AQA GCSE History (8145) Past Papers – Question Papers, Mark Schemes & Examiner Tips
Prepare for your exams with our complete collection of AQA GCSE History (8145) past papers, question papers and mark schemes. Find the correct Paper 1 and Paper 2 resources for your topics, practise under timed conditions and use the official mark schemes to improve your answers.
Need help avoiding common mistakes? Click here for our top AQA GCSE History examiner tips, or scroll down to read them. You can also click here for frequently asked questions about exam structure, timings, grade boundaries and preparing for the 2027 exams.
2025 AQA GCSE History Past Papers
2025 AQA GCSE History | Downloads | |
Paper 1 Section A Option A (8145/1AA) – America, 1840–1895: Expansion and Consolidation | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option B (8145/1AB) – Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option C (8145/1AC) – Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and Communism | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option D (8145/1AD) – America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option A (8145/1BA) – Conflict and Tension: The First World War, 1894–1918 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option B (8145/1BB) – Conflict and Tension: The Inter-war Years, 1918–1939 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option C (8145/1BC) – Conflict and Tension Between East and West, 1945–1972 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option D (8145/1BD) – Conflict and Tension in Asia, 1950–1975 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option E (8145/1BE) – Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990–2009 | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option A (8145/2AA) – Britain: Health and the People, c1000 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option B (8145/2AB) – Britain: Power and the People, c1170 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option C (8145/2AC) – Britain: Migration, Empires and the People, c790 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option A (8145/2BA) – Norman England, c1066–c1100 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option B (8145/2BB) – Medieval England: The Reign of Edward I, 1272–1307 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option C (8145/2BC) – Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option D (8145/2BD) – Restoration England, 1660–1685 |
2024 AQA GCSE History Past Papers
2024 AQA GCSE History | Downloads | |
Paper 1 Section A Option A (8145/1AA) – America, 1840–1895: Expansion and Consolidation | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option B (8145/1AB) – Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option C (8145/1AC) – Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and Communism | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option D (8145/1AD) – America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option A (8145/1BA) – Conflict and Tension: The First World War, 1894–1918 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option B (8145/1BB) – Conflict and Tension: The Inter-war Years, 1918–1939 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option C (8145/1BC) – Conflict and Tension Between East and West, 1945–1972 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option D (8145/1BD) – Conflict and Tension in Asia, 1950–1975 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option E (8145/1BE) – Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990–2009 | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option A (8145/2AA) – Britain: Health and the People, c1000 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option B (8145/2AB) – Britain: Power and the People, c1170 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option C (8145/2AC) – Britain: Migration, Empires and the People, c790 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option A (8145/2BA) – Norman England, c1066–c1100 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option B (8145/2BB) – Medieval England: The Reign of Edward I, 1272–1307 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option C (8145/2BC) – Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option D (8145/2BD) – Restoration England, 1660–1685 |
2023 AQA GCSE History Past Papers
2023 AQA GCSE History | Downloads | |
Paper 1 Section A Option A (8145/1AA) – America, 1840–1895: Expansion and Consolidation | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option B (8145/1AB) – Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option C (8145/1AC) – Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and Communism | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option D (8145/1AD) – America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option A (8145/1BA) – Conflict and Tension: The First World War, 1894–1918 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option B (8145/1BB) – Conflict and Tension: The Inter-war Years, 1918–1939 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option C (8145/1BC) – Conflict and Tension Between East and West, 1945–1972 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option D (8145/1BD) – Conflict and Tension in Asia, 1950–1975 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option E (8145/1BE) – Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990–2009 | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option A (8145/2AA) – Britain: Health and the People, c1000 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option B (8145/2AB) – Britain: Power and the People, c1170 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option C (8145/2AC) – Britain: Migration, Empires and the People, c790 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option A (8145/2BA) – Norman England, c1066–c1100 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option B (8145/2BB) – Medieval England: The Reign of Edward I, 1272–1307 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option C (8145/2BC) – Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option D (8145/2BD) – Restoration England, 1660–1685 |
2022 AQA GCSE History Past Papers
2022 AQA GCSE History | Downloads | |
