AQA A-level History · 2S

The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007

50 exam-style questions with answers for 2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007 in AQA A-level History (spec 7042). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below. Not official AQA material.

All 50 questions and answers

Question 1 · Spec 2S, Part one
Why did the Conservatives dominate 1951–1964? [2 marks]
Answer:
Any two from: affluence (1); Labour divisions (1); Macmillan’s leadership (1); housing success (1).
Question 2 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was Butskellism? [1 mark]
Answer:
The consensus between Conservative and Labour economic policies.
Question 3 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was ‘stop-go’? [1 mark]
Answer:
Alternating expansion and restraint of the economy.
Question 4 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Suez Crisis (1956)? [1 mark]
Answer:
The failed invasion of Egypt that led to Eden’s resignation.
Question 5 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was EFTA? [1 mark]
Answer:
The European Free Trade Association, formed in 1960.
Question 6 · Spec 2S, Part one
Why did de Gaulle veto Britain’s EEC application in 1963? [1 mark]
Answer:
He saw Britain as too close to the USA.
Question 7 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Profumo Affair (1963)? [1 mark]
Answer:
A scandal involving a minister who lied to Parliament.
Question 8 · Spec 2S, Part one
What did Wilson mean by the ‘white heat of technology’? [1 mark]
Answer:
Modernising Britain through science and technology.
Question 9 · Spec 2S, Part one
When was the pound devalued under Wilson? [1 mark]
Answer:
1967.
Question 10 · Spec 2S, Part one
State two liberal reforms of the 1960s. [2 marks]
Answer:
Any two from: abolition of capital punishment (1965) (1); Abortion Act (1967) (1); Sexual Offences Act (1967) (1); Divorce Reform Act (1969) (1).
Question 11 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was In Place of Strife (1969)? [1 mark]
Answer:
A failed plan to reform trade unions.
Question 12 · Spec 2S, Part one
Did Britain send troops to Vietnam? [1 mark]
Answer:
No; Wilson refused despite US pressure.
Question 13 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Industrial Relations Act (1971)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Heath’s act to regulate unions, which failed.
Question 14 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the three-day week (1974)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Electricity rationing during the miners’ strike.
Question 15 · Spec 2S, Part one
When did Britain join the EEC? [1 mark]
Answer:
1973.
Question 16 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the 1975 referendum? [1 mark]
Answer:
A vote to stay in the EEC.
Question 17 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the IMF crisis (1976)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Britain borrowed from the IMF and had to cut spending.
Question 18 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Winter of Discontent (1978–1979)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Widespread strikes that damaged Labour.
Question 19 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Sex Discrimination Act (1975)? [1 mark]
Answer:
It banned sex discrimination in employment, education and services.
Question 20 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was Notting Hill (1958)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Race riots against West Indian residents.
Question 21 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Commonwealth Immigrants Act (1962)? [1 mark]
Answer:
It restricted Commonwealth immigration.
Question 22 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Race Relations Act (1965)? [1 mark]
Answer:
It banned discrimination in public places.
Question 23 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech (1968)? [1 mark]
Answer:
An anti-immigration speech after which Enoch Powell was sacked from the shadow cabinet.
Question 24 · Spec 2S, Part one
What was the Open University (1969)? [1 mark]
Answer:
A university offering distance learning for adults.
Question 25 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was monetarism? [1 mark]
Answer:
Controlling inflation by controlling the money supply.
Question 26 · Spec 2S, Part two
State two privatisations under Thatcher. [2 marks]
Answer:
Any two from: British Telecom (1984) (1); British Gas (1986) (1); British Airways (1987) (1).
Question 27 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the right to buy? [1 mark]
Answer:
Council tenants could buy their homes at a discount.
Question 28 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the miners’ strike (1984–1985)? [1 mark]
Answer:
A year-long strike over pit closures, defeated by the government.
Question 29 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Falklands War (1982)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Britain recaptured the islands after Argentina invaded.
Question 30 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Big Bang (1986)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Deregulation of the City of London.
Question 31 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the poll tax? [1 mark]
Answer:
The Community Charge, introduced in 1990 and very unpopular.
Question 32 · Spec 2S, Part two
Why did Thatcher fall in 1990? [2 marks]
Answer:
The poll tax (1); divisions over Europe and Howe’s resignation (1).
Question 33 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was Black Wednesday (1992)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Britain left the ERM.
Question 34 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Maastricht Treaty (1992)? [1 mark]
Answer:
The treaty creating the EU, which split the Conservatives.
Question 35 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was Clause IV? [1 mark]
Answer:
Labour’s commitment to nationalisation, rewritten by Blair in 1995.
Question 36 · Spec 2S, Part two
When did Blair win his first election? [1 mark]
Answer:
1997.
Question 37 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was devolution? [1 mark]
Answer:
The creation of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly in 1999.
Question 38 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Good Friday Agreement (1998)? [1 mark]
Answer:
The Northern Ireland peace settlement.
Question 39 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Human Rights Act (1998)? [1 mark]
Answer:
It brought the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law.
Question 40 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was Bank of England independence (1997)? [1 mark]
Answer:
The Bank was given control of interest rates.
Question 41 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the minimum wage (1998)? [1 mark]
Answer:
A legal minimum hourly wage.
Question 42 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Iraq War (2003)? [1 mark]
Answer:
The invasion of Iraq by the US and UK.
Question 43 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Single European Act (1986)? [1 mark]
Answer:
It created the European single market.
Question 44 · Spec 2S, Part two
State one reason for Conservative electoral failures 1997–2005. [1 mark]
Answer:
Any one from: divisions over Europe (1); sleaze (1); New Labour’s popularity (1).
Question 45 · Spec 2S, Part two
Who was John Major? [1 mark]
Answer:
Conservative Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997.
Question 46 · Spec 2S, Part two
Who was Neil Kinnock? [1 mark]
Answer:
Labour leader 1983–1992 who began modernising the party.
Question 47 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was New Labour? [1 mark]
Answer:
Blair’s rebranded Labour Party, accepting much of the market economy.
Question 48 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Brixton riot (1981)? [1 mark]
Answer:
Rioting linked to unemployment and police stop and search.
Question 49 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was the Scarman Report (1981)? [1 mark]
Answer:
A report into the Brixton riots that found racial disadvantage.
Question 50 · Spec 2S, Part two
What was Kosovo (1999)? [1 mark]
Answer:
NATO intervention, strongly backed by Blair.

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The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007

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