Sample Questions

Sample Questions from the 2012 Year 8 Paper

Questions 5-7 refer to Source B

5. The ‘modern discoveries’ referred to in Source B are most likely to have been made by:

A Archivists B Historians

C Archaeologists D Museum curators

6. According to Source B,

A we know how the pyramids were built.

B the stone blocks of the pyramids were rolled into place.

C the Greeks believed that the pyramids were built by skilled workers.

D recent evidence suggests that the pyramids were not built by slaves.

7. How useful is Source B to someone researching the pyramids?

A Useful because it is a primary source.

B Not useful because internet sources are unreliable.

C Not useful because it does not provide clear answers.

D Useful because it summarises recent views that can be further researched.

Questions 8-12 refer to source C

8. According to Source C, what period does Ancient History cover?

A 3100 BC – 470 AD B The period before 3100 BC

C 470 AD – 1500 AD D 4000 BC – 1000 BC

9. According to the timeline, when did Buddha live?

A Around 1500 BC B Around 500 BC

C About 1500 years ago D During the 5^th Century AD

10. Which of the religious leaders shown on the timeline founded Islam?

A Jesus B Buddha

C Muhammad D Martin Luther

11. The historical periods shown on this timeline are based on a view of history that is:

A Asian B Arabic

C African D European

12. At which point on the timeline do historians believe that writing was invented?

A W B X

C Y D Z

13. What do historians rely upon to find out about the past in the period before writing was used?

A Engravings and coins

B Manuscripts and artwork

C Oral sources and photographs

D Artefacts and the remains of buildings

14. What name do historians give to the period of great artistic activity and 'rebirth' of learning that began in Italy around the 14th centruy AD?

A The Renaissance B The Reformation

C The Enlightenment D The Scientific Revolution

15. A significant aspect of the period referred to in Question 14 was the ‘rediscovery’ of the scholarly and artistic works of which ancient peoples?

A Celts and Ottomans B Indians and Chinese

C Greeks and Romans D Persians and Egyptians

16. Which three scholars or artists were prominent in the period referred to in Question 14?

A Charles Darwin, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie

B William Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, Pablo Picasso

C Nicolaus Copernicus, Albert Einstein, Vincent van Gogh

D Leonardo da Vinci, William Shakespeare, Nicolaus Copernicus

Questions 17-20 refer to Source D

17. According to Source D, which was the first continent to be inhabited by early humans?

A Asia B Africa

C Europe D South America

18. What theory about the origins and early migrations of modern humans is Source D based on?

A Creationism B Evolution

C The Out of Africa Theory D The Multi-regional Hypothesis

19. According to Source D, when did early humans first inhabit Australia?

A 50,000 – 40,000 CE. B 50,000 – 40,000 AD.

C 50,000 – 40,000 BCE. D 50,000 – 40,000 years ago.

20. From Source D and your own knowledge, which statement about the arrival of people in Easter Island is most correct?

A The first settlers arrived from South America.

B It was settled after Columbus discovered the New World.

C Polynesians arrived and settled during their explorations of the Pacific Ocean.

D After being discovered by Captain Cook in 1770 British convicts were sent there.

Questions 32-35 refer to Source I and Source J

32. According to Source I, when did the population of Europe drop by more than 30 million?

A In 1500 B After 1600

C During the 16^th century D Around 1350

33. Using Source J, what was the cause of Europe’s population decrease?

A The plague

B Disobeying the king

C The desertion of villages

D Failure to look after crops

34. What do Sources I and J appear to disagree about?

A Wages increased after the plague.

B The plague spread from sea ports.

C People died throughout the world in 1348.

D English villages were deserted after the plague.

35. How would a historian explain any apparent disagreement between Source I and Source J?

A Henry Knighton was exaggerating.

B Personal chronicles or diaries are often biased.

C Henry Knighton was writing about the world he knew.

D Source I is less reliable because it is a secondary source.

Questions 41-44 refer to Table 2

Table 2 Significant Military Leaders

Significance	List A	List B	List C	List D
Conquered Gaul (France) and dominated the Roman Empire in the 1^st Century BC	William the Conqueror	Julius Caesar	Genghis Khan	Saladin
Led the Norman invasion of England in 1066 AD	Saladin	William the Conqueror	Julius Caesar	Genghis Khan
Defeated Crusader armies and established Muslim dominance of the Holy Land in the 12^th Century AD	Genghis Khan	Saladin	William the Conqueror	Julius Caesar
Led the early Mongol invasions of Asia and Europe in the 13^th Century AD	Julius Caesar	Genghis Khan	Saladin	William the Conqueror

41. In Table 2, which list correctly matches the military leader to their significance?

A List A B List B

C List C D List D

42. The Bayeux Tapestry is a historical source for the exploits of which military leader listed in Table 2?

A Julius Caesar B Saladin

C William the Conqueror D Genghis Khan

43. What city in the Holy Land did Crusader and Muslim armies fight to control?

A Rome B Jerusalem

C Damascus D Constantinople

44. Which historical figure listed in Table 2 has a month named after him in our modern calendar?

A Julius Caesar B Saladin

C William the Conqueror D Genghis Khan

Questions 45-47 refer to Source K

45. Who built the structure shown in Source K?

A Vikings B Romans

C Greeks D Egyptians

46. What was this structure?

A A bridge, used by chariots B A memorial to a former ruler

C A town wall, built for protection D An aqueduct, used to carry water

47. What invention in building design does this structure rely on?

A The arch B Mud bricks

C Flying buttresses D The Doric column

Questions 48-49 refer to Source L

48. Evidence of what military technology can be seen in Panel 1?

A Armour B Stirrups

C A crossbow D Gunpowder

49. What aspect of daily life could historians investigate using Panel 2?

A Religion B Cooking

C Education D Government

Question 50 refers to Source K and Source L

50. The sites shown in Source K and Source L are both on the United Nations’ World Heritage List.

The following two statements suggest reasons:

I These sites are significant examples of the world’s heritage from past societies.

