Depth study: The USA, 1919–41 — IGCSE History (0977) questions by topic

The interwar United States is the focus: Roosevelt's response to Supreme Court rulings against the New Deal, technological causes of industrial decline in the 1920s, the growth of leisure activities, and the identity of Dred Scott all feature as distinct question types.

How-far, explain, describe, identify and assess lead the command words, worth from 20 to 40 marks, across 15 questions drawn from 2023 to 2025 papers. Because short identify questions like naming a historical figure sit alongside long how-far essays here, practise switching registers quickly between recall and argument, then use instant marking to see whether your longer answers kept a consistent focus on the question's stated factor.

May–June 2025, Paper 12

Question 15 · 20 marks

Not everyone in America benefited from the boom of the 1920s. Which industries did not benefit from the boom in the 1920s?

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Question 16 · 20 marks

The New Deal dominated the 1930s in the United States. What were the main measures of the Second New Deal?

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May–June 2025, Paper 42

Question 7 · 40 marks

Write an account of new developments in industry in the 1920s. [15]

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Question 8 · 40 marks

Write an account of the changes experienced by women in the 1920s. [15]

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May–June 2024, Paper 12

Question 15 · 20 marks

The United States faced many problems in the 1920s. What was the 'Red Scare'?

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Question 16 · 20 marks

Roosevelt had to deal with much opposition to the New Deal. Describe how Roosevelt reacted to the Supreme Court decisions of 1935–36 about the New Deal.

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October–November 2024, Paper 11

Question 15 · 20 marks

American society in the 1920s seemed to be tolerant in some ways but intolerant in others. Describe the development of leisure activities in the 1920s.

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Question 16 · 20 marks

Some Americans questioned the effectiveness of the New Deal. Describe measures taken by the New Deal to help farmers.

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May–June 2023, Paper 12

Question 3 · 20 marks

Who was Dred Scott?

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May–June 2023, Paper 42

Question 7 · 40 marks

How important were technological innovations as a reason why older industries declined in the USA in the 1920s? Explain your answer.

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Question 8 · 40 marks

How significant were tariffs as a reason for economic problems in the USA by 1929? Explain your answer.

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October–November 2023, Paper 11

Question 15 · 20 marks

Some sectors of the US economy benefited more than others in the 1920s. What technical innovations helped industry to develop in the 1920s?

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Question 16 · 20 marks

Roosevelt's New Deal tried to tackle a range of issues. What were the aims of the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA)?

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October–November 2023, Paper 41

Question 7 · 40 marks

How important was Henry Ford to the economic prosperity of the USA in the 1920s? Explain your answer.

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Question 8 · 40 marks

How significant was the Works Progress Administration in dealing with the problem of unemployment in the 1930s? Explain your answer.

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Other IGCSE History topics

← All IGCSE History (0977) past papers