AS Level History.
States and Societies in Transformation.
New from September 2008.
- A new AS level.
- New topics, new examination board.
- Students will study 2 units and sit 2 examinations in June 2009. Each unit will be worth 50% of the total AS and 25% of the total mark awarded for the full A level.
- Each exam will be 1 hour and 20 minutes long.
- There is no coursework.
- The course will focus on states and societies in transformation. Students will study how governments dealt with challenges to their authority and how as a result, the role of government was transformed. Students will also assess the impact of these changes on society.
- UNIT 1 - A study in breadth.
Russia in Revolution 1881-1924: From Autocracy to Dictatorship.
Stalin’s Russia 1924-1953.
- UNIT 2 – British history depth study .
Henry VIII: Authority, Nation and Religion, 1509-40
UNIT 1 – A World Divided: Communism and Democracy in the 20 th Century.
D3: Russia in Revolution, 1881-1924: From Autocracy to Dictatorship.
The focus of this topic is on the breakdown of Tsarist rule under the impact of social and economic change and the First World War and the development of dictatorship. Students will study the last years of Russian Tsars, the Russian Revolution and the creation of a police state under the communists.
D4: Stalin’s Russia, 1924-53.
The focus of this topic is on the most dramatic years of Soviet history under the leadership of Joseph Stalin. Students will study the social and economic policies of Stalin and their impact on the people of Russia. Students will also study the ruthlessness of Stalin’s dictatorship and his efforts to transform Russia into a superpower.
Assessment is by external examination in June 2009. Students answer 2 questions worth 30 marks each. The duration of this written examination is 1 hour and 20 minutes.
UNIT 2 – Henry VIII: Authority, Nation and Religion, 1509-1540
The main focus of this unit is the attempts made by Henry VIII to strengthen the power and status of the Tudor monarchy both at home and abroad. Students will study the nature of his government and the work of Cardinal Wolsey who helped Henry increase his power as monarch. Students will also study the reformation and Henry’s changing relations with the Catholic Church. They will also investigate the impact of these changes on England, for example the resistance to the dissolution of the monasteries. Henry’s ambitions as a soldier and his attempts to increase his power in Europe will also be studied.
Assessment is by external examination in June 2009. Students will answer 2 source based questions worth 60 marks in total. The duration of this written examination is 1 hour and 20 minutes.