New syllabus guide: What's changed in History?
In a nutshell
- Ancient, Modern and Extension all have significant changes in structure and content;
- Completely new syllabus topic: ‘The Shaping of the Modern World’, includes The Enlightenment, The French Revolution, The Age of Imperialism, and The Industrial Age;
- Focus on key ideas and Western traditions including democracy, liberty, human rights and capitalism;
- World War I is shifted from year 12 to year 11;
- World War II topics retained;
- Students must study a non-European or Western study;
- Retained focus on Aboriginal history.
Ancient History
- The core study, ‘Cities of Vesuvius – Pompeii and Herculaneum’, will remain the same;
- The new syllabus will have a ‘Survey’ and a ‘Focus of Study’ for each topic;
- ‘Historical concepts and skills are integrated’. Things, like analysing evidence and determining reliability, will be more intertwined with each module;
- Asian and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures can now be studied.
Modern History
- Modern History will still focus on National Studies and Peace and Conflict. However, there is a new core study ‘Power and Authority in the Modern World 1919-1946’;
- The new syllabus will have a ‘Survey’ and a ‘Focus of Study’ for each topic;
- There is a greater focus on World War II’s impact on the modern world;
- Students must now choose at least one non-Western or European topic;
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures can now be studied.
Extension History
- Extension History will continue to offer the students creativity and independence while providing a little more structure;
- Key questions and case studies are now organised into sub-topics under Constructing History;
- There are more case studies available;
- There are now only three areas of debate, as opposed to five;
- The Source Book of Readings has been removed.
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