Subject Overview:

History is the study of the past. This syllabus offers the opportunity to study world history from the twentieth century to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Learners will explore history from a diverse range of perspectives, including social, economic, cultural and political. History encourages learners to raise questions and to develop and deploy historical skills, knowledge and understanding in order to provide historical explanations.

Learners studying History at CCS are given the opportunity to:

• Develop an interest in and enthusiasm for learning about and understanding the past.

• Explore historical concepts such as cause and consequence, change and continuity, and similarity and difference.

• Appreciate historical evidence and how to use it.

• Gain a greater understanding of international issues and interrelationships.

• Learn how to present clear, logical arguments and develop critical thinking.

Specific Content:

Depth Study D: The United States, 1919–41

• How far did the US economy boom in the 1920s?

• How far did US society change in the 1920s?

• What were the causes and consequences of the Wall Street Crash?

• How successful was the New Deal?

Core Content: Option B, The twentieth century: international relations since 1919

• Were the peace treaties of 1919–23 fair?

• To what extent was the League of Nations a success?

• Why had international peace collapsed by 1939?

• Who was to blame for the Cold War?

• How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism?

• How secure was the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe, 1948–c.1989?

In School Assessment:

Formative assessment: Students will be assessed on the quality of their written work as well as their retention of topic knowledge. These assessments will take the form of peer and self-assessments, essays and various other presentations throughout the course.

Summative Assessment: Students will take regular in-class exam-based tests that will give them valuable exam practice and demonstrate progression and learning. These are usually set from IGCSE past papers and will provide invaluable feedback to students and teachers on areas for improvement and gaps in understanding.

External Assessment:

Paper 1: Written paper, 2 hours, 40% of total grade. Candidates answer two questions from the Core Content and one question from the Depth Study.

Paper 2: Written paper, 2 hours, 33% of total grade. Candidates answer six questions on one prescribed topic taken from the Core Content.

Coursework: 27% of total grade. Candidates produce one piece of extended writing, with a maximum of 2,000 words, based on the Depth Study from ‘The United States, 1919–41’.