Questions Revealed

OK, IT'S TIME for the big news that almost none of you are waiting for: the Option International Baccalauréat questions for History in 2009! The exam was this morning and I was as eager as the students to see what questions would be asked. So here we go, you have four hours to answer 2 of the following questions:

(Note: there are 2 essay questions and two document-based questions (DBQ) to choose from. The DBQ questions include 3-4 questions based on some attached documents and a 'mini' essay. Most students wrote 6-8 pages for each question).

HISTORY

1) Essay Question: Discuss America's involvement in Vietnam. How and why did the U.S. become involved, and what were the consequences?
2) DBQ Topic: The Weakening of Europe after the Second World War.
Part 1: a) According to document 1, what are the short and long-term demographic consequences of the Second World War?
b) According to document 1, in what way was the economic and commercial potential of Europe almost destroyed.
c) What is the illustrator of the satirical magazine "PUNCH" trying to show in document 3?
d) Immediately following the war, what happened ot the European continent, politically speaking? (document 4)
Part II: Using your responses to the questions, information contained in the documents and your own knowledge, write an organized response to this subject: The weakening of Europe after the Second World War

ECONOMICS/GEOGRAPHY

1) Essay Question: 'Dominating North' and 'Dominated South': are these concepts still valid today?
2) DBQ Topic: The USA as a superpower.
Part I:
a) Describe the structure of foreign investment in the United States. What are the factors that attract investment towards the United States?
b) Based on document 1 and document 4, to what extent can we say that the American regional integration process increases Foreigh Direct Investment in the United States?
c) What is the political basis of the recent antiamericanism mentioned in document 2? To what extent can we see this as a limit to U.S. power?
d) Why, according to document 5, is the American cultural model successful in China?
Part II: Drawing on the attached documents, your answers to the above questions and your own knowledge, write an organized synthesis to discuss the following assertion: The United States: a limited superpower.'

There you have it. Unlike last year, most of my students were very happy with this exam. Based on my conversations with them after the exam, many chose to answer the Vietnam essay and the U.S. Power DBQ question (the US Power questions were pretty intense!) I hope they nailed it.

This test, in a wierd sort of way, helps explain why I like teaching this program. This is fun stuff, no?
CJS