Paper 1 Section A Option A (8145/1AA) – America, 1840–1895: Expansion and Consolidation | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option B (8145/1AB) – Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option C (8145/1AC) – Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and Communism | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option D (8145/1AD) – America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option A (8145/1BA) – Conflict and Tension: The First World War, 1894–1918 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option B (8145/1BB) – Conflict and Tension: The Inter-war Years, 1918–1939 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option C (8145/1BC) – Conflict and Tension Between East and West, 1945–1972 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option D (8145/1BD) – Conflict and Tension in Asia, 1950–1975 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option E (8145/1BE) – Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990–2009 | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option A (8145/2AA) – Britain: Health and the People, c1000 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option B (8145/2AB) – Britain: Power and the People, c1170 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option C (8145/2AC) – Britain: Migration, Empires and the People, c790 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option A (8145/2BA) – Norman England, c1066–c1100 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option B (8145/2BB) – Medieval England: The Reign of Edward I, 1272–1307 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option C (8145/2BC) – Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option D (8145/2BD) – Restoration England, 1660–1685 |
2021 AQA GCSE History Past Papers
November 2021 AQA GCSE History | Downloads | |
Paper 1 Section A Option A (8145/1AA) – America, 1840–1895: Expansion and Consolidation | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option B (8145/1AB) – Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option C (8145/1AC) – Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and Communism | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option D (8145/1AD) – America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option A (8145/1BA) – Conflict and Tension: The First World War, 1894–1918 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option B (8145/1BB) – Conflict and Tension: The Inter-war Years, 1918–1939 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option C (8145/1BC) – Conflict and Tension Between East and West, 1945–1972 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option D (8145/1BD) – Conflict and Tension in Asia, 1950–1975 | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option A (8145/2AA) – Britain: Health and the People, c1000 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option B (8145/2AB) – Britain: Power and the People, c1170 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option C (8145/2AC) – Britain: Migration, Empires and the People, c790 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option A (8145/2BA) – Norman England, c1066–c1100 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option B (8145/2BB) – Medieval England: The Reign of Edward I, 1272–1307 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option C (8145/2BC) – Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option D (8145/2BD) – Restoration England, 1660–1685 |
2020 AQA GCSE History Past Papers
November 2020 AQA GCSE History | Downloads | |
Paper 1 Section A Option A (8145/1AA) – America, 1840–1895: Expansion and Consolidation | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option B (8145/1AB) – Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option C (8145/1AC) – Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and Communism | ||
Paper 1 Section A Option D (8145/1AD) – America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and Inequality | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option A (8145/1BA) – Conflict and Tension: The First World War, 1894–1918 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option B (8145/1BB) – Conflict and Tension: The Inter-war Years, 1918–1939 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option C (8145/1BC) – Conflict and Tension Between East and West, 1945–1972 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option D (8145/1BD) – Conflict and Tension in Asia, 1950–1975 | ||
Paper 1 Section B Option E (8145/1BE) – Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990–2009 | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option A (8145/2AA) – Britain: Health and the People, c1000 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option B (8145/2AB) – Britain: Power and the People, c1170 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section A Option C (8145/2AC) – Britain: Migration, Empires and the People, c790 to the Present Day | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option A (8145/2BA) – Norman England, c1066–c1100 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option B (8145/2BB) – Medieval England: The Reign of Edward I, 1272–1307 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option C (8145/2BC) – Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 | ||
Paper 2 Section B Option D (8145/2BD) – Restoration England, 1660–1685 |
Top AQA GCSE History Examiner Tips
Students often lose marks not because they lack knowledge, but because they do not apply it to the exact question. These tips address some of the most common mistakes in AQA GCSE History examinations.
1. Answer the exact command word and the “tail” of the question
Before writing, identify both the command word and the precise historical focus. A question may ask you to explain a cause, consequence, change, similarity, significance or difference. These are not interchangeable.
For example, if a question asks how the failure of the Schlieffen Plan affected the course of the First World War, simply describing the plan or explaining why it failed will not answer the question. You must explain the consequences of its failure, such as the development of a prolonged two-front war and the stalemate on the Western Front.
Examiner tip: Underline the command word and the final part of the question before planning your answer. At the end of every paragraph, connect your evidence directly back to that focus.
