1. How convincing is Interpretation A about the Norman legal system
How convincing is Interpretation A about the Norman legal system? Explain your answer using Interpretation A and your contextual knowledge. [8 marks]
It looks extremely violent (the man looks as though he has been slain / killed)
Crowd of people watching (to show that it was a trial / spectacle)
The men fighting look like knights (not peasants)
The interpretation is showing a Trial by battle
Interpretation A: A modern drawing showing a trial by battle in Norman England.

2. IS IT CONVINCING? How convincing is Interpretation A about the Norman legal system? Explain your answer using Interpretation A and your contextual knowledge. [8 marks]
It looks extremely violent (the man looks as though he has been slain / killed)
Not fully convincing – Often the loser would yield before he was killed. The interpretation is therefore making it seem more violent than it was
Crowd of people watching (to show that it was a trial / spectacle)
Yes its convincing – the ordeal was done in order to determine if a person was guilty in the eyes of God (it was not their punishment) and the crowd would watch to see Gods verdict
The men fighting look like knights (not peasants)
Quite convincing – Ordeal by combat was done by knights and above – (men of equal rank); however peasants also settled disputes this way, but often used sticks instead of swords
The interpretation is showing a Trial by battle
Yes its convincing – The Normans expanded the Anglo-Saxon ordeal system of fire and water by introducing ordeal by combat
Interpretation A: A modern drawing showing a trial by battle in Norman England.

3. A very brief mark scheme…
Level 1 Basic
Identifies factor (can do as many as you want)
Statement – does not answer the question
Level 2 simple
One explanation (simple because its mono-casual) – ‘one reason for everything…’
Level 3 developed
Two or more explained identified factors
Low level 3 – one explained factor, one identified

4. What level and why?
Interpretation A shows a trial by combat in Norman England. In the interpretation it appears as though one knight has been slain by another over a dispute. This interpretation is convincing because it is accurate. The Normans introduced ordeal by combat as part of their changes to the laws in England. If a nobleman was accused of a crime he would fight his accuser and whoever won the fight was thought to be right. However, the interpretation is not fully convincing because in the image it shows the loser being killed. This is not fully accurate as often the loser would yield, rather than be killed in this ordeal by combat. Thereby making the interpretation not fully representative of the period as it was making it seem more violent than it actually was.
Level 3 – Two developed reasons supported with evidence
from the interpretation and contextual knowledge

5. Key tips to help you to achieve a Level 3
for the how convincing question
For each annotation try and provide evidence from the period that supports or contradicts the interpretation
Annotate the interpretation to identify its message
Remember the rule of two Choose two aspects to discuss
You don’t have to do one convincing and one not convincing point
Re-writing the question / statement – ‘The interpretation is / is not convincing about… because…’
Following simple structures like PEE or PEEL
Don’t discuss provenance!

6. How convincing is Interpretation A about… Explain your answer using Interpretation A and your contextual knowledge (8 marks)
Aspect 1
Aspect 2
POINT
Make a point (What does interpretation A show about…?)
Make a point (What else does interpretation A show about…?)
EVIDENCE
Give evidence from the interpretation
Give evidence from the first event to support it
EXPLANATION
Explain using your own knowledge whether this is convincing or not
(This is convincing / not convincing because I know from my own knowledge…)