Change and continuity over time
By the end of this chapter you will be able to
- Name a change and a continuity between two dates
- Say whether a change was sudden or gradual
- Identify a turning point and give one of its causes
- Judge whether change or continuity was more important, with a timeline
You should already know
- Causation and consequences (Chapters 3 and 4)
- Source analysis (Chapter 1)
Where this leads
- Significance and how far answers (Chapter 6)
- Period studies (Chapters 7 to 13)
GCSE History. Content follows the GCSE (9-1) subject content for England (Edexcel and AQA). Content references: Describe change: a difference between two points in time, Describe continuity: what stayed the same over a period, Describe the rate of change (sudden or gradual, fast or slow) and identify turning points and their causes, Judge whether there was more change or more continuity, using a timeline.
Exercise P Do you remember?
Method. Recall the word from Chapter 3.
- Recall. A cause that is enough on its own is sufficient.sufficient
- Write the answer. sufficient
Check. A necessary cause must be present; a sufficient cause is enough.
Method. Recall the word from Chapter 4.
- Recall. An effect that follows an event is a consequence.consequence
- Write the answer. consequence
Check. A consequence always comes after the event.
Method. Recall the definition from Chapter 4.
- Recall. Effects within weeks or months are short-term.short-term
- Write the answer. short-term
Check. Long-term effects take years or decades.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later one.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year gives the number of years.1834 - 1601 = 233
- Write the answer. 233
Check. 1601 + 233 = 1834.
Method. Recall the date of the fire.
- Recall. The Great Fire of London was in 1666.1666
- Write the answer. 1666
Check. The fire is an example used in Chapters 3 and 4.
Change and continuity
Change is a difference between two points in time. Continuity is what stayed the same over the same period. A good answer names both, and judges which was more important.
Between 1601 and 1834: the money for poor relief still came from a local tax, the poor rate (continuity). In 1834 the government set up workhouses in many areas, where the poor had to live and work (change). check fact: confirm the details of the 1834 Act in your textbook.
1840: the village has a mill and a bridge over the river.
1852: the railway reaches the village.
1870: the mill is still running, and a station has been built.
Key ideas
- Change: a difference between two points in time.
- Continuity: what stayed the same over the same period.
- A good answer names one change and one continuity, with dates.
- Change and continuity can both happen in the same period.
Method. Look for a feature that stayed the same.
- Look. Poor relief was still paid for by a local tax on property.local tax
- Name it. The local tax, called the poor rate, continued.poor rate
- Write the answer. poor rate
Check. Check fact: confirm the tax in your textbook.
Method. Look for something new in 1834.
- Look. The 1834 Act set up workhouses in many areas.workhouses
- Name it. The new workhouses were a change.workhouse
- Write the answer. workhouse
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Compare the first and last points of the timeline.
- Compare. The bridge was there in 1840 and the mill was still running in 1870.bridge and mill
- Name it. So the bridge or the mill is a continuity.continuity
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says the bridge or the mill stayed in use.
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Watch out
Watch out: “nothing changed” is almost never true. Look for at least one change, even in a period of continuity.
Exam tip
Exam tip. In “describe a change” or “describe a continuity” questions, give the two dates first, then the feature.
Exercise 5A Change and continuity
Method. Recall the word.
- Recall. A difference between two points in time is a change.change
- Write the answer. change
Check. Continuity is the opposite idea: what stayed the same.
Method. Recall the word.
- Recall. What stayed the same over a period is continuity.continuity
- Write the answer. continuity
Check. Continuity and change can both be found in the same period.
Method. Recall what the 1834 Act introduced.
- Recall. The 1834 Act set up workhouses, where poor people lived and worked.workhouses
- Write the answer. yes
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Recall the name of the tax.
- Recall. The local tax paid for poor relief was the poor rate.poor rate
- Write the answer. poor rate
Check. Check fact: confirm the name in your textbook.
Method. Recall the first Reform Act.
- Recall. The first Reform Act was passed in 1832.1832
- Write the answer. 1832
Check. Check fact: confirm the detail in your textbook.
Method. Recall the year of the Representation of the People Act.
- Recall. The Representation of the People Act of 1918 gave the vote to most men over 21.1918
- Write the answer. 1918
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later one.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year gives the number of years.1918 - 1832 = 86
- Write the answer. 86
Check. 1832 + 86 = 1918.
