How to approach "

inevitable" or "
Unavoidable" type of
questions.
Presentation by amigo Tutor :Theresa Shamiso Sibanda
Email add :shamisoblessing@gmail.com
Cell :0774658065
Mount Pleasant high school
Examples of "inevitable" type
of questions
• 1. "The outbreak of the French Revolution was
inevitable" discuss
• 2.The collapse of the congress system was
inevitable " How far true is this verdict.
• 3." Inevitable " how far true is this verdict in the
light of the downfall of the restored bourbon
monarchy.
• 4" The outbreak of the Anglo matebele war is
inevitable." discuss
• 5" The defeat of the Ndebeles and Shonas in
1896/7 was inevitable" discuss
Examples of Unavoidable type
of questions
• "The death of Louis xvi in 1793 was unavoidable "
How far true is this assertion?
• "The fall of the directory government was
unavoidable" discuss.
• "Napoleon's defeat in 1814/5 was unavoidable"
discuss
• "colonization of Zimbabwe was unavoidable"
how true is this assertion?
• "The demise of mutapa state was unavoidable"
how valid is this verdict?
Example of a life situation.
• A child consumed deadly poison
• (death is inevitable or unavoidable)
• Doctors tried hard to save the child's life . Gave the child milk to induce vomiting
and some injections. (effort made by the doctor)
• Question
• "The death of the child was inevitable" discuss
• Side A
• The death was inevitable because the child consumed deadly poison or cyninde
• However doctors made an effort to induce vomiting and administered some
injections to neutralize the poison. The effort was in vain as they could not save the
child's life.
• So avoid thisȰ
• So we don't respond to this question with wishful thinking.
• Eg if the child had not drank poison he would not have died. If parents had not
exposed the poison the child could have been alive.
• In history we judge events that happened and we do not rely on wishful thinking.
What we should avoid when
answering this question
• *Avoid wishful thinking
• Avoid speculation
• Avoid creating events that never occurred
• Stick to historical facts and use historical
events that transpired as your supporting
evidence.
Phrases to avoid when
answering this question
• Avoid the use of these phrases
• If.....
• Could have....
• Should have.....
• Had it not been....
• The moment you start using these words or
phrases know very well you are falling into wishful
thinking and this is not recommended.
• In history we judge facts, events that transpired not
what we wished to have happened.
Golden rule - start with the
affirmative side always.
• Eg the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in
1814/5was inevitable.
• Affirmative side A
• Defeat was inevitable is the affirmative side A
• Points to support first side
• Evidence is all over to support that napoleon
Bonaparte was going to be defeated.
Cont'
• Evidence that supports that defeat was
inevitable:
• 1.formation of fourth coalition
• 2.enemy had studied napoleon fighting tactics,
napoleon continued to use old methods whilst
enemy had devised new ones. Or revolutionized
theirs.
• 3. Napoleon Bonaparte former allies deserted
him and joined fourth coalition.
• 4 napoleon never possessed adequate navy etc
Side B _Effort made to prevent
defeat
• Napoleon Bonaparte after losing forces at
Moscow campaign he raised quickly raised an
army of up to 300 000 men. Quickly trained
them.
• Napoleon during the 100 days asked the
assembly to sponsor his army and was denied
support.
Side B effort or measures taken to
prevent the occurance of that
event. (although it finally happened
• Always think seriously about measures put in
place to avoid terrible event from happening
though it actually happened.
• We are training you to think serious about this
everytime. When an event occurs measures to
contain or serve desperate situation are put in
place but seems the weight or pendulum
normally tilt towards factors that promote
occurance of major event.
Run down of side B of
inevitable questions
• Students normally don't have problems with
side A affirmative side why the event was
inevitable
• Problem come with side b_ Effort made to
solve the desperate situation
Cont
• Defeat of Shonas and Ndebele in 1896/7 was inevitable
• Side b points to consider:
• Shona used guerrilla warfare and avoided direct
confrontation, hid in mountain, caves and hills.
• Ndebele hid their weapons well in advance in the caves
before the war.
• Ndebele Took advantage of failure of the Jameson raid
and rose whilst the country was still unprotected.
• Ndebele were assisted by their shona counterparts to
exert pressure on whites.
• Murenga was well coordinated by spirit mediums agents.
Cont
• Demise of restored bourbons was inevitable " discuss

• Side A affirmative side students normally don't have problems with side A
affirmative side
• Side b tend to pose problems
• What efforts were made to try and save the monarchy from collapsing
• Side b points to consider:
• 1. Louis xviii tried to rule with a constitutional charter.
• 2tried to maintain most of the reforms introduced by Napoleon Bonaparte.
• 3 tried to control the ultra royalists
• 4took middle of the road approach to please different parties.
• Tried to intervene in Spain to remind the French of a glorious foreign policy
Cont
• The execution of Louis xvi was inevitable
• Side A affirmative side students normally don't have problems with
side A
• Side b effort made to try and prevent execution of Louis xvi
• 1. There were moderate parties that voted against execution of Louis
xvi though defeated by a narrow margin
• Some groups were sympathetic towards the king eg girondists felt
execution was too radical and preferred imprisonment.
• Foreigners threatened french invasions if they continue to ill treat
Louis xvi (declaration of pillnitz and Brunswick manifesto) tried to
scare the french
• Foreign powers fought France in a desperate measure to restore
Louis of his former dictatorial powers and remove the revolutionary
government
Conclusion
• In summary inevitable or unavoidable type of
questions needs a unique way of addressing
them
• Start by supporting the affirmative side why
you say it was unavoidable or inevitable.

• Side b look at the effort made to try and save

the situation.
Cont
• Anglo matebele war was Unavoidable "discuss
• Normally students do not have problems with side A affirmative side
• Problem arise when trying to address side B of the question
• Side b effort made to try and prevent the outbreak of this war
• Side b
• 1.bsac returned lobengula cattle when he protested through his
agents that gomala used his cattle to pay fine.
• 2.mnyao and mgandani retreated or retired when told to leave Fort
Victoria in 2hours
• 3.the ndebele king sent a bag of gold suing for peace with two of his
izindunas
• 4when ndebele entered fort Victoria they alerted whites they need not
fear for their lives as their target or mission was to punish the Shonas
The end
• Amigo Tutor :Theresa Shamiso Sibanda
• Email address :shamisoblessing@gmail.com
• Cell :0774658065
• Mount Pleasant high school