Today is rung 5 of 5 on this topic
Turning points in modern history
Can do: Explains why a major change happened, weighing multiple causes and judging their relative importance.
Why it matters
Assessment at this level rewards judgement, not coverage. Ranking causes and defending the ranking is the actual skill.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Lists causes without weighting them, so every essay is a description rather than an argument.
⏱️ Two-minute check
"What was the most important cause of that event, and why does it beat the others?"
Solid looks like: A ranked judgement with a criterion for the ranking.
The full activity for this topic · 35 minutes
Rank and Defend
- 1List every cause on a separate note.
- 2Rank them and, crucially, state the criterion — necessary, sufficient, or immediate trigger.
- 3Test the top one with the counterfactual: without it, does the event still happen?
- 4Find a historian who ranks them differently and read why.
- 5Write a paragraph defending the ranking against that alternative.
If it's too hard
Rank three given causes.
If it's too easy
Argue that the conventionally accepted main cause is overrated, with evidence.
Say this
"Why does that one beat the others? Name the test you're using to rank them."