2. Know what each interpretation question is testing
In Paper 1, Section A, the three interpretation questions assess different skills:
Question 1: How do the interpretations differ? Compare what the two interpretations say.
Question 2: Why do the interpretations differ? Use the attributions and relevant contextual knowledge to explain why the authors reached different views.
Question 3: How convincing is each interpretation? Test the claims made in each interpretation against your own historical knowledge.
Do not use the same approach for all three questions. A response can contain accurate history but still receive limited credit if it applies the wrong skill.
3. Explain why interpretations differ—not simply how they differ
A frequent mistake in Question 2 is to repeat the differences already identified in Question 1. However, Question 2 asks why the authors or creators hold different views.
Move beyond a line-by-line comparison and identify the overall argument of each interpretation. Then use the attribution to explain how an author’s experience, position, purpose, audience or the time at which they were writing may have influenced that argument.
For example, a former soldier who personally witnessed the human consequences of a war may emphasise its suffering, while a government official concerned with strategy may focus on military or political achievements.
Examiner tip: Complete the chain of reasoning: “The author’s position or experience may have influenced them to emphasise ___ because ___.”
4. Do not discuss provenance where it is not rewarded
Students sometimes discuss an author’s background in every interpretation question. This wastes valuable time.
In Question 1, concentrate on comparing the content and overall arguments of the interpretations. In Question 3, use accurate contextual knowledge to test whether the claims are convincing. Do not decide that an interpretation is convincing simply because its author appears trustworthy or “less biased.”
Provenance and attribution are central to explaining why interpretations differ in Question 2, but they should not replace the specific analysis required elsewhere.
5. Avoid vague statements about bias
Writing that a source or interpretation is “biased” is not enough. Almost every historical account reflects a particular perspective, but identifying this alone does not explain its effect on the content.
A developed answer should explain:
the author’s position or experience;
the purpose for which the material was produced;
its intended audience;
the historical circumstances in which it was created; and
how these factors influenced its particular message or emphasis.
Instead of writing, “The author is biased because he supported the government,” explain what the author wanted the audience to believe and why this led them to emphasise certain achievements or overlook particular failures.
6. Use content, provenance and contextual knowledge when evaluating sources
For source-utility questions, avoid judging a source solely by its provenance. A source is not automatically useless because it is one-sided, produced as propaganda or written by someone directly involved in an event.
A strong evaluation considers:
Content: What useful information does the source provide?
Provenance: Who produced it, when, for whom and for what purpose?
Contextual knowledge: How does your own knowledge support, challenge or add to the source?
A biased source can still be extremely useful for investigating the attitudes, priorities or propaganda of the individual or organisation that produced it.
7. Maintain accurate chronological knowledge
Our teachers often identify confusion between events that occurred in different periods. Common examples include mixing up the 1923 hyperinflation crisis and the Great Depression from 1929, or treating the November 1918 Armistice and the June 1919 Treaty of Versailles as the same event.
Using information from the wrong decade, government or stage of an event weakens an otherwise relevant answer. Create timelines containing key dates, individuals, laws and turning points for each topic, and practise placing events in the correct order.
Examiner tip: Specific and accurate evidence is more valuable than vague “stock phrases” about events creating tension or causing discontent.
8. Explain the effect of your evidence
Do not leave historical evidence unexplained. After stating a fact, show how it proves the point you are making.
For example, rather than writing only that a government introduced a popular policy, explain how the policy increased public support, weakened opposition or reduced the government’s need to rely on force. This final explanatory link is often what transforms description into analysis.
A useful structure is:
Evidence → immediate effect → wider historical consequence → link to the question.
9. Use short quotations selectively
Copying large sections from a source or interpretation does not demonstrate understanding. It can also consume time that should be spent explaining your answer.
Select a short phrase only when it provides clear evidence for your point. Then explain its meaning in your own words and connect it to the question. In interpretation questions, focus on the author’s overall argument rather than comparing isolated words without considering their wider meaning.
10. Make judgements throughout longer answers
In “How far do you agree?” and factor-based essays, do not save your judgement for the conclusion. Each paragraph should explain how strongly its evidence supports or challenges the statement.
The strongest conclusions do more than repeat earlier points. They compare the relative importance of the factors and explain why one was more significant, more widespread, longer-lasting or more directly connected to the outcome.
