Middle School Curriculum Booklet 25-27

History

Edexcel IGCSE History 4HI1

Why study History? The History course at Ibstock provides a thrilling journey through some of the most momentous events and periods of the 20th Century. It helps us understand why some of the most extraordinary events came to pass and how the consequences of these events have shaped the world that we live in today. The study of History will equip you with important skills to take into adult life. Orally, History gives you the opportunity to develop your ability to construct and deliver ideas in open debate, something which has become increasingly important in everyday life. You will learn to marshal your ideas and evidence to build powerful, convincing and logical written arguments and you will master analysis and testing of complex evidence, such as speeches, printed extracts and newspaper articles. It is no wonder, then, that historians go on to pursue a variety of high-powered careers including law, finance, journalism, media, politics and education. What does the course cover? The course covers some of the most memorable and significant moments of British and World history in the 20th Century. We start with the extraordinary story of America in the post-war world up to 1974. Our study begins with the McCarthy witch-hunt era and then moves into a longer study of the development of civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s. A major element of this study is the fight for black American civil rights, but we also cover other protest movements including the women's movement and the student movement. Our America course ends with the notorious Watergate Scandal, which rocked the entire nation.

How is the course assessed? The final grade is based on performance in two written examinations where pupils answer a variety of questions from short answer to longer essay questions. Candidates will demonstrate their sourcework skills using primary evidence supplied. extraordinary era of change over the best part of a hundred years. Our study begins with China still being ruled by an emperor and takes us through the era of the warlords up to the triumph of the Chinese Communist Party in a civil war. We then move on to changes under Mao and the impact of the Cultural Revolution before finishing with an appreciation of China in the years up to 1989. We then study the causes and course of the First World War, charting increasing international tensions from 1904 leading up to the assassination in Sarajevo, before undertaking a detailed review of the war itself, notable individuals, the methods of warfare and the factors bringing it to an end. We move on to Stalinist Russia, considering Stalin’s manoeuvring of himself into leadership of the USSR and his elimination of opponents. We study the reflection of communist ideals in industry and agriculture and follow the course of the USSR through the Nazi onslaught and its emergence as a global superpower. Our last unit, on ‘China: Conflict, Crisis and Change 1900-89’ focuses on China during an Pupils answer one question on each of their depth studies: Dictatorship and conflict in the USSR, 1924–53; A divided union: civil rights in the USA, 1945–74. Pupils answer one question on their investigation: The origins and course of the First World War, 1905–18 and one on their breadth study: China: Conflict, Crisis and Change, 1900-89. Paper 2: Historical Investigation and Breadth Study 50% of final mark, 1 hour 30 minutes Paper 1: Depth Studies 50% of final mark, 1 hour 30 minutes

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