HISTORY (PEARSON)

AS Course Outline

‘We are not makers of history. We are made by history.’ - Martin Luther King, Jnr

Who Should Study AS Level History?

History suits students who are interested in how humanity has progressed and the way in which power relationships change with respect rulers and their subjects, and between a nation and the rest of the world. History examines the causes and course of events as well as their consequences, from the long-term to the short. History is the study of the most important of decisions and the impacts they have had.

What Topics and Questions will I Study in AS Level History?

You will analyse how two countries - Britain and the United States - have developed and changed throughout the twentieth century. You explore political, social, economic and cultural challenges and events. You will observe and analyse how they impacted on the way people lived and how countries were governed. Beginning with the effects of the First World War, the two papers will continue to the 1990s, examining changes for governments and people, including how this may vary according to class, sex, ethnicity or location.

What Challenges Will I Face in AS Level History?

• You will learn how to write academic essays in a supportive environment, with plenty of feedback and opportunities to improve so that you may be best prepared for university and decision-making careers.
• You will need analyse and evaluate historical source material, ascertaining their value for a historian, applying them to important questions of the periods studied.
• You will also need to analyse and evaluate arguments and interpretations for historians, engaging with controversial debates with increasing knowledge and confidence.
• You should be able to apply the value of what you learn in history to important issues of today, be they social, political, economic, cultural or international.
• You will develop strong research methods and be able to undertake increasingly challenging assignments as well nurture keen critical thinking skills, enabling you to argue with logic and reasoning.

What Careers Can AS Level History Lead To?

HISTORY AS (PEARSON) AS Course Specification

Paper 1: Britain Transformed, 1918-97 (Option 1H) 2 hour 15 minute exam involving three questions (30% of A Level) The Consequences of the First World War on Britain The General Strike The Great Depression The Second World War The Welfare State Post-war Consensus The Permissive Society Immigration and Race Relations Thatcherism This is a broad study about how far Britain was transformed politically, socially, economically and culturally in the years 1918-79. It will also contain an in-depth study containing historical interpretations of the impact and consequences of Margaret Thatcher's government 1979-90. Students will need to consider many themes such as how war affected Britain throughout the period, and how the fluctuations of the economy and advances in technology impacted on British life.

Paper 2: The USA, c.1920-55: Boom, Bust and Recovery (2H.1) & The USA, 1955-92: Conformity and Challenge (2H.2) (Option 2H) 90 minute exam involving two questions (20% of A Level) Prohibition The Jazz Age The Wall Street Crash The New Deal McCarthyism MLK and Civil Rights The Great Society Women's Liberation Black Power The impact of the Vietnam War Watergate Reaganomics Students will study both options but they will only be examined on one of them. It will be up to the student to choose between the questions on the day of the exam. The first part concerns America's post-war boom of the 1920s, the Depression, New Deal, impact of the Second World War and anti-communist hysteria. The second part looks at the racial and political protests and the rise of partisanship between Democrats and Republicans. Students will gain insights in the American political process, culture, economics and other wider social factors.

What Skills Do I Need for AS Level History?

• Grade 6 or above in English GCSE so that you can confidently write essays and understand source material.
• History GCSE is not an essential pre-requisite so long as you have an inquiring mind with broad interest in a range of subjects, including the past. History helps provide insight into politics, economics and sociological issues.

Introductory Reading

All the main material will be provided for you in class and extra texts can be purchased for revision purposes later on in the course.