Examiner tip: A clear judgement must be supported by the analysis in the main body of the answer. There is no reward for choosing a particular side; marks are awarded for how convincingly you justify your view.
Frequently Asked Questions: AQA GCSE History Past Papers
1. Where can I find AQA GCSE History (8145) past papers and mark schemes?
You can find AQA GCSE History past papers, question papers and mark schemes in the tables above or here on the AQA GCSE History website. Make sure you download the correct paper for the topics taught by your school, as AQA offers several different period studies, depth studies and thematic studies. Always complete the question paper before opening the mark scheme so that you can assess your knowledge accurately.
2. What papers will I sit for AQA GCSE History in 2027?
AQA GCSE History (8145) consists of two written examinations:
Paper 1: Understanding the Modern World, covering one period study and one wider-world depth study.
Paper 2: Shaping the Nation, covering one British thematic study and one British depth study, including the historic environment.
Both papers are worth 50% of the GCSE. You must sit Paper 1 and Paper 2 in the same examination series.
3. How long are the AQA GCSE History exams?
Both AQA GCSE History papers are two hours long and worth 84 marks each, including four marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar. The complete GCSE is therefore marked out of 168.
Use the number of marks available to guide your timing. As a rough rule, allow approximately 1.4 minutes per mark, while leaving a few minutes at the end to check unfinished answers, dates and historical terminology.
4. How do I know which AQA History past paper is correct for my topics?
Check the option code and topic title carefully before downloading a paper. For example, Paper 1 options include Germany, Russia, America and several Conflict and Tension courses, while Paper 2 options include Health and the People, Power and the People, Migration, Norman England and Elizabethan England.
Your teacher or school should confirm the four topics you are studying. Do not revise every option listed on the AQA website—you only answer questions on the options for which your school has entered you.
5. What are the AQA GCSE History historic environment sites for 2027?
The specified historic environment depends on your British depth study. For the 2027 AQA GCSE History exams, the sites are:
Norman England: the Battle of Hastings
Medieval England and the reign of Edward I: the Battle of Stirling Bridge
Elizabethan England: the Spanish Armada
Restoration England: the Dutch Raid on the Medway, June 1667
The historic environment changes between examination years, so students taking the exam in 2027 should not rely only on site-specific questions from older papers. Use them to practise the question format, but revise the correct 2027 site in detail.
6. What is the best way to use AQA GCSE History past papers?
Begin by completing individual questions without notes. Once you understand each question type, attempt an entire paper under timed conditions. Mark your work using the official AQA mark scheme and write down what prevented you from reaching the next level.
A strong revision process is:
Complete the question under timed conditions.
Compare your answer with the mark scheme.
Identify missing knowledge, explanation or evaluation.
Rewrite the weakest paragraph.
Attempt a similar question several days later.
Simply reading questions or model answers is less effective than writing and improving your own responses.
7. How should I use an AQA GCSE History mark scheme?
Do not treat the mark scheme as a list of facts that must appear in your answer. Many longer History questions use levels-based marking, which rewards the quality of your explanation, analysis, evidence and judgement.
Read the description of each level and ask why your answer belongs there. Then study the indicative content for examples of relevant knowledge. Other accurate historical evidence may also receive credit, even if it is not included in the indicative content.
8. Will questions from previous AQA GCSE History papers appear again in 2027?
The exact wording of a previous question is unlikely to be repeated, and no past paper can reliably predict the 2027 exam. However, the same content areas, historical concepts and question formats may appear again.
Past papers are therefore valuable for learning how AQA tests causation, consequence, change, continuity, significance, similarity, difference, sources and interpretations. Use a wide range of papers rather than trying to predict the examination from one previous year.
9. What mark will I need for a grade 9 in AQA GCSE History in 2027?
The 2027 AQA GCSE History grade boundaries will not be known until the papers have been marked. Boundaries can change each year depending on the difficulty of the examinations and the overall performance of students.
You can use previous grade boundaries as a rough reference, but they are not guaranteed targets for 2027. A better approach is to track your marks by question type and aim to improve consistently across both papers, rather than relying on a single predicted grade boundary.
