plumiTyranny and Samos: OCR GCSE Ancient History questions
OCR GCSE Ancient History past-paper questions on Tyranny and Samos, 2021–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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All 9 questions on Tyranny and Samos, as a list
- June 2025, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q10 (20 marks): ‘The overthrow of tyranny in Athens happened for exactly the same reasons as the assassination of Polycrates in Samos.’ To what extent do you agree with this vi
- June 2024, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q7 (5 marks): What can we learn from Passage B about Polycrates’ leadership of Samos? [5] Passage B First, he [Polycrates] divided the city into three parts, and gave a share
- June 2024, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q8 (5 marks): Using details from Passage B, how accurate do you think Herodotus’ account of these events is? [5] Passage B First, he [Polycrates] divided the city into three
- June 2023, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q10 (20 marks): ‘The assassination of tyrants in both Athens and Samos shows that tyranny was not a popular form of government.’ To what extent do you agree with this view? You
- June 2022, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q1(b) (2 marks): Give two possible reasons why the Spartans decided to attack Polycrates. [2]
- June 2022, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q5 (20 marks): ‘Change only happened in Athens and Samos as a result of violence.’ To what extent do you agree with this view? You must use and analyse the ancient sources you
- November 2021, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q1(b) (2 marks): Name the two cities that supported the Samian rebels in their uprising against Polycrates. [2]
- November 2021, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q2 (5 marks): What can we learn from Passage A about the main priorities of Samian society? [5] Passage A I have written so much about the Samians, because they were the engi
- November 2021, From Tyranny to Democracy, Q3 (5 marks): Using details from Passage A, how accurate do you think Herodotus’ description of the Samian building projects is? [5] Passage A I have written so much about th
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