History

Course summary

War, revolution, romance, communism, medieval warfare, nuclear bombs, optimism and despair are some of the more dramatic elements that students will study in Route A. There are three components in this linear A-Level: two examined topics and one coursework topic. Component 1 covers the arc of Russian history from Tsarism, through the Revolution and up to the peak of the Cold War (1855–1964). This topic also teaches students how to pass judgement on numerous historians’ interpretations on Russian history, from left and right. Component 2 is a classic study of fear, dysfunctional families, lust and vicious battles in early modern England: the Wars of the Roses (1450–99). This topic also enables students to find value in contemporary historical writings, despite the bias, distortion and propaganda of Lancastrian, Yorkist and Tudor sources. The coursework will cover the evolution of US foreign policy 1890–2000 from sleeping giant to world superpower.