1988
1989a) Describe briefly the reforms carried out by the Russiangovernment during the period
1861--1917. (10)
b) Explain why, despite these reforms, Czarist rule collapsed in 1917. (15)
1990 a) Why did a revolution break out in Russia in March 1917? (13)
b) Why was there a second revolution in November of the same year? (12)
1991 a) In what ways was Russia around 1914 different from Russiaaround 1860? (30)
1992
1993 DBQ (22) (Reform in 1900 and Bolshevik Revolution)
1994
* 1995 ("Revolution is caused by war.")
1996
1997 *DBQ (reforms and Feb. Revolution) (2+6)
1998 *DBQ (October Revolution) (3+3+4)
1999With reference to any TWO wars involving Russia within your history course, explain:
a) why Russia entered the wars;
b) how Russia was affected by the wars. (include the Soviet period)
2000 *DBQ (Downfall of Nicholas II) (11)
China (1860--1919)
1988 Why was there a May Fourth Movement in China? (12)
What was the significance of this movement in modern Chinese history? (13)
1990Explain why, during the latter half of the nineteenth century,there were anti-foreign
feelings among many Chinese people? (25)
1991How did the governments of China and Japan modernizetheir respective countries
economically from the 1860s to 1912? How successful were they? (25)
1992'The 1911 revolution in China was not a successful revolution.'Do you agree with this
statement? Give reasons for your answer. (30)
1992 a) By 1860 what internal and external problems did the Qing government face? (10)
b) How did the Qing government attempt to solve these problems in the period 1861--94?
(20)
1993 * (Downfall of a government caused by external factors)
1994
1995 * (“Revolution is caused by war)
1996 * ( a great leader's characteristics and why )
1997 *DBQ (Cixi and the late Qing problems) (2+2+6)
1997 'Reform movements often occur as a response to the aggression of foreign countries.'
With reference to the history of China and Japan within your course of study, explain
wether you agree with this statement. (15+15)
1998 *DBQ (Sino-French War) (1+2+6)
1999 a) What attempts were made by China to strengthen itself in the period 1861-1919.
b) How China become stronger by 1919 as a result of these attempts? Cite evidence to
support your viewpoint.
2000*DBQ (The Boxer ) (9)
Japan (1868--1922)
1988 What is meant by 'modernization'? (7)
In what ways can Japan be regarded as a modernized stateby 1912? (18)
1989What were the main features and consequences of theeducational and economic reforms
carried out in Japanduring the Meiji period? (25)
1990How did the governments of China and Japan modernizetheir respective countries
economically from 1860's to 1912? How successful were they? (30)
1991Trace the efforts made by Japan to achieve the status of a world power in the period
1868--1919. (30)
1992 / 1993
1994 To what extent did Japan's emergence as a world power by1919 result from its victories
in foreign wars? (30)
1995
1996 *DBQ (15) (Russo-Japanese War and WWI)
1997 'Reform movements often occur as a response to the aggression of foreign countries.'
With reference to the history of China and Japan within your course of study, explain
whether you agree with this statement. (15+15)
1998 *Japan’s foreign Wars (The Russo-Japanese War) (15)
1999 *DBQ (9) The Meiji Reform (Political)
2000 a) What do you think are the necessary conditions for a country to become a ‘World
power’? (10)
b) Could Japan be regarded as a ‘World power’ by the year 1922? Explain your answer
with reference to the conditions your mentioned in (a).
World war One
1988 Why did a general war break out in Europe in 1914? (15)
Why did this war later develop into a 'world war'? (10)
1989 (a) What is meant by 'nationalism'? (7)
(b) In what ways did nationalism affect relations among European countries during the
period 1871--1914? (18)
1990Which TWO countries do you consider to have been most responsible for bringing about
the First World War? Explain your choice. (25)
1991
1992 How and why did Russia, the United States and China enterthe First World War? (30)
1993 a) What do you understand by the term 'Eastern Question'? (8)
b) How did the 'Eastern Question' affect the relations among the European powers during
the period 1871-1914? (22)
1994 * DBQ Agadir Incident of 1911 (The Alliance System) (7)
The Schlieffen Plan (Germany) (8)
1995 *DBQ Colonial rivalries (7)
1995 'Fundamentally, the First World War was caused by nationalism,colonial rivalry, the
alliance system and the armament race.' Withreference to this statement, select ONE
country and explain why it entered the First World War. (30)
1996 *DBQ Course of the War (8)
Result of the War (7)