Method. It stayed the same from 1601.
- Check. The tax was still a local rate, so it stayed the same.stayed the same
- Write the answer. K
Check. Continuity.
Method. It was new in 1834.
- Check. Workhouses were a new feature from 1834.new
- Write the answer. C
Check. Change.
Method. It was a new extension of the vote.
- Check. Most men over 21 gained the vote for the first time in 1918.new vote
- Write the answer. C
Check. Change.
Method. Compare the start and the middle of the timeline.
- Compare. In 1840 there was no railway; in 1852 it reached the village.railway arrived
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says the railway was not there in 1840 but arrived in 1852.
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Define both terms.
- Change. A change is a difference between two points in time.difference
- Continuity. Continuity is what stayed the same over the period.stayed the same
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says change is a difference between two points in time, and continuity is what stayed the same.
Check. Keep the time points in your sentence.
Method. Think about the Poor Law.
- Think. Workhouses were new in 1834, but the local poor rate still paid for relief.new and same
- Decide. So one event or period can show both.yes
- Write the answer. yes
Check. This is why good answers name both.
Rate of change
A sudden (or rapid) change happens in a short time. A gradual (or slow) change builds up over many years. The vote was extended in stages between 1832 and 1918: this change was gradual, not sudden.
Rate of change is not the same as importance. A gradual change can be very deep, and a sudden change can be short-lived.
Key ideas
- Sudden or rapid: over a short time.
- Gradual or slow: builds up over many years.
- The rate of change does not tell you how important the change was.
- Name the time-span: “within a year” or “over several decades”.
Method. Look at the time-span.
- Look. The vote was extended in stages across more than eighty years.eighty years
- Name the rate. Change over decades is gradual.gradual
- Write the answer. gradual
Check. Check fact: confirm the stages in your textbook.
Method. Look at how quickly the change happened.
- Look. The railway arrived in a single year, after none in 1840.single year
- Name the rate. A change within a year is sudden.sudden
- Write the answer. sudden
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Recall the word used in historical description.
- Recall. The speed of change is its rate, or pace.rate, pace
- Check. Rate is the word used in exam questions about speed.rate
- Write the answer. rate
Check. Pace is also accepted.
Watch out
Watch out: “a gradual change was unimportant” is wrong. Judge importance separately from the rate.
Exam tip
Exam tip. For a rate question, name the time-span first, then say sudden or gradual.
Exercise 5B Rate of change
Method. Think about the time-span.
- Look. One night is a very short time.short time
- Name the rate. So the change is sudden.sudden
- Write the answer. sudden
Check. Sudden changes are often dramatic but may not last.
Method. Think about the time-span.
- Look. Many years is a long time.many years
- Name the rate. So the change is gradual.gradual
- Write the answer. gradual
Check. Gradual changes can be very deep.
Method. Recall the word.
- Recall. Rapid means happening quickly, like sudden.rapid
- Write the answer. rapid
Check. Rapid and sudden are used the same way here.
Method. Recall the term.
- Recall. The speed of change is its rate, also called its pace.rate
- Write the answer. rate
Check. Pace is also accepted.
Method. Look at the time-span.
- Look. The second and third Reform Acts were seventeen years apart.17 years
- Name the rate. So the change was gradual.gradual
- Write the answer. gradual
Check. Check fact: confirm the Acts in your textbook.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later one.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year is the gap.1884 - 1867 = 17
- Write the answer. 17
Check. 1867 + 17 = 1884.
Method. Recall the stages of the franchise.
- Recall. The vote was extended in several stages over several decades.several decades
- Write the answer. several decades
Check. Check fact: confirm the stages in your textbook.
Method. Compare the time-spans.
- Rapid. A rapid change happens in a short time.short time
- Slow. A slow change builds up over years.years
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says a rapid change happens in a short time and a slow change builds up over years.
Check. The time-span is the key difference.
Method. Think about rate and depth.
- Think. A sudden change may be dramatic but short-lived.short-lived
- Decide. A gradual change may build up to a deep effect.deep
- Write the answer. Accept any reason that says a sudden change may be short-lived, and a gradual change may be deep.
Check. Rate and importance are different things.
Method. Think about how small steps add up.
- Think. Small steps over years can add up to a deep change.small steps add up
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says a gradual change may build up to a deep effect over time.
