History

s1 - 3 history

In S1 pupils are introduced to the History of East Lothian. They will learn all about the Battle of Prestonpans which took place in 1745 during the Jacobite rebellion. Classes have the opportunity to visit the battleground and hear how the battle played out, before heading to the Battle of Prestonpans museum to explore exhibitions and artefacts from the time period. Students will then go on to learn about the witch trials of the 16th-18th centuries, many of which took place in East Lothian.

In S2 pupils investigate the Vietnam war and the reasons the USA lost this. Classes look at the origins of the war and learn about Communism and Capitalism, discover the methods and tactics of the Vietcong as well as the failings of the US tactics in the war. Finally, they look at the various protests that emerged in the US against the war, and the impact these had on the eventual end of the war. In S2 students will also begin working with primary and secondary sources and think critically about validity and bias in historical sources.

In S3 students begin with a unit of study on Native Americans and White Settlers. They learn about the traditions and customs of Native Americans before investigating the arrival of white settlers and the lasting impact this had on Native Americans. Students will develop their source handling skills and continue to engage critically with information that reflects differing perspectives on a contentious period of History.

From there, we move on to a unit of study on The Holocaust and Nazi Persecution - a challenging but important chapter in History. This course aims to dispel myths about The Holocaust and focuses on pre-war Jewish life, Nazi persecution before the outbreak of war, and non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution as well as the ghettos and concentration camps.

Finally, students move on to begin studying The Great War. The course looks first at the reasons men volunteered for war, experiences in the trenches and weapons used on the Western Front. It then moves on to look at the impact the war had on the home front, for example rationing, censorship and restrictions under the infamous Defence of the Realm Act. Pupils have the chance to visit The Devil's Porridge museum in Annan, the site of the largest munitions factory in the world during the First world War, where they learn more about the experiences of those in the war and can interact with artefacts from the time period. These units form the beginning of the National 3/4/5 course which many pupils choose to continue with in S4. Throughout S3, students will also continue developing their source skills and begin to practice National level assessment structures to prepare them for their next phase of learning.

National 3-5 history

Aims of the Course

Through the successful completion of this course important skills for learning, life, and work are developed. These skills include: researching, understanding and using a range of information/evidence on historical issues, communicating conclusions based on evidence, evaluating straightforward sources of information, and presenting information about important historical themes and events.

Course Content

Unit 1: Scottish Unit: Students pick up where they left off in S3 and continue looking at the impact the Great War had on Scotland. We begin looking at the changes to industry and economy in Scotland, before finishing with the political impact, most notably the women's suffrage campaigns and the eventual extension of the franchise in 1918. Students will continue practicing National 5 level questions and/or banking National 4 units throughout this topic.

Unit 2: British Unit: In this unit students are given the opportunity to learn about the Atlantic Slave Trade (1770-1807) and in doing so will gain an in-depth understanding of the triangular trade, the relationship Britain had with the Caribbean, the captive’s experience, slave resistance and the abolitionist campaigns.

Unit 3: European and World Unit: Learners are encouraged to expand on their understanding of Hitler and Nazi Germany (1919-1939) by studying Weimar Germany, the Nazi’s rise to power, their control of Germany and their social and economic policies.

higher history

Aims of the Course

The Higher History course aims to promote understanding of continuity and change, promote awareness of major historical issues and develop the ability to think independently and make informed judgements based on historical evidence. Throughout this course there is also the opportunity for students to be actively involved in the learning process through independent study and participation with others.

Course Content

Unit 1: British Unit: This unit looks at the development of the United Kingdom into a modern democracy, the role of the state in the welfare of its citizens, and the themes of authority, ideology and rights.

Unit 2: European & World: USA: Starting from the end of the WW1 this unit studies the growing tensions in American society by focusing on racial divisions, economic difficulties, the growth of federal powers and the struggle for civil rights up to 1968.

Unit 3: Scottish Unit: Migration and Empire: Students will gain a better understanding of Scotland by looking at the migration of Scots, the experience of immigrants in Scotland, the impact of Scot emigrating on the Empire and at home from 1830-1939.

advanced higher history

Aims of the Course

In order to prepare students for life after school, either in work or study, the Advanced Higher History course provides learners with essential skills such as critical analysis, developing skills in order to debate, organisational skills, and presenting conclusions all while reflecting on the complexity of a historical issue.

Course Content

The course is divided into two parts – the historical study of Russia: From Tsarism to Stalinism (1914–1945) and the completion of a dissertation which is a piece of independent research based on the historical study.

More specifically, the historical study of Russia includes the Bolshevik’s rise to power, Lenin and the consolidation of power, the making of the Stalinist system and the spread of his authority.

This unit will allow the candidate to carry out independent research on the content in the Historical Study unit. Candidates will develop the investigative skills of planning, reading, analysing and presenting to produce dissertations which should be a maximum of 4,000 words in length.

History Learners Journey (24/25).pptx

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