Edexcel | GCSE History | Paper 3 | 2025 predictions
Exams can be stressful, but remember that your well-being is just as important as your revision. With a balanced approach to studying, you can feel confident and calm when exam day arrives. Our 2025 Predicted Papers are designed to help you focus on the key topics while also reminding you to take care of yourself. And yes, these are just predictions—so be sure to revise all of your course material for a well-rounded preparation!
What We’ve Got for You:
📝 Realistic, Exam-Style Questions
We’ve carefully analysed past papers, examiner reports, and current trends to create predicted papers that mirror the Edexcel GCSE History format. They cover:
Source questions, essay responses, and thematic topics—just like the real exam.
By practising under timed conditions, you’ll improve your answer structure, learn to use evidence effectively, and develop strong arguments.
🎥 FREE Video Walkthroughs – New for 2025!
For the first time ever, our full video walkthroughs are included for FREE. These videos guide you step by step through every question, showing you:
How to use sources effectively
How to structure your essays for full marks
What examiners expect to see in your answers
🔍 Test Yourself on Key Topics
Our predicted papers focus on the topics that are most likely to come up, based on past trends and examiner reports. However, remember that these are just predictions—it's essential to review your whole course to be fully prepared!
🌟 Go Into Your Exam Feeling Calm and Confident
We know exam nerves can be overwhelming. That’s why our predicted papers are designed not only to improve your revision but also to help you feel secure in your knowledge. Use them to build your confidence, and always remember to take breaks and look after your mental health. You deserve to feel good during your studies!
What’s Included?
Question Paper – Simulating the real exam, covering all the key topics.
Mark Scheme – Check your answers and learn from any mistakes.
FREE Video Walkthroughs – Step-by-step explanations showing you exactly how to structure your answers for full marks!
Final Thoughts
While our predicted papers are a fantastic tool to help you focus your revision, remember they’re just predictions. For a successful exam, make sure you also study the full course content and use a variety of revision methods. Balance your hard work with plenty of breaks, exercise, and relaxation—your mental health matters, and a calm mind is key to unlocking your potential.
Stay positive, revise smart, and believe in yourself. You’ve got this!
Table of Contents
Paper 3: Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39 – Predicted Topics & Revision Guide
The period 1918–39 saw Germany transform from democracy to dictatorship, with the rise of the Nazi Party and Hitler’s consolidation of power. This is a key unit in Edexcel GCSE History, covering political changes, propaganda, economic struggles, and life in Nazi Germany.
With so much content to learn, strategic revision is crucial. Our 2025 predicted topics focus on the areas we think are most likely to come up, helping you revise effectively and feel confident in your exam.
🎭 Nazi Control of the Arts
The Nazis tightly controlled the arts to promote their ideology and eliminate “un-German” influences.
🔹 Key Features of Nazi Control of the Arts
🎨 Painting & Sculpture – Artists had to create realistic, heroic images of Aryan Germans. Modern art was banned as "degenerate".
🎶 Music – Jazz (seen as "black music") was banned. Traditional German composers like Beethoven were promoted.
🎭 Theatre & Film – Films were used for Nazi propaganda, e.g., Triumph of the Will (1935) glorified Hitler.
📚 Literature – Books by Jewish, communist, and liberal authors were burned in public book burnings.
🔍 Why is this important?
Shows how the Nazis used culture to brainwash people into supporting their ideas.
Demonstrates the extent of censorship and suppression of free expression.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about how the Nazis controlled culture, explain how they banned modern art and foreign influences while promoting Aryan, nationalistic themes.
⚔️ The Reasons for the Munich Putsch (1923)
The Munich Putsch was Hitler’s failed attempt to overthrow the Weimar government in November 1923.
🔹 Why Did Hitler Launch the Putsch?
1️⃣ Weak Weimar Government – Many Germans hated the Weimar Republic for signing the Treaty of Versailles (1919).
2️⃣ Economic Crisis – Hyperinflation (1923) had destroyed the German economy, making people desperate for strong leadership.
3️⃣ Inspired by Mussolini – Hitler admired Mussolini’s March on Rome (1922) and believed he could do the same in Germany.
4️⃣ Support from Right-Wing Groups – Hitler thought Bavarian leaders would support him against the Weimar Republic.
🔍 Why is this important?
The failure of the Putsch led to Hitler changing his strategy – instead of using force, he would take power legally through elections.
