A traditional state worked because its rulers, laws and social roles supported one another. To show this, name two of them and write one sentence saying how the first helped the second.
This lesson follows explaining features of a traditional state. You now take separate features and join them.
What does the three-way link look like?
- Governance is who rules and how officials are appointed.
- Law is the rules that protect or direct that system.
- Social role is the duties and standing of each group in it.
A link sentence joins any two: “The maritime laws set rules for the port, which helped the harbour masters keep trade orderly.”
Worked example: the Melaka Sultanate
Adapted practice source, in our own words, with real facts: “Melaka was ruled by a Sultan, with officials led by the Bendahara, followed by the Temenggung, the Penghulu Bendahari and the Syahbandar 1. Its written laws included the Hukum Kanun Melaka and the maritime law, Undang-Undang Laut Melaka 2.”
Question: Show how governance, law and social roles supported one another in Melaka.
- Governance: a Sultan ruled with officials, including a Temenggung for security and a Syahbandar for the port 4 3.
- Law: written codes, including a maritime law, set rules for the state 2.
- Social roles: officials and merchants had defined places, and the Syahbandar helped to develop trade at the port 2.
Now join them: “The Sultan ruled through officials such as the Temenggung and the Syahbandar. Written laws, including the maritime law, set the rules those officials applied, so the port stayed orderly. This helped trade run smoothly, which in turn supported Melaka’s place as a trading centre.”
Each sentence contains a link word: “through”, “so”, “which in turn”. Check the specific laws and roles against your textbook.
The mistake that loses marks
The common slip is three separate paragraphs, one on rulers, one on laws and one on society, with nothing joining them.
| Structure | Separate paragraphs | Connected paragraph |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | Sultan rules through officials | Sultan rules through officials |
| Law | Written codes exist | “Written laws set the rules those officials applied, so” |
| Social role | Merchants trade at the port | “so the port stayed orderly for merchants” |
| Marker’s view | Three facts | One system |
The fix is to end each sentence with a word that points to the next one: “so”, “which meant”, “in turn”.
A routine for a connection question
- Pick the two or three parts the question needs.
- Write one sentence for the first part.
- Begin the next sentence with “This” or “so” and name the second part.
- Close with what the link achieved for the state.
The evidence-to-explanation planner lets you place each part and draw the link between them.
Check yourself
Write a three-sentence connected answer on the role of the Syahbandar in Melaka, using the facts above.
Answer
“The Syahbandar managed the affairs of the port 3. Written laws, including the maritime Undang-Undang Laut Melaka, set rules for the sea trade 2, so the Syahbandar worked within a common code. This helped trade to develop in the sultanate 2.”
The link words “so” and “this helped” join governance, law and social life.
What to study next
Test your claims against a source in distinguishing evidence from a general claim. For related ideas about who holds final authority, see sovereignty.
If you want a teacher to check your links, see online one-to-one Sejarah tuition.