HSC Ancient History Question Thread

[mariah_1101]

Hi ATAR Notes,

I wanted to practise answering some short answer questions for Ancient History and got a little confused as to how many sources to include depending on the amount of marks the question is worth... Do you have to include any sources for a 3 mark or 4 mark question? And for 6 markers and 8 markers, how many sources do you need?

Thanks

[darcyynic]

Hi ATAR Notes,

I wanted to practise answering some short answer questions for Ancient History and got a little confused as to how many sources to include depending on the amount of marks the question is worth... Do you have to include any sources for a 3 mark or 4 mark question? And for 6 markers and 8 markers, how many sources do you need?

Thanks

Hi there!

This is an excellent question and it was something I struggled with a lot during my HSC! I think this kind of thing is intuitive and totally depends on the question. For example, a Core question could ask you to specifically use two/three/four sources or it could also ask you to use one and your own knowledge, which obviously require different amounts of sources.

Generally speaking, a 3 marker requires you to make three points and a 4 marker requires four, etc. Each time you make a new point you need a source to back it up. That being said, you can also use the same source to make several points. In addition, you could also use a source to corroborate another which obviously leads to more sources being used but not necessarily more points being proven.

Honestly, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but there is no exact formula for Ancient History as the questions can vary greatly. Just make sure that for each new point you use at least one source and you should be fine! Try doing a few more short answer questions and get a feel of where you could possibly put them in.

Feel free to send me a practice response and I can review it for you and suggest where I'd put in the sources.

Darcy

[Kombmail]

Hey my Dudes!
I am recently learning about Akhenaten ( my teach accidentally gave us 100 q's on sparta as a mistake lol) a change of plans my teach has made.
I stumbled upon this and wanted to know what it was.. .... 'vows of royalty' according to an overview of the eighteenth century egypt?

pls reply by quoting me on this if you know:)
thanks,
Komal:)

[Kombmail]

yall I also dont know what this is in terms of 'personalities in their times; Akhenaten':
who were the 'royal brothers'?
This is the whole sentence from the antiquity 2 textbook: 'The pharaoh corresponded with his neighbouring rulers and vassals, and even married foreign princesses to cement the deals brokered between the 'royal brothers' '.

[tamsyc]

Hi ATARnotes,

I'm just looking over some of my notes for Pompeii and I remebered that my lecturer for the most revcent ancient history ATARnotes lecture (Susie Dodds) mentioned something on "The Ringed Lady" and how theres a lot of controversy around it. I've tried googling it and I can only find resources praising it as amazing proof of ancient jewellry... Anyone have a good resource?

Thanks,
Tamsyn

[katie,rinos]

Hi ATARnotes,

I'm just looking over some of my notes for Pompeii and I remebered that my lecturer for the most revcent ancient history ATARnotes lecture (Susie Dodds) mentioned something on "The Ringed Lady" and how theres a lot of controversy around it. I've tried googling it and I can only find resources praising it as amazing proof of ancient jewellry... Anyone have a good resource?

Thanks,
Tamsyn

Hey,
Because Sara Bisel worked for the National Geographic she is believed to have made narrative like stories about some of the skeletons of Herculaneum to flesh out her scientific techniques. There is a debate around the accuracy of the ring lady and if the rings were placed there to add to the 'narrative' and dramatisation of the two towns.

Don't have a specific resource at the moment, but this quote from Estelle Lazar says: ‘Interpretation of the human skeletal remains from Pompeii & Herculaneum has been dominated by a storytelling approach'.

Hope this helps!

