MATSEC IM History case studies
MATSEC IM History · Put your knowledge to work in context.
MATSEC IM History is an Intermediate-level (IM) subject examination offered under the MATSEC Examinations Board, which is part of L-Università ta' Malta. The Board publishes its own regulations, guidelines and policies, syllabi, current session information, past papers, and marking schemes and exemplars as separate sections of its site, so the syllabus document - not second-hand summaries - is the authoritative statement of what the paper assesses and how it is marked. The MATSEC IM History case studies are 5 cases and about 2,254 words.
1Two Accounts of the 1565 Siege: Numbers and Dates
In a Maltese archive, a sixth-form student is comparing two accounts of the Great Siege of Malta (1565). Document A is an anonymous Italian narrative, copied in 1570, which states that 30,000 Ottoman soldiers died and that the relief force arrived on 6 September.
489 words, about 2 min2A Turning Point? Maltese Town Minutes, 1750–1810
A sixth-form student is examining the minutes of a Maltese town council (Università) from 1750 to 1810. The minutes switch from Italian to English in 1803, three years after the British began their occupation in 1800.
450 words, about 2 min3Causes of the 1919 Sette Giugno Riots
In June 1919, riots in Valletta led to British troops firing on a crowd; four Maltese were killed. A student's essay claims: 'The riots were caused by the increase in the price of bread.' The evidence includes a bread price rise from 1.5 to 2.5 soldi per loaf; a British governor's report blaming 'a mob incited by agitators'; a nationalist newspaper citing unemployment among dockyard workers, the return of emigrants from Egypt, and demands for self-government; and a police log recording a meeting on 7 June about the cost of living, followed by a march to the governor's palace.
463 words, about 2 min4Golden Age or Parasitic Rule? The Knights in Malta
Two historians debate the Knights of St John's rule in Malta (1530–1798). Historian A argues: 'The Knights transformed Malta: they built the Valletta and Floriana fortifications, founded the Sacra Infermeria, and the population rose from about 20,000 to 100,000.' Historian B argues: 'They were a parasitic theocracy: their wealth came from European estates, they imposed monopolies on grain and tobacco, the Inquisition censored books, and the local nobility was excluded from high office.' A student must write an essay assessing both.
437 words, about 2 min5Reading a Parish Register: Plague, Famine and Population Decline
A student uses the parish register of a Maltese village, 1670–1720. Births average 40 per year.
415 words, about 2 min