Check. Importance depends on depth and effect, not speed alone.
Turning points and their causes
The Reform Act of 1832 is often seen as a turning point in the history of the vote: it changed who could vote and began a series of later reforms. Turning points have causes, such as pressure from campaigners, protests, war or economic change. check fact: confirm the details of the 1832 Act in your textbook.
Key ideas
- A turning point changes the direction of later events.
- Turning points have causes: pressure, protest, war or economic change.
- A turning point is not the same as a single event: it sets a new direction.
- Name the cause, then explain how it changed the direction.
Method. Think about who pushed for reform.
- Think. Reformers and protests pushed for change in the vote.pressure
- Name a cause. Campaigners and protests were pressure for reform.campaigners and protests
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that names campaigners, protests, or the growth of the middle class.
Check. Check fact: confirm the causes in your textbook.
Method. Look for the event that changed the direction of later events.
- Look. The railway arrived in 1852, and the village changed direction after it.1852
- Name the year. So the turning point is 1852.1852
- Write the answer. 1852
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Think about the events just before 1918.
- Think. The First World War had changed the roles of men and women.war
- Name it. The war is a cause of the change.First World War
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that names the First World War.
Check. Check fact: confirm the causes in your textbook.
Watch out
Watch out: a turning point needs evidence that the direction changed. Say what changed afterwards.
Exam tip
Exam tip. When you name a turning point, give its date, one cause, and one effect on later events.
Exercise 5C Turning points and their causes
Method. Recall the term.
- Recall. A change that alters the direction of later events is a turning point.turning point
- Write the answer. turning point
Check. A turning point is more than a big event.
Method. Recall the name of the Act.
- Recall. The 1832 Act is the Reform Act.Reform Act
- Write the answer. Reform Act
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Recall the year.
- Recall. The Poor Law Amendment Act was passed in 1834.1834
- Write the answer. 1834
Check. Check fact: confirm the year in your textbook.
Method. Think about who pushed for change.
- Think. Campaigners and protests pushed for reform in the vote.campaigners
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that names campaigners, protests, or the growth of the middle class.
Check. Check fact: confirm the causes in your textbook.
Method. Think about whether it changed the direction of later events.
- Think. It gave the vote to most men over 21 and some women, a major new direction.new direction
- Decide. So it is a turning point.turning point
- Write the answer. turning point
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Recall the context.
- Recall. The First World War changed the roles of men and women.war
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that names the First World War.
Check. Check fact: confirm the causes in your textbook.
Method. Look at the timeline.
- Look. In 1852 the railway reached the village.railway arrived
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says the railway arrived.
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later one.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year is the gap.1870 - 1852 = 18
- Write the answer. 18
Check. 1852 + 18 = 1870.
Method. Think about the effect on later events.
- Think. A single event may end quickly.ends quickly
- Decide. A turning point sets a new direction for later events.new direction
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says a turning point sets a new direction for later events, not just one thing.
Check. The test is whether later events followed a new path.
Method. Think about which cause changed direction most often.
- Think. War often changes the direction of politics and society.changes direction
- Decide. So war is the type of cause to name.war
- Write the answer. war
Check. Economic change is also a cause of turning points.
Method. Think about what followed the Act.
- Think. The 1832 Act was followed by further Acts in 1867 and 1884.1867 and 1884
- Decide. So it began a series of reforms.series
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says it began a series of later reforms to the vote.
Check. Check fact: confirm the dates in your textbook.
Judging change and continuity with a timeline
Start with a timeline: put the key dates in order and mark each as change or continuity. Then judge: is the number of changes greater, or are the changes deeper? A few deep changes can matter more than many small ones.
Key ideas
- Build a timeline in order of dates.
- Mark each feature as change (C) or continuity (K).
- Judge both number and depth, and say which you have used.
- Conclude with a judgement, not a list.
Method. Put the dates in order.
- Order. The smaller year comes first on a timeline.1601 before 1834
- Choose. So the earlier year is 1601.1601
- Write the answer. 1601
Check. The Poor Law was passed in 1601, long before 1834.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later year.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year gives the gap.1867 - 1832 = 35
- Check. Adding the gap back to the earlier year must give the later year.1832 + 35 = 1867
- Write the answer. 35
Check. 1832 + 35 = 1867.
Method. Think about depth and number.
