The study of history is a grand exercise in the study of life. What motivates the individual, and can the needs of that individual be outweighed by the needs of the many in society? Can an ideology be as powerful as a belief, and is history doomed to repeat itself? In a world of study where there are few absolutes and a myriad of interpretations for the same events, History is a prime discipline for the independent thinker. Constructing evidentially supported arguments, analysing the significance of different sources of evidence and critically evaluating their worth to you, a worth that does not have a fixed value but varies as frequently as the questions you ask of it. History IB gives an opportunity to examine the seeds of 21st Century Europe conflict.
The course is designed to give you access to big themes over a broad modern timescale. How have our present geopolitical states been created? What are the roles of democratic nations on the world stage? The studies are predominantly case study based and some will be familiar (e.g. the aftermath of the Great War) whilst some will be outside the norm (e.g. Russia from Tsarist Russia in 1854 to the Revolutions of 1905, the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks and then beyond). The case studies will be a blend of political, economic and cultural history.
The final mark is made up of both exams and an internal assessment though the split between these differs from Standard Level to Higher. The exams are taken at the end of the course in year 13.
Standard students take a source paper, an essay paper and a coursework on a topic of their own choosing. Higher students take a further essay paper.
Paper 1 (Source Paper)
You will look at military expansion from 1931 to 1941 in two case studies exploring Japanese, German and Italian expansionism. You will investigate the causes of expansion, key events, and international responses.
Paper 2 (Essay paper)
Core topic 1: C20th Authoritarian States Why are people motivated to support authoritarian leaders through revolution or the ballot box? What ideologies drive them onwards and how totalitarian do their regimes become?
Core Topic 2: The Cold War Instrumental in shaping the world we all live in. Mistrust on both sides, East and West, but just because you’re paranoid does not mean they are not out to get you.
Paper 3: (Higher Level essays)
12. Imperial Russia, Revolutions, emergence of the Soviet State 1855 to 1924: The attempts by the Tsars to bring about social reform from the top of society to prevent a revolution from below.
14: European States in the Interwar Years 1918 to 1939: How to tame the fascist regimes of the early 20th Century?
16: The Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia 1924 to 2000: Consolidation of the Soviet state from 1924 and the methods applied to ensure its survival, growth and expansion.
Entry Requirements
Standard Level - GCSE History at Grade 4 and above
Higher Level - GCSE History at Grade 6 and above
For further information
Please contact Mark Turner: mark.turner@parksidecc.org.uk
History Curriculum Map