History
HISTORY GCSE OCR Syllabus 1607/13
This is an immensely exciting and relevant course. We study the main ways the world has changed this century using a wide range of source material including brand new textbooks, videos, maps and newspaper cartoons. Building on the work you have already covered in Year 9, we look at the ways people in power have changed life for people in their countries. In addition, we look at the reasons why ideas about running countries have changed. The course will give you an excellent understanding of what is happening in the news today and why there is sometimes peace and sometimes war. The two year course is arranged in the following way:-
Year 10
Autumn Term The USA, 1919 - 41
In the 1920s, America was the richest country in the world and many people enjoyed a very exciting lifestyle, symbolised by the booming of Hollywood and Jazz music. We study how gangsters took over some of the largest cities in America when Alcohol was banned. In 1929 the Wall Street Crash brought Depression and suffering to millions. We look at the reasons for the 1902s Boom years together with the efforts made in the thirties to rebuild America, with president Roosevelt's New Deal. Assessment - Paper 1 in Year 11 GCSE exams
Spring Term Germany 1918 - 1945
We now turn our attention to arguably the most famous person of the 20th century, Adolf Hitler. We research how Hitler came to power and what life was like for people living in Nazi Germany. You will do two coursework assignments on Germany. One is a computer based assignment looking at how the Nazis used propaganda to get people to vote for them. Another will be a source enquiry trying to find out whether the Nazis were to blame for setting fire to the Reichstag (parliament building) in 1933. Your final coursework assignment will be an investigation into the Nazis' influence on the lives of children. Altogether, your coursework is worth 25% of your final marks. Assessment - Controlled tasks (coursework)
Summer Term Britain and the First World War.
We start this year by looking at what life was like for people in Britain during the First World War. We look at the Suffragettes and rationing as special studies.
Assessment - Paper 2 in Year 11 GCSE Exams
Year 11
Autumn Term Britain and the First World War.
Spring Term International Relations before and after WWI
In 1919, the great world powers gathered in the magnificent Palace of Versailles to decide the future of Europe after the First World War. The decisions they made were to affect the relations between the countries of the world for ever more. We start by looking closely at the Treaty of Versailles and then at the attempts to keep peace and the resulting failure with the start of the Second World War in 1939. We then look at how the world powers and America in particular, attempted to keep the peace while fighting a Cold War against the ideas of communist Russia. Assessment - Paper 1 in Year 11 GCSE exams.