- Think. One deep change can alter a whole system.alter a system
- Decide. So depth can matter more than a count of changes.depth
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says a few deep changes can matter more than many small ones.
Check. Depth and number are both criteria; state which you use.
Watch out
Watch out: a list of changes is not a judgement. Say which changes mattered most, and why.
Exam tip
Exam tip. For a “more change or continuity” question: timeline, two lists, a judgement with a criterion.
Exercise 5D Judging change and continuity with a timeline
Method. Put the years in order.
- Order. The smallest year is the earliest.smallest
- Choose. So 1601 is earliest.1601
- Write the answer. 1601
Check. The Poor Law was passed in 1601.
Method. Add 17 to the earlier year.
- Add. 1867 plus 17 gives the later year.1867 + 17 = 1884
- Write the answer. 1884
Check. 1884 - 1867 = 17.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later year.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year is the gap.1867 - 1832 = 35
- Write the answer. 35
Check. 1832 + 35 = 1867.
Method. Recall the word.
- Recall. A chart of events in order of date is a timeline.timeline
- Write the answer. timeline
Check. A timeline can show both change and continuity.
Method. Look at the last point of the timeline.
- Look. The timeline says the mill was still running in 1870.still running
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says it was still running.
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Think about whether continuity can matter.
- Think. Continuity can be important, for example when a system or a tax lasts for centuries.continuity matters
- Decide. So the pupil is not right.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. Judge each case on its own evidence.
Method. Give a judgement with one change and one continuity.
- Change. Workhouses were introduced in 1834.workhouses
- Continuity. The poor rate continued to pay for relief.poor rate
- Judge. So the Poor Law changed in its methods but kept its funding base.judgement
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence giving a clear judgement with one change and one continuity.
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Think about depth.
- Think. Depth asks how much the system or the lives of people were altered.altered
- Decide. That is the criterion to use.criterion
- Write the answer. Accept any criterion, such as how much the system was altered or how many people it affected.
Check. Depth and number are different criteria.
Method. Look at how often the rules changed.
- Look. The rules changed in 1832, 1867, 1884 and 1918.four changes
- Decide. So change dominated this period.change
- Write the answer. change
Check. Check fact: confirm the dates in your textbook.
Method. Give one change and one continuity, then judge.
- Change. The railway arrived in 1852 and a station was built.railway, station
- Continuity. The mill was still running in 1870.mill
- Judge. So the village changed more than it stayed the same, as its transport transformed.judgement
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence giving a judgement with one change and one continuity.
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Subtract 17 from the later year.
- Subtract. 1901 minus 17 gives the earlier year.1901 - 17 = 1884
- Write the answer. 1884
Check. 1884 + 17 = 1901.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later one.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year is the gap.1667 - 1601 = 66
- Write the answer. 66
Check. 1601 + 66 = 1667.
Method. Think about whether workhouses were new in 1834.
- Think. Workhouses set up in 1834 were a new national system.new system
- Decide. So the workhouse system is a change.change
- Write the answer. change
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Think about what a timeline shows.
- Think. A timeline puts events in order.order
- Decide. So it shows both change and continuity at a glance.both
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says a timeline puts the dates in order and shows both changes and continuities together.
Check. A timeline is a structure for judgement.
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Change | A difference between two points in time; give both dates |
| Continuity | What stayed the same over a period; name it with evidence |
| Rate of change | Sudden or rapid (short time); gradual or slow (many years) |
| Turning point | A change that alters the direction of later events; give a cause |
| Judging | Timeline, list of changes and continuities, judgement with a criterion |
Can you…?
- I can describe a change and a continuity between two dates.
- I can say whether a change was sudden or gradual.
- I can name a turning point and one of its causes.
- I can use a timeline to judge whether there was more change or continuity.
- I can explain the difference between the rate of change and its importance.
Key terms
- change
- a difference between two points in time
- continuity
- what stayed the same over a period
- rate of change
- how fast or slow a change happened; also called pace
- sudden change
- a change that happens within a short time
- gradual change
- a change that builds up over many years
- turning point
- a change that alters the direction of later events
- timeline
- a chart that puts events in order of date
- poor rate
- the local tax that paid for poor relief
Exercise 5Z Check-up
Method. Recall the word.
- Recall. A difference between two points in time is change.change
- Write the answer. change
Check. Continuity is what stayed the same.