Hitler used his trial to gain publicity, writing Mein Kampf and spreading Nazi ideas.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about why Hitler attempted the Munich Putsch, explain both short-term (economic crisis, Weimar weakness) and long-term (Nazi ideology, Mussolini’s influence) causes.
📈 Reasons for Increased Support for the Nazi Party (1929–32)
Between 1929 and 1932, the Nazis went from being a small party to the most powerful in Germany.
🔹 Key Reasons for Nazi Growth:
1️⃣ The Great Depression (1929) – The Wall Street Crash led to mass unemployment (over 6 million jobless by 1932). The Weimar government failed to deal with the crisis, making people desperate.
2️⃣ Nazi Promises – The Nazis promised jobs, stability, and a strong Germany, which appealed to many Germans.
3️⃣ Propaganda & Speeches – Joseph Goebbels used rallies, posters, and radio broadcasts to spread Nazi ideas. Hitler’s speeches made him appear as Germany’s saviour.
4️⃣ Fear of Communism – Many wealthy business owners and middle-class Germans feared a communist revolution (like in Russia, 1917). The Nazis promised to destroy communism.
5️⃣ Weakness of the Weimar Republic – The government was unable to solve the economic crisis, making people lose faith in democracy.
🔍 Why is this important?
Shows how economic crises can lead to the rise of extremist parties.
Highlights the power of propaganda and public image in winning elections.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about why Nazi support grew in the early 1930s, focus on the economic crisis, propaganda, and fear of communism.
💼 The Standard of Living of Workers in Nazi Germany
The Nazis claimed to improve workers' lives, but the reality was mixed.
🔹 Positive Changes for Workers:
✅ Unemployment dropped – The Nazis created millions of jobs in rearmament, construction (e.g., autobahns), and public works.
✅ Strength Through Joy (KdF) – This organisation provided cheap holidays, theatre tickets, and sports events for workers.
✅ Volkswagen Scheme – Workers were encouraged to save for a Volkswagen "People’s Car" (though most never received one).
🔹 Negative Aspects for Workers:
❌ No Trade Unions – The Nazis banned trade unions, meaning workers had no power to demand better pay or conditions.
❌ Low Wages – Wages remained low, and the cost of living increased.
❌ Strict Control – The German Labour Front (DAF) controlled workers, ensuring absolute obedience to Nazi policies.
🔍 Why is this important?
While the Nazis reduced unemployment, workers had fewer rights and no way to challenge poor conditions.
The KdF and propaganda made people believe life was improving, even though wages remained low.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about living standards under the Nazis, give a balanced answer – jobs and leisure activities improved, but wages and workers’ rights were limited.
Exams can feel overwhelming, but your mental health matters just as much as your revision. Take breaks, breathe, and remind yourself that you are capable and more than a grade. Progress isn’t about perfection—it’s about doing your best, one step at a time.
To make revision less stressful, our FREE video walkthroughs guide you through how to structure essays, use sources effectively, and meet examiner expectations, so you don’t have to figure it out alone. You’ve got this, and we’re here to help! 🚀📚
Paper 3: The USA, 1954–75 – Predicted Topics & Revision Guide
The USA, 1954–75 unit explores two of the most important struggles in modern American history:
📍 The Civil Rights Movement – The fight for racial equality and justice at home.
📍 The Vietnam War – America’s controversial and costly conflict abroad.
This period was marked by landmark protests, violent resistance, changing public opinion, and major shifts in American politics.
With so much to cover, smart revision is essential. Our 2025 predicted topics focus on the areas most likely to come up, helping you revise effectively and feel confident in your exam.
This guide will break down key topics, giving you essential facts, exam tips, and strategies to help you secure top marks! 🚀
✊ The Civil Rights Campaign in Selma (1965)
🔹 What happened in Selma?
Selma, Alabama, was chosen as the focus for a voting rights campaign because only 2% of Black residents were registered to vote, despite making up half the population.
Civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), organised peaceful marches to demand voting rights.
"Bloody Sunday" (7 March 1965) – Protesters attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery but were violently attacked by state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Media coverage of the attack shocked the nation and increased public sympathy for the Civil Rights Movement.
In response, President Johnson pushed for the Voting Rights Act (1965), which banned racial discrimination in voting.
🔍 Why is this important?
The Selma campaign showed how non-violent protest and media attention could pressure the government into action.
