NCEA Level 3 History (90658) 2009 — page 1 of 31 Assessment Schedule – 2009 History: Examine a significant historical situation in the context of change, in an essay (90658) Evidence Statement Achievement Achievement with Merit Achievement with Excellence Through her / his response to the first Through her / his response to the Through the breadth, depth and / or part of the essay question, the first part of the essay question, the range of the ideas in her / his candidate has described a significant candidate has described in detail response to the first part of the situation in the context of change. a significant situation in the context essay question, the candidate has of change. comprehensively described a significant situation in the context of change. (See content guidelines for examples (See content guidelines for (See content guidelines for of relevant historical information that examples of relevant historical examples of relevant historical could be included in the candidate’s information that could be included information that could be included answer.) in the candidate’s answer.) in the candidate’s answer.) Through her / his response to the Through her / his response to the Through the breadth, depth and / or second part of the question the second part of the question the range of the ideas in her / his candidate has described the candidate has evaluated the response to the second part of the influence of the situation on people influence of the situation on people question the candidate has comprehensively evaluated the This evaluation should involve influence of the situation on people analysis which may include weighing up the influences that this This evaluation should involve situation had on people, eg analysis and comprehensive positive influences weighed up weighing up the influences that this against negative ones or one situation had on people, eg theory about the influence positive influences weighed up contrasted with another. against negative ones or one theory about the influence contrasted with another. (See content guidelines for examples (See content guidelines for (See content guidelines for of relevant historical information that examples of relevant historical examples of relevant historical could be included in the candidate’s information that could be included information that could be included answer.) in the candidate’s answer.) in the candidate’s answer.) The candidate has structured and The candidate has structured and The candidate has structured and organised her / his information using organised her / his information organised her / his information an appropriate essay format. using an appropriate essay using an appropriate and format. effective essay format. • Introductory paragraph • Relevant, structured and logically • Introductory paragraph • Introductory paragraph sequenced paragraphs • Relevant, structured and • Relevant, structured, and • Conclusion. logically sequenced paragraphs logically sequenced paragraphs • Conclusion. • Conclusion The candidate has provided an The candidate has provided a argument, ie the candidate has convincing argument, ie the stated a view and supported it with candidate has a clearly articulated relevant and accurate evidence view and has supported it with (probably most evident in the sound reasoning and relevant, evaluative part of her / his essay.) accurate, and significant evidence (probably most evident in the evaluative part of her / his essay.) NCEA Level 3 History (90658) 2009 — page 2 of 31 Content Guidelines Topic One: Early Modern England 1559-1667 Topic One: Essay One Describe the practice of courtship and marriage for people in different social groups in England between 1558 and 1667. Evaluate the ways in which marriage and the birth of children affected the lives of people in these social groups. The candidate’s response to the first part of the essay question could include: • Marriage was one of the most momentous steps in a person’s life. All contemporary writers placed a great stress upon making a careful choice of marriage partner. In practice, most young people sought parental consent for whom and when they should court and marry. Young people were subject to the head of the house and had obligations to their families that lasted beyond when they physically left home or were no longer economically dependent. • There was often a formal process of courtship before marriage. The ideal courtship involved a process of presenting tokens of love such as gloves, engraved coins or carved spoons. If these were accepted, more meetings would take place between the couple. Even when an ideal partner was found, friends and family could interfere to prevent the match, if they felt their interests were threatened. If parental approval was gained, a formal agreement or promise to marry would occur. • Private agreements to marry were discouraged by Church authorities. Difficulties of proof were magnified if there had been no witnesses to the vow of intention to marry. Church court records suggest some women were beguiled by a promise to marry or simply succumbed to sexual desire and were then deserted. Courts tried to enforce ‘liable fathers’ to assume responsibility for children born out of wedlock. An unmarried woman with a child could be a considerable financial burden on the parish. For example, in 1592, John Lingley, a goldsmith, was made to take out a bond of two shillings per week to support a pregnant Elizabeth Phillips. • There was broad agreement that all levels of society benefited if marriages were solemnised in a properly conducted church wedding. Nonetheless, among the governed classes, handfasting and betrothal de futuro were also acceptable. Marriage was regarded literally as a lifetime bond, supposed to last until one partner died. • For the wealthier classes, marriage was a device for cementing or improving family fortunes. A girl could be placed, by her father or guardian, in an arranged marriage at the age of 7. Such arranged marriages were accompanied by a jointure or dowry – a sum of money or land, which was given to the future husband by the bride’s family. Arranged child marriages were not usually consummated until the girl reached puberty. If the prospective husband died after the girl’s ninth birthday, she was able to keep the dowry. A girl could marry at the age of 12, but she needed the consent of her father or guardian. At the age of 14, a girl could agree to marry without her father’s consent. • Even for poor people, marriage was not undertaken without some careful forethought. The expense of a wife and children could put pressure on a poorer breadwinner’s resources. Most couples married in their mid to late 20s. Young men, who were apprentices, could not legally finish their time until they were 24. They could not easily acquire the material possessions and freedom to marry until they reached this stage of independence. • Love and sexual attraction alone were not popularly regarded as sufficient reason for marriage. The age, wealth, social connections and religion of the marriage partner were considered more important factors in the decision. Love could grow after marriage. • Heads of families frequently interfered to prevent unsuitable matches. The most used penalty for disobedience was disinheritance. Incompatibility in families could bring public humiliation and lawsuits. Examples include Bess of Hardwick and Anne Clifford. • While families played an important part in choosing marriage partners, the role of the future husband and wife was also significant – the higher the social level, the greater the parental involvement. Popular writing upheld the value of young people gaining the consent of their parents to a marriage. o Peerage and gentry: − married earliest − shorter courtships − least freedom of choice − greater emphasis on economic matters; less on personal preference. NCEA Level 3 History (90658) 2009 — page 3 of 31 o Yeomen and husbandmen: − married latest − reasonable freedom of choice − marrying without parental / family consent could result in a withdrawl of dowry or inheritance. o Artisans, labourers, the poor: − married earlier than yeomen and husbandmen − greatest freedom of choice − greater opportunities for private courtship − least obligation to seek parental advice or consent − parish officials tried to prevent marriages of homeless couples. The candidate’s response to the second part of the essay question could include: • Marriage was a life-changing decision for both men and women that would initiate a family unit providing for the couple’s economic, sexual and companionship needs and permit the begetting of heirs to inherit the family property. Therefore, marriage was generally delayed until a couple had whatever was required to establish and maintain an independent nuclear family. • Marriage was a significant public occasion and spectacle and the frequent cause of much subsequent financial distress for families. The planning and execution of a ‘suitable match’ was considered the high point of a woman’s life among the peerage and gentry. • Marriage was often defined as the start of a woman’s life, or at least the watershed to which all other prior events had led. A married younger sister would take precedence in the family over an older spinster. In church, married women sat separately and even sometimes dressed or wore their hair differently. • The governing class tended to marry young because they had inherited wealth and planned to secure the next generation of family heirs. The governed class, on the other hand, had to wait until they had amassed or received the means to begin a new family unit (economic conditions and natural disasters could affect this). Periods when late marriage was common tended to reduce the numbers of children born and raise the proportion of unmarried adults. • Marriage could well have a considerable effect on personal wealth and property. It was also the key medium of social advancement. • Childbirth was a risky consequence of marriage, but the wife’s place was thereby elevated in the family – especially as a mother of a son. Women in the governed class often left service to nurture their children.