| Date | November 2020 | Marks available | 15 | Reference code | 20N.3op3.HL.TZ0.2 |
| Level | Higher level only | Paper | Paper 3 (History of Asia and Oceania) | Time zone | TZ0 |
| Command term | To what extent | Question number | 2 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Section 1: Trade and exchange: The Silk Road in the medieval world (750–1500)
“Political integration was the most significant result of the Silk Road.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Markscheme
The question requires that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that political integration was the most significant result of the Silk Road. Candidates may refer to the ways in which Mongol expansion brought political stability to the region. The revival of Samarkand as the trade, cultural and political centre of the Islamic world was key to this integration. Political unity was developed through tolerance towards different religious groups and the Mongols were prepared to use force to maintain peace in the longer term. Candidates may challenge the assumption in the question and argue that there were other more significant results of the Silk Road. These could include cultural interaction and the transmission of new ideas. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.
Examiners report
The question required that candidates consider the merits or otherwise of the statement that political integration was the most significant result of the Silk Road.