[jess_gyan]

Hi! Ok background info; I missed out a term and a bit in the prelims in A.H and missed the important skills in the beginning. it's starting to show because now I'm really struggling to hit a mid-B to low-A which is where I want to be; my critique in my essays seem to revolve around "Avoid story-telling", stronger and finer incorporation of authors and their sources (analysis) and linking back to my answer in the response. If anyone could give me examples of what does a response with no narrative tone/structure (what even indicates it has a NARRATIVE TONE???) and an properly incorporated author with source, analysis and links back to response, that would literally be a godsend
Thanks
J 

[Gavan_Ja]

G'day my fellow comrades,

I've been doing some fortnightly essay tasks for the Fall of the Roman Republic and my teacher has been telling me that I need to be more direct in answering the question and that it is to be sustained throughout the entirety of my essay. Also, he also tells me that I need to think more critically when it comes to answering the question. Does anyone have any tips at to what I can do in regards to these areas for improvement- I know exactly what I need to improve on, I'm just struggling a little on how to put it into practice consistently!

Cheers

[julz_roha]

Hello ATAR Notes,
For Sparta, do you know where I can find modern writers? I have a lot of information for ancient writers but not for modern writers.
- Juliana

[Gavan_Ja]

Hello ATAR Notes,
For Sparta, do you know where I can find modern writers? I have a lot of information for ancient writers but not for modern writers.
- Juliana

Hello Juliana,
I completed Sparta last term- interesting place indeed! For my modern authors I used Nigel Kennel, Paul Cartledge, and also Bradbury and Ken Webb (but never, ever quote Bradley nor Webb, they're textbook writers not actual historians- such fakes)
Hope this helps
- Jack

[hums_student]

Hello ATAR Notes,
For Sparta, do you know where I can find modern writers? I have a lot of information for ancient writers but not for modern writers.
- Juliana

Hey Juliana
I actually did VCE but I would assume the two can't be too different. When you say modern writers, do you mean modern historians who have researched / written books about Spartan history? If so, try The Spartans by Paul Cartledge or Ancient Greece (which would cover Sparta) by Pamela Bradley and Thomas Martin (two different books, same name - would recommend Martin over Bradley as hers is a textbook). Bettany Hughes also has a really good documentary on Sparta which I would recommend checking out. Donald Kagan is good if you want to read about Sparta and its relationship with Athens during the Peloponnesian War.
Hope that's relevant to what you're studying

[julz_roha]

Hello Juliana,
I completed Sparta last term- interesting place indeed! For my modern authors I used Nigel Kennel, Paul Cartledge, and also Bradbury and Ken Webb (but never, ever quote Bradley nor Webb, they're textbook writers not actual historians- such fakes)
Hope this helps
- Jack

Hello Jack.
Thank you ＼(^o^)／ Do you have the documents for the sources or no? My school and local library are pretty scarce on books for history.
If you do, will it be ok if I could have them?
- Juliana

Hey Juliana
I actually did VCE but I would assume the two can't be too different. When you say modern writers, do you mean modern historians who have researched / written books about Spartan history? If so, try The Spartans by Paul Cartledge or Ancient Greece (which would cover Sparta) by Pamela Bradley and Thomas Martin (two different books, same name - would recommend Martin over Bradley as hers is a textbook). Bettany Hughes also has a really good documentary on Sparta which I would recommend checking out. Donald Kagan is good if you want to read about Sparta and its relationship with Athens during the Peloponnesian War.
Hope that's relevant to what you're studying

Hello!!!
Yes, modern historian. I need to compare their views against the ancient ones. I just to find modern sources about Spartan life.
Thank you ＼(^o^)／
- Juliana

Mod Edit: Merged double post. Please use the 'Modify' button

[katie,rinos]

Hello ATAR Notes,
For Sparta, do you know where I can find modern writers? I have a lot of information for ancient writers but not for modern writers.
- Juliana

Hey,
I should also have some quotes from modern historians about Sparta in my detail tables here
Hope they help!

[julz_roha]

Hey,
I should also have some quotes from modern historians about Sparta in my detail tables here
Hope they help!

Hello!!!
Thank you  ＼(^o^)／
 - Juliana

[alyssastrebel]

Hi Atar notes.

When you have a question for example:
"Assess the contribution of at least TWO Greek Leaders to the Greek Victory in the Persian wars."

Would you only talk about two leaders or talk about another in order to acheive a higher band response. Also, if I was to do so, how would I structure it out?
Thanks