Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History · specification 4HI1 · Paper 2 | Section A: Historical Investigation · Free · no account needed
WWI 4 — The war at sea and Gallipoli (4HI1 specification)
The naval war that mattered less than expected, the submarine campaign that mattered more, and the attempt to find another way in.
Learn it on Incandio
The 3 Incandio pages that teach this — each explained in full, then proved in marked questions, taught back to an AI pupil and defended in a debate. Completely free.
- Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland — Britain lost more ships and more men at Jutland. In what sense did it win?
- The U-boat threat, the Lusitania and the convoy system — Why did the Admiralty resist convoys for two and a half years, and what changed its mind?
- Gallipoli: reasons, features, evacuation and effects — The evacuation was faultless and the campaign was a disaster. What does that pairing teach?
The teaching route this belongs to: The war at sea and Gallipoli — The origins and course of the First World War — the lessons in order, with every gate.
Specification coverage
Paper 2, Section A — A1 The origins and course of the First World War, 1905–18, key topic 4
Assessment objectives: AO1, AO3, AO4. Suggested learning time: 90 minutes.
Required knowledge
- German threat to Britain in North Sea
- German raids, Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland
- The U-boat threat, the Lusitania and anti-U-boat measures
- Reasons for, and key features of, the Gallipoli campaign
- Evacuation and effects of campaign
Required skills
- Explain and analyse using second-order concepts: causation, consequence, change, continuity, similarity, difference and significance
- Cross-refer two sources and judge how far one supports the other (AO3)
- Evaluate an interpretation extract against your own knowledge (AO3 and AO4)
- Reach a supported judgement rather than describing events
How it is examined
- (a) 6 marks — “Describe TWO features of…” (AO1)
- (b) 8 marks — “How far does Source A support the evidence of Source B about…?” (AO3)
- (c) 16 marks — an interpretation extract, “How far do you agree with this interpretation?” (AO3 10, AO4 6)
Common mistakes
- Calling Jutland a clear victory for either side. Its significance is strategic, not tactical.
- Forgetting the Lusitania's role in shifting American opinion — it is also the classic source-question topic on this option.
This page maps the specification. The pages above teach it, and the History lessons hold the whole course — completely free.