Chelmsford County High School for Girls

Subjects

History - GCSE

Our syllabus (OCR Modern World, Syllabus B) deals with the 'Modern World' - that is the world in the early twentieth century. The study of this part of history is therefore clearly linked to our attempts to understand the world in which we live today. It is divided up as follows, and it is in this order that we will be tackling the separate sections:

• 1. Core content. This is a study of international relations and events and changes in world history between 1919 and c. 1939, and focuses on the (mis)handling of the legacy of the First World War and the decisions of the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, the search for International Order through the League of Nations, and the reasons why Europe was once again engulfed in war in 1939.
• 2. Coursework on Germany between 1919 and 1939. There will be two pieces of coursework, one an essay on the reasons for Hitler's rise to power and his subversion of German democracy, and the other involving the analysis of some 'source material' on an aspect of the Nazi dictatorship. It is likely that this will focus on the Nazi persecution of German Jews, and the question of how far the German people shared responsibility for this.
• 3. A depth study on a foreign country - The United States of America, 1919-1941. This unit examines the crucial interwar period in a country that was to be the dominant world power of the later twentieth and early twenty-first century. Key events and themes include the economic boom of the 1920s, the Wall Street Crash, the Great Depression, and President Roosevelt's New Deal.
• 4. Paper II - Sourcework - 'How was British society changed between 1906 and 1918?' The three key topics in this unit are the Liberal Reforms of 1906-1911, the struggle for women's suffrage, and the impact of the First World War on Britain. Through 'sourcework' tasks, we also consider the ways in which historians use evidence to define and refine their understanding of the past.

Examination Board:

OCR

Derivative of Final Grade:

75% Examination
25% Coursework

Why Study History at GCSE?

Of course your History teachers would love you to study History at GCSE, and of course, we believe passionately in the importance of our subject. But don't let that influence your choices. We are not in the business of pressurising students. However, we thought you might like to know what some past students have said:

'History leaves you one step ahead - whatever you want to do in later life. Its logical arguments, thinking skills and general FANTASICITY [?] make it the best subject to learn.'

'Helps you to understand the way the world is and how it works - it should be on everyone's 'to do' list.'

'Sheer craziness would drive you away from this course.'

'It's very rare that you can find a subject so interesting. I look forward to every lesson. The topics and the debates help me to understand the politics of today, and the discussions build valuable life skills.'

'History is taught in a way that makes us understand - analogies are made and we compare history to situations we are familiar with.'

'What we learn about the past helps us to understand the present day: politics, economics, psychology... History is relevant to them all.'

'It's fun and interesting, and I like to eat biscuits.'