Each body in the constitutional process had a different job. To answer well, link each body to what it contributed and why that mattered.
This lesson opens the cluster on constitutional negotiations of 1957. The next lesson covers negotiation and compromise.
Who did what?
Give each body one verb. The verbs below are a memory aid, so confirm the details against your textbook.
| Body | Verb | What it contributed |
|---|---|---|
| Reid Commission | Drafted | Studied the situation and recommended a draft constitution |
| Alliance parties | Proposed | Put forward the shared views of their communities |
| Malay Rulers | Consented | Gave their views and agreement on matters affecting them |
| British government | Approved | Agreed to the arrangements for independence |
The table also shows a sequence. Experts recommend, local groups respond, the Rulers give consent, and the British government approves.
Worked example from a source
Here is an original extract. “A commission of experts from several countries studied the country and presented recommendations, which were then discussed by local leaders.”
The question: “Explain the role of the body shown in the source.”
Step 1: identify the body. A commission of experts, which points to the Reid Commission.
Step 2: state its role using the source. It studied the country and presented recommendations for a constitution.
Step 3: add the reason. Because the commission was made up of outside experts, its recommendations gave the discussion a starting point that local leaders could respond to.
A full answer: “The Reid Commission studied the country and presented recommendations for a constitution. This gave local leaders a draft to discuss, so the final text could be shaped through negotiation.”
The mistake to avoid
The slip is a list of names. “The Reid Commission, the Alliance and the Rulers were involved” is correct, but it says nothing about roles.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| “The Alliance was involved.” | “The Alliance proposed shared views from its communities, so the draft reflected more than one voice.” |
Check each sentence you write. If it has no verb that says what the body did, rewrite it.
Check yourself
Write one sentence on the role of the Malay Rulers, using the verb “consented”.
Answer
The Malay Rulers consented to the constitutional arrangements, which mattered because the new system had to respect their position and have their agreement.
A stronger answer adds one detail from your textbook about what the Rulers’ agreement covered.
What to study next
Continue with explaining negotiation and compromise. Practise sequencing the bodies with the timeline and sequence tool and plan answers with the evidence-to-explanation planner.
For a teacher to quiz you on each role, see online one-to-one Sejarah tuition.