Led directly to the Voting Rights Act (1965), one of the most significant civil rights laws.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about why the Selma campaign was significant, explain how media attention and public outrage pressured the government to take action on voting rights.
🏫 Limited Progress in Desegregating Education (1954–58)
🔹 Background: Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
The Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional.
However, progress in desegregating schools was slow and met with fierce resistance, especially in the South.
🔹 Reasons for Limited Progress:
1️⃣ White Resistance – Many Southern states ignored the ruling and introduced "massive resistance" laws to prevent desegregation.
2️⃣ Lack of Federal Enforcement – The government was reluctant to force states to comply.
3️⃣ Violence & Intimidation – African American students who tried to attend white schools faced threats and attacks.
4️⃣ Little Rock Crisis (1957) – The Arkansas governor used National Guard troops to block Black students (the "Little Rock Nine") from entering school, forcing President Eisenhower to send federal troops to protect them.
🔍 Why is this important?
Shows the slow pace of change despite legal victories.
Proved that change required federal intervention, as states refused to comply voluntarily.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about why progress in desegregation was slow, focus on white opposition, weak federal enforcement, and violent resistance.
✊✊ The Rise of the Black Power Movement (1963–68)
By the mid-1960s, many African Americans were frustrated with the slow pace of change under Martin Luther King Jr.’s non-violent approach. This led to the rise of Black Power, which promoted self-defense, racial pride, and economic empowerment.
🔹 Why Did Black Power Become More Popular?
1️⃣ Ongoing Racism & Police Brutality – Many Black Americans still faced poverty, discrimination, and violence, despite legal victories.
2️⃣ Disillusionment with Non-Violence – Some believed that peaceful protests weren’t enough, especially after MLK’s campaigns failed to improve economic conditions.
3️⃣ Influence of Malcolm X – He encouraged Black self-reliance and self-defense, appealing to those frustrated with slow progress.
4️⃣ Urban Riots & Racial Tensions – Between 1964–68, major riots erupted in cities like Los Angeles (Watts Riots, 1965) and Detroit (1967), increasing support for more militant activism.
5️⃣ Success of Black Power Groups – The Black Panther Party (founded in 1966) set up community programs (free breakfast for children, health clinics) but also confronted police brutality.
🔍 Why is this important?
Shows how the Civil Rights Movement became more divided between non-violent activists and those advocating more direct action.
Led to new social and economic programs for Black communities, but also increased government crackdowns on Black Power groups.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about why Black Power gained support, mention ongoing racism, disillusionment with non-violence, and the rise of figures like Malcolm X.
🎖️ Public Support for American Involvement in Vietnam
At the start of the Vietnam War, most Americans supported U.S. involvement, but by the late 1960s, public opinion had turned against the war.
🔹 Why Did Many Americans Support the War Initially?
1️⃣ Containment of Communism – The U.S. believed in the Domino Theory (if Vietnam fell to communism, other countries in Asia would too).
2️⃣ Fear of the USSR & China – Americans saw communism as a direct threat to democracy.
3️⃣ Government Propaganda – The U.S. government promoted the war as a fight for freedom and democracy.
4️⃣ Early Military Successes – The war was initially seen as winnable, and soldiers were praised as heroes.
🔹 Why Did Public Support Decline?
❌ The Tet Offensive (1968) – A major attack by communist forces shocked Americans and proved the war wasn’t being won.
❌ TV Coverage & Graphic Footage – For the first time, Americans saw brutal images of war on TV, turning public opinion against it.
❌ High Death Toll & Draft Resistance – 58,000 U.S. soldiers died, and many young men resisted being drafted.
❌ Kent State Shooting (1970) – Protests against the war turned violent, with U.S. troops killing four students.
🔍 Why is this important?
Shows how media coverage and military failures turned public opinion against the war.
Proved that public support is crucial in modern warfare – even though the U.S. was militarily strong, it lost the war because of public opposition.
📝 Exam Tip: If asked about why public support for Vietnam declined, mention TV coverage, high casualties, draft resistance, and the Tet Offensive.
Your hard work is enough. Your effort matters. And most importantly, you are more than your exams. 🌿✨
It’s okay to feel stressed, but don’t let it take over—make time for breaks, fresh air, and looking after yourself. You’re not alone in this! Our FREE video walkthroughs take you through essay structures, source analysis, and exam techniques to make revision clearer and more manageable.
Stay strong, stay focused, and believe in yourself—you’re capable of amazing things! 💪📖
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