A LEVEL HISTORY
Why study History?
Do you have a passion for understanding world events and how human decision can affect the course of time? Then History is for you! You will gain skills to analyze primary and secondary source documents about real historical events both from an in-depth perspective and a broad-based perspective. You will also gain skills to write analytically about many different historical questions, which can help in just about any future employment. History can help prepare you for further study at university, as well as preparing you for understanding world literature and the government and politics of our present day. Historians move on to a wide range of professions in the media, law, the Civil Service and education. The subject combines very well with a range of arts subjects and languages, and also provides a refreshing contrast for students studying the sciences.
What will you study?
The History syllabus considers a range of historical periods and places to help students understand the play of human events both on a broad and in-depth perspective. The three paper topics are meant to cover different locations and amounts of time to meet that purpose. It also equips you with essay writing skills and source analysis skills. Finally, there is a balance between exam questions and a coursework question that is worked at throughout the second year.
Main Topics Covered:
USA history of the 20th century
India’s path to independence after World War I
The development of attitudes and strategies for dealing with poverty in Britain over the 18th, 19th and 20th century
The development of public health policy in Britain
Assessments:
Paper 1: In Search of the American Dream c1917-1996
Section A will ask you to analyse and evaluate either cause of consequence
Section B will ask you to cover a longer timespan than Section A and deal with cause, consequence, change, continuity, difference, similarity or significance
Section C will ask you to consider historical interpretations of the Reagan administration
Paper 2: India c. 1914-48: the road to independence
Section A will have 1 compulsory two-part source question
Section B will ask you to reach a judgement on an aspect of the topic studied and deal with cause, consequence, change, continuity, difference, similarity, significance
Paper 3: Poverty, Public Health and the state in Britain c. 1780-1939
Section A is a source analysis question
Section B contains a choice of essay questions that will look at your understanding of the studied period in depth
Section C contains a choice of essay questions that will look at your understanding of the studied period in breadth
Coursework:
Developed and assessed over the course of year 13
1 question given that students will do independent research to answer in an extended essay of approximately 3500 words
Textbooks:
Year 12:
Title: Paper 1&2: Searching for rights and freedoms in the 20th century (Route F)
Authors: Jane Shuter, Rosemary Rees, William Beinart, Edward Teversham, Rick Rogers
Year 13:
Title: Paper 3 Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c. 1780-1939
Author: Rosemary Rees
Potential degree courses
Any further study that requires the skills of evaluation, detailed and focused research and the weighing up of evidence will be aided by studying History at A level.
Specification details – Edexcel 9H10