A Level History (Modern)

Course summary

Studying History gives you the opportunity to gain an understanding of how the modern world came to be. Through your studies of the British Empire you will examine how Britain shaped other nations through war, economic and cultural actions. This will include an analysis of India, Africa and the Middle East and the impact of the First and Second World War on British rule. This topic will also allow you to see how our own society came to be altered, studying attitudes on race and nationalism, leaving a legacy of how we perceive the world and how we expect other nations to treat us. Your studies of the Cold War (1945-1991) will examine the history of superpower conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union which created new nations and a legacy which effects the world to this day. You will study the actions of political figures such as President Kennedy and Soviet leader Stalin in shaping their nations foreign policy. You will also learn about conflict in places such as Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan, which continue to have an impact today. We will also focus on espionage, the arms and space race and crises which very nearly ended the world, such as that in Cuba in 1962. Our coursework unit focuses witch hunting across Britain and the German states, where you will independently study the roots of the witch craze 1563 – 1662.