II These sites are popular with tourists and need conservation and careful management.

Select the best answer:

A Both Statements are correct. B Only Statement I is correct.

C Both Statements are incorrect. D Only Statement II is correct.

Grade 10 sample questions. These are some of the questions that were used in the 2011 Year 10 competition.

Source A

An Australian Banknote

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Questions 1-3 refer to Source A
1. Who is the person shown in Source A?
	A	Queen Victoria	B	Queen Elizabeth II
	C	Dame Enid Lyons	D	Elizabeth Macarthur

2. Why is she represented on the banknote?

A. To satisfy the demands of feminist historians

B. She was a significant figure in Australia’s history

C. She was Australia’s Head of State when the banknote was in use

D. To highlight Australia’s position as a Dominion of the British Empire

3.	What is the best estimate for the years when this note was in use?
	A	1880 – 1901	B	1901 – 1929
	C	1929 – 1966	D	1966 – 1984

Source C

A Plaque on the Federation Wall at the Chung
Wah Hall and Chinese Temple, Darwin

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Questions 11-12 refer to Source C

11. What is the main purpose of Source C?

A. To describe the bombing of Darwin

B. To analyse the results of the Darwin air raids

C. To remember those who died during air raids on Darwin

D. To commemorate the role of Chinese Australians during World War II

12. What type of history does C focus on?

	A	Social	B	Military
	C	Political	D	Diplomatic

Source D

Japanese Attacks on Australia, 1942-1943

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Questions 13-15 refer to Source D
13.	According to Source D, which Australian states or territories suffered air raids in 1942-43?
	A	SA, NT, WA	B	WA, NT, QLD
	C	NSW, WA, NT	D	NSW, QLD, WA

14.	According to Source D, which Australian city experienced attack from midget submarines in 1942-43?
	A	Darwin	B	Sydney
	C	Broome	D	Townsville

15. Which of the following views could Source D help to support?

A. Japan intended to invade Australia in 1942-43.

B. Japan did not intend to invade Australia in 1942-43.

C. In 1942-43 Australians had reason to fear invasion from Japan.

D. In 1942-43 most Australians were confident that Japan would not invade.

Questions 22-23 refer to the Table 1, below

Table 1

Contribution	List A	List B	List C	List D
Gold mining in NSW and Victoria	Afghans	Japanese	Chinese	South Sea Islanders
Diving for pearl and shell in northern Western Australia	South Sea Islanders	Chinese	Japanese	Afghans
Growing sugar cane in Queensland	Chinese	Afghans	South Sea Islanders	Japanese
Building the overland telegraph from South Australia to the Northern Territory	Japanese	South Sea Islanders	Afghans	Chinese

22. In Table 1, which list correctly matches the groups of migrants with their major contribution to early Australian economic development?

	A	List A	B	List B
	C	List C	D	List D
23. When was the overland telegraph line, referred to in Table 1, built?
	A	Late 18th century	B	Early 19th century
	C	Late 19th century	D	Early 20th century

Source I

Timeline of Selected Events in Australian History

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Questions 30-33 refer to Source I

30. In Source I, the points ‘W’, ‘X’, ‘Y’ and ‘Z’ represent the introduction of four new technologies. What are they, in correct chronological order?

A. movies, photography, personal computers, television

B. photography, movies, television, personal computers

C. television, photography, movies, personal computers

D. movies, photography, television, personal computers

31. In Source I, what happened at point ‘V’? A The Australian colonies federated.

B. The Harvester Judgement set a minimum wage for workers.

C. South Australia gave women the right to vote and stand for election.

D . Indigenous Australians were given the right to vote in federal elections.

32. In Source I, when was the colonial period in Australia’s history?

	A	Before point ‘R’	B	Between points ‘R’ and ‘T’
	C	Between points ‘T’ and ‘V’	D	After point ‘V’

33. If Source I was used to show Indigenous occupation, based on current estimates how many years would need to be shown before point ‘R’?

	A	600	B	60 000
	C	6000	D	600 000

34. With which event is Aboriginal Australian Vincent Lingiari associated?

	A	Freedom Rides, NSW	C		Wave Hill walk-off, NT
	C	Noonkanbah protest, WA	D	Cummeragunja walk-off, VIC

35. What was the main concern of the people who erected the Aboriginal Tent Embassy outside Parliament House in Canberra in 1972?

	A	Land rights	B	Equal pay
	C	Deaths in custody	D	The removal of children

Source L

The Australian Memorial, on the Western Front, near Villers-Brettonneux

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Questions 41-44 refer to Source L
41.	In which war was the Western Front a major battleground for Australian soldiers?
	A	World War I	B	World War II
	C	The Boer War	D	The Gallipoli Campaign
42. Where is the memorial shown in Source L located?
	A	Turkey	B	France
	C	Germany	D	South Africa

43. A historian researching the war on the Western Front would find this memorial most useful for studying which of the following aspects?

	A	How battles were fought	B Why the fighting took place
	C	How the war is commemorated	D	What conditions were like for soldiers

44. What evidence is there in Source L to suggest that modern Australians have a strong interest in their nation’s military history?

A The fact that the memorial is well looked after

B The fact that such a large memorial was erected

C An inscription on the front wall reading ‘Their name liveth for evermore’

D Evidence of battlefield tourist companies catering especially for Australians