Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 3 The second Boer War,…
Full specification wording
Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 3 The second Boer War, 1899–1902: Changing attitudes of the public in Britain to the conflict, including the impact of the reportage of Winston Churchill and the work of Emily Hobhouse.
British public opinion shifted across the war.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 3
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
British public opinion shifted across the war. Early defeats in Black Week provoked shock and patriotic volunteering, and reliefs such as Mafeking produced jubilant celebration. Churchill's dispatches, written as a war correspondent and later published, shaped perceptions through vivid accounts of battles, his capture and escape, feeding a heroic narrative. As guerrilla war dragged on, farm burning and concentration camps turned opinion. Emily Hobhouse's reports on camp conditions, based on her visits, exposed suffering and helped force the Fawcett Commission and policy change, while pro-war and anti-war groups clashed. Assess how reportage and humanitarian campaigning altered attitudes, moving many from enthusiasm to criticism and unease.
What earns the marks
- Explains the early patriotic mood, including responses to Black Week and the relief of Mafeking, and how these shaped public attitudes.
- Explains Churchill's role as a correspondent, showing how his vivid dispatches and escape story promoted a heroic and adventurous image of the war.
- Explains Hobhouse's investigations into concentration camps and how her reports, alongside the Fawcett Commission, generated criticism and pressure for reform.
- Weighs the extent of change in attitudes, for example arguing that patriotism persisted while unease grew, and that reportage and humanitarian work were key drivers.
- Uses specific evidence such as named reports, organisations or events to support claims about changing public opinion.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating public opinion as uniform.
Put it right: Distinguish patriotic enthusiasm, growing unease and outright opposition, and to show how these coexisted.
Crediting Hobhouse alone with ending the camps.
Put it right: Place her reports alongside the Fawcett Commission and government responses in a wider process of reform.
Reducing Churchill's impact to his escape.
Put it right: Consider his wider reporting and its role in sustaining a heroic narrative of the conflict.
Exam tips
- Track change over time, contrasting attitudes in 1899–1900 with those in 1901–1902.
- Use named individuals, reports and events as evidence rather than vague references to the press or the public.
- Distinguish between the impact of reportage and the impact of humanitarian campaigning when reaching a judgement.
Try the lesson
The start of the Paper 3, Option 35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918 - 3 The second Boer War, 1899–1902: Changing attitudes of the public in Britain to the conflict, including the impact of the reportage of Winston Churchill and the work of Emily Hobhouse. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which British reporter sent despatches from South Africa that helped shape public opinion during the second Boer War?
Listen
British public opinion shifted across the war. Early defeats in Black Week provoked shock and patriotic volunteering, and reliefs such as Mafeking produced jubilant celebration. Churchill's dispatches, written as a war correspondent and later published, shaped perceptions through vivid accounts of battles, his capture and escape, feeding a heroic narrative. As guerrilla war dragged on, farm burning and concentration camps turned opinion. Emily Hobhouse's reports on camp conditions, based on her visits, exposed suffering and helped force the Fawcett Commission and policy change, while pro-war and anti-war groups clashed. Assess how reportage and humanitarian campaigning altered attitudes, moving many from enthusiasm to criticism and unease. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains the early patriotic mood, including responses to Black Week and the relief of Mafeking, and how these shaped public attitudes. Explains Churchill's role as a correspondent, showing how his vivid dispatches and escape story promoted a heroic and adventurous image of the war. Explains Hobhouse's investigations into concentration camps and how her reports, alongside the Fawcett Commission, generated criticism and pressure for reform. Weighs the extent of change in attitudes, for example arguing that patriotism persisted while unease grew, and that reportage and humanitarian work were key drivers. A common slip: Treating public opinion as uniform. Instead, distinguish patriotic enthusiasm, growing unease and outright opposition, and to show how these coexisted. Exam tip: Track change over time, contrasting attitudes in 1899–1900 with those in 1901–1902.
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