1996 What were the positive and negative effects of nationalism in Europe?
Explain your answer with reference to the period 1848-1914. (30)
1997 ** Germany for WWI (15)
1998 *DBQ The Armament race (6+6)
1998*Explain how Bismarck and Kaiser William II affected the development of German
history (15+15)
1999 / 2000
Interwar period (1919--1945)
1988
1989In what ways did the international situation during the period 1919-1939 encourage the
aggressive activities of Japan and Germany in the 1930's? (25)
1990 Trace and explain Sino-Japanese relations from 1912 to 1937 (25)
1991 With reference to the internal and external policies of any ONE state within your history
course, identify the main features of totalitarian rule. (30)
1992 Why did democracy fail to take root in Germany and Japan between the two world wars?
(30)
1993 * DBQ Nazis Germany (8)
1994
1995 Select ONE of the following persons and then answer questions(a) and (b) :
-- Hitler -- Mussolini -- Stalin
(a) Why was he able to rise to power? (20)
(b) Why is he regarded as a dictator? (10)
1996
1997 *DBQ (Nazism) (3+4+6)
1998**Japan’s foreign War (The Second Sino-Japanese War 1937-45)
1999 *DBQ (11) (The Fascist Italy)
2000 *DBQ (10) The rise of Nazi Party
The Second World War
1988 ------1993
1994 * DBQ World War Two ---- Coalition (8)
1994 (a) What attempts were made by the powers in 1919-39 topromote world peace? (10)
(b) Why did these attempts fail to maintain world peaceeventually? (20)
1995 / 1996
1997 ** Germany for WWII (15)
1998 / 1999
2000 *DBQ (10) The Potsdam Conference
2000 Explain the importance of the following as causes of the Second World War:
a) The failure of collective security; (20)
b) The Great Depression (10)
Post- war Europe
1988'a struggle between capitalist and communist blocs' : is this an accurate description of
international conflicts during the period 1945-70? Support your opinion with examples.
(25)
1989 Explain the division of the both Germany and Korea after the Second World War. (25)
1990 Account for the formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) and the
European Economic Community (EEC). (25)
1991
1992 Briefly describe the United States' involvement in European and Asian affairs during the
period 1946-70. (30)
1993 (a) In what ways were the year 1945-70 a period of internationalcooperation? (15)
(b)What factors led to the different forms of cooperation that occurred during those years?
(15)
1994
1995 * DBQ Cold War (8)
1996 * DBQ United Nations (8)
1996With reference to ONE international crisis that occurred in the Post-Second World War
period, explain (a) why and how the crisis occurred; and (22)
(b) how it affected the international relations of the time (8)
1997 To what extent could the Cold War be regarded as an ideological conflict between the
capitalist and communist blocs? (30)
1998 *DBQ (4+5) The North Atlantic Pact (1945-9)
1999 *DBQ (8) The Marshall Plan
2000
Other
1988What is the importance of a revolutionary leader for the success of a revolution?
Support your answer with reference to the careerof any ONE important historical
figure within your history course. (25)
1989/ 1990
1991 Describe and account for the ways that the victorious powers treated the defeated
countries after the First and the Second World Wars. (30)
1992
1993 To what extent was the downfall of a government caused by external factors?
Discuss with reference to any ONE countrywithin your history course. (30)
1994 'The success of a person is due to favorable circumstances rather than his/her own
abilities.' Do you agree with this statement?Explain your answer with reference to
the career of any ONE historical figure within your history course. (30)
1995
1996 (a) What, in your opinion, are the characteristics of a great leader? (8)
(b) Select ONE person from your history course and explain why you consider him/her
to be a great leader. (22)
1997 In what ways should Germany be held responsible for bringing about World War I and
World War II? (15+15)
1998 Select TWO of the following years and explain whether they could be regarded as
turning-points in history :
a) 1848 b)1870 c)1919 d)1945 (15+15)
1999 Select ONE international conference from (a) and ONE international organization
from (b), and illustrate how effective they were in maintaining peace:
(a) The Congress of Berlin / The Washington Conference
(b) The League of Nations / The united Nations Organization.
2000