Method. Recall the tax.
- Recall. The local tax for poor relief was the poor rate.poor rate
- Write the answer. poor rate
Check. Check fact: confirm the name in your textbook.
Method. Look at the time-span.
- Look. The vote was extended over 86 years.86 years
- Decide. So the change was gradual.gradual
- Write the answer. gradual
Check. Check fact: confirm the stages in your textbook.
Method. Recall the year.
- Recall. The first Reform Act was 1832.1832
- Write the answer. 1832
Check. Check fact: confirm the year in your textbook.
Method. Think about what pushes a change.
- Think. Pressure from campaigners and protests can push for change.pressure
- Write the answer. pressure
Check. War and economic change are also causes.
Method. Look at the timeline.
- Look. The timeline says the railway reached the village in 1852.railway arrived
- Write the answer. the railway arrived
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later year.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year is the gap.1918 - 1834 = 84
- Write the answer. 84
Check. 1834 + 84 = 1918.
Method. Recall the word.
- Recall. A chart of events in date order is a timeline.timeline
- Write the answer. timeline
Check. A timeline shows change and continuity.
Method. Compare the time-spans.
- Sudden. A sudden change happens in a short time.short time
- Gradual. A gradual change builds up over years.years
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says a sudden change happens in a short time and a gradual change builds up over years.
Check. The time-span is the key difference.
Method. Think about depth.
- Think. One deep change can alter a whole system.alter a system
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says one deep change can alter a whole system.
Check. Depth and number are both criteria.
Total 24 marks. Allow about 24 minutes.
Exercise 5X Exam-style questions
Method. Compare the two dates.
- Continuity. The poor rate still paid for relief.poor rate
- Change. Workhouses were new in 1834.workhouses
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that gives the poor rate as continuity and workhouses as change.
Check. Mark totals and wording: check board.
Method. Look at the time-span.
- Look. The changes were spread over more than eighty years.eighty years
- Decide. So the change was gradual.gradual
- Write the answer. gradual
Check. Mark totals and wording: check board.
Method. Subtract the earlier year from the later one.
- Subtract. The later year minus the earlier year gives the gap.1918 - 1832 = 86
- Write the answer. 86
Check. Mark totals and wording: check board.
Method. Name the change, then its rate.
- Change. The railway arrived in 1852.railway arrived
- Rate. It arrived in a single year, so the change was sudden.sudden
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that names the railway arriving and says it was sudden, within a year.
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Give the difference and one example.
- Difference. Rate is how fast a change happened; importance is how much it mattered.speed vs importance
- Example. The vote was extended gradually, but its effects were deep.gradual but deep
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says a gradual change can be important, or a sudden change can be short-lived, with one example.
Check. Mark totals and wording: check board.
Method. Name the turning point, its date and a cause.
- Turning point. The 1832 Reform Act is usually seen as the first turning point.1832
- Cause. Pressure from campaigners and protests helped to bring it about.pressure
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that names the 1832 Reform Act or the 1918 Act, with a date and a cause (such as pressure from campaigners or the First World War).
Check. Check fact: confirm the causes in your textbook.
Method. Say what changed afterwards.
- Change. The railway arrived in 1852.railway
- Direction. A station was built by 1870, so later events followed a new path.station by 1870
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that says the railway changed the direction of later events, such as the mill and station in later years.
Check. This scenario is invented for practice.
Method. Give one change and one continuity, each with dates.
- Continuity. From 1601 to 1834 the poor rate still paid for relief.1601 to 1834
- Change. In 1834 workhouses were set up in many areas.1834
- Explain. The funding stayed the same, but the way relief was given changed.both
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that describes the poor rate as continuity and workhouses in 1834 as change, with dates.
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook.
Method. Build a timeline, then judge with two criteria.
- Timeline. 1832, 1867, 1884 and 1918: four stages of extension.four stages
- Number. There were four changes in the rules, so change dominated in number.number: change
- Depth. Most men gained the vote by 1918, so the change was deep.depth: deep
- Judge. So there was more change than continuity in the franchise.judgement
- Write the answer. Accept any answer that makes a judgement, uses a timeline, applies two criteria (number and depth, or rate and depth), and reaches a reasoned conclusion.
Check. Check fact: confirm the details in your textbook. Mark totals: check board.