History

Examination Board: AQA (Website)

Why study History?

History is a long established subject at Welbeck because it is considered that a knowledge of how British society has developed is essential to a successful career as an Officer within the Ministry of Defence. Students will develop a crucial understanding of British and World affairs and an understanding of the power struggle between the states of the world.

What will students learn on this Advanced GCE course?

• about the significance of events, individuals, issues and societies in history
• how and why societies have changed over time
• to understand the nature of historical evidence and methods used by historians to analyse and evaluate it
• to develop an understanding of how the past has been interpreted and represented
• to express your own historical ideas confidently and effectively

What kind of student is this course suitable for?
The course will appeal to students who:

• have an interest in the way that the world has developed through the ages
• enjoy investigation and discovery
• enjoy debate and like putting forward a well-argued case
• want to improve their analytical skills
• want to study a subject which encourages them to consider evidence and make up their own minds
• want to broaden science AS and Advanced GCE studies to include a humanities subject
• to understand how British and World societies have evolved
• to broaden their understanding of contemporary events and issues

AS History

At AS the emphasis is on war and the changes that this brings about in society. In Unit 1 we study `Britain, 1906-1951’ and how Two World Wars and the Great Depression of the 1930s intensified the pace of social and political change. In Unit 2 we study `THE USA and VIETNAM, 1961 – 1975’, it will cover the period from the inauguration of President J F Kennedy and the fall of Saigon in 1975. Students will also need to be aware of the Cold War context in which the war was fought. The study of Vietnam focuses on the attempts by the USA to win the war and the problems that were encountered in Vietnam and at home in trying to do so.

A2 History

Unit 3 promotes an understanding of change and continuity over approximately 50 years of British history, during which Britain enjoyed a period of post-war affluence and boom, followed by an era of reaction. Through the study of key events in depth, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of important individuals such as Macmillan, Wilson, Thatcher and Blair and the interrelationship of such individuals with the ideas that helped bring about the development in Britain's changing relationship with the world after 1951 and the enduring debate over European involvement. As a result of the study of the period as a whole, students will learn how issues such as economic performance, party-political reinvention and multiculturalism have changed Britain by 2007. Unit 4 coursework enables students to investigate specific issues in depth within a clear historical context of 100 years.