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GCSE History (Edexcel)

Key study periods, source skills and interpretations. Edexcel board.

Pass mark 24/40 60 minutes Edexcel How many can I get wrong?
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Q1. According to the Theory of the Four Humours, illness was believed to be caused by an imbalance of which substances in the body?
  • A.  Blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile
  • B.  Blood, water, air and fire
  • C.  Bile, urine, sweat and mucus
  • D.  Blood, phlegm, bone marrow and lymph
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✓ Answer: A. Blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile
The Four Humours theory, developed by Hippocrates and later Galen, held that the body contained blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile, and that illness resulted from these being out of balance. This idea dominated medical thinking in medieval Britain because it fitted with Church teaching about balance and order in God's creation. It was not properly challenged until Vesalius and later scientists used dissection to question Galen's ideas.
Q2. Why did the Normans build motte-and-bailey castles quickly across England after 1066?
  • A.  To act only as trading posts
  • B.  To house livestock exclusively
  • C.  To provide rapid, defensible control over conquered territory
  • D.  Because stone was unavailable anywhere in England
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✓ Answer: C. To provide rapid, defensible control over conquered territory
Motte-and-bailey castles could be built fast from earth and timber, letting a small Norman garrison dominate and control a hostile local population. Stone castles came later once Norman control was more secure.
Q3. Which term describes German public anger that the Treaty of Versailles was signed without genuine negotiation?
  • A.  Kulturkampf
  • B.  Diktat
  • C.  Lebensraum
  • D.  Anschluss
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B. Diktat
Germans called the treaty a 'Diktat' — a dictated peace — because they were not allowed to negotiate its terms and simply had to accept them or face invasion. Lebensraum ('living space') was a later Nazi expansionist idea, unrelated to 1919. Anschluss refers to the 1938 union with Austria.
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Medicine & health through time · 37
Warfare & conflict · 35
Germany 1890-1945 · 35
Cold War & superpower relations · 36
Elizabethan England · 37
Source analysis & interpretations · 37
GCSE History (Edexcel) — common questions
Frequently asked
How many questions are in the GCSE History (Edexcel)?
The exam has 40 questions. Every Revision Robin mock uses the same 40-question format so your practice matches the real thing.
What is the pass mark for the GCSE History (Edexcel)?
You need 24 out of 40 correct to pass, which is about 60%. Our mocks mark you against this exact threshold.
How long do you get?
The test is timed at 60 minutes. Our full mock runs on the same clock so you can practise your pacing.
Are these the real exam questions?
No. Our questions are original and written to match the current syllabus, so they give realistic practice without copying the official paper. Every answer comes with a plain-English explanation. Always confirm current rules and content with Edexcel.