How to Revise The beginnings of change — AQA GCSE History
The beginnings of change is a topic in the AQA GCSE History specification. This guide covers learning objectives, examiner tips, common mistakes, and key terminology to help you revise effectively.
Examiner Tips for The beginnings of change
- Ensure you can explain how factors like communication and science/technology facilitated the spread of new ideas during the Renaissance.
- Focus on the 'why' and 'how' of change, rather than just listing the achievements of individuals.
- Be prepared to compare the status of medical professionals before and after the changes in this period.
- Use specific examples of opposition to demonstrate an understanding of the resistance to new medical theories.
Common Mistakes in The beginnings of change
- Failing to link the work of individuals like Vesalius or Harvey to the broader theme of challenging medical authority.
- Confusing the roles of physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries during this period.
- Overlooking the persistence of traditional methods alongside new discoveries.
- Neglecting to explain the nature of the opposition to changes like vaccination.
Key Marking Points
- The impact of the Renaissance on medical authority in anatomy, physiology and surgery.
- The work of Vesalius, Paré and William Harvey.
- Opposition to medical change.
- Methods of treating disease including traditional and new methods, and quackery.
- The growth of hospitals and changes to the training and status of surgeons and physicians.
- The work of John Hunter.