Introduction to Breadth Analysis
Welcome to one of the most important parts of your AQA A Level History course! Breadth analysis is all about looking at the "big picture." While your Depth Study (Component 2) asks you to look at events through a microscope, your Breadth Study (Component 1) asks you to look at them from a bird's-eye view, covering a period of around 100 years.
In the exam, specifically in the Section B essays, you are required to show that you understand how history moves over time. You won't be asked about a single day or a tiny event; instead, every essay you write will cover a minimum of 20 years. This chapter will teach you how to master the "Big Six" concepts that AQA examiners look for: change, continuity, cause, consequence, similarity, difference, and significance.
1. Change and Continuity: The "Flow" of History
History isn't just a list of things that changed. Often, the most interesting parts of history are the things that didn't change, even when it looks like they should have. These two concepts are almost always linked in breadth questions.
Understanding Change
When looking at a 100-year period, you need to think about the nature and pace of change:
- Nature: Was the change political, social, economic, or religious? Was it a "turning point" or a gradual shift?
- Pace: Did things change overnight (revolutionary) or slowly over several decades (evolutionary)?
Understanding Continuity
Continuity is when things stay the same. For example, a country might get a new leader (change), but the way the government actually works might stay exactly the same (continuity). In your essays, acknowledging what stayed the same is just as important as identifying what changed.
Quick Tip: Think of history like a river. The water is always moving and changing (change), but the riverbed and the banks often stay in the same place for a very long time (continuity).
2. Cause and Consequence: The "Why" and the "Result"
In a breadth study, causes and consequences are often spread out over many years. You need to be able to categorize them to show the examiner you have "breadth" of understanding.
Categorizing Causes
- Long-term causes: Factors that were building up for decades (e.g., growing social tension).
- Short-term causes: "Triggers" that made an event happen right then and there.
- Role of individuals: Did a specific person cause the event, or was it bigger than them?
Evaluating Consequences
Don't just list what happened after an event. Ask yourself: Was this consequence intended or unintended? Sometimes a leader makes a choice to solve one problem, only to accidentally create three new ones 50 years later!
Key Takeaway: For AO1 (Assessment Objective 1), you must make substantiated judgements. This means you don't just say "this caused that"; you must explain how much it mattered compared to other causes.
3. Similarity and Difference: Comparing Across Time
Because Component 1 covers 100 years, you will often be asked to compare two different parts of that century. For example, you might compare a king at the start of the century to a queen at the end.
- Similarity: Look for patterns. Do different leaders face the same types of opposition? Do they use the same methods to stay in power?
- Difference: What makes one period unique? Why did a certain policy work in 1860 but fail in 1890?
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't write two separate "mini-essays" (one on the first period and one on the second). You must link them together throughout your paragraphs to show you are analyzing the whole period.
4. Significance: Why Does it Matter?
In history, "significance" is a measure of how much an event or person actually changed the course of the future. Something is significant if:
- It affected a large number of people.
- It had a long-lasting impact (it wasn't just a "flash in the pan").
- It acted as a turning point, meaning history went in a completely different direction afterward.
Did you know? An event can be significant even if it failed! If a rebellion fails but scares the government into changing the law 20 years later, that rebellion is highly significant.
5. Applying Skills to the Exam (Section B)
According to the official syllabus, Section B of Component 1 requires you to answer two essay questions. Here is how to apply breadth analysis effectively:
- The 20-Year Rule: Every essay covers at least 20 years. If you find yourself only talking about a 5-year window, you are missing the "breadth" and will lose marks.
- The Chronological Range: Usually, the question will cover a much larger period, often the full 100 years or one of the "Parts" of your option (e.g., Part One or Part Two).
- Balanced Argument: Use the concepts above to build a "two-sided" argument. If the question asks "To what extent was there a revolution in government?", one side of your argument should be Change (the revolution) and the other side should be Continuity (what stayed the same).
Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! Breadth analysis is a skill that grows the more you learn about your specific historical period. The more you know about the "end" of your 100-year period, the easier it is to look back at the "beginning" and see the patterns.
Quick Review: The Breadth Analysis Checklist
Before you finish an essay, ask yourself these four questions:
- Did I cover at least 20 years of history?
- Did I mention both change and continuity?
- Did I distinguish between short-term and long-term factors?
- Did I make a substantiated judgement about which factor was the most significant?
Note: For more specific advice on how to structure these arguments, see the chapter on "Section B essay technique: argument, evidence and judgement."