Course Information
S1
- What is History?: An introductory unit on chronology, sources and the basic skills of historical investigation.
- The Romans – We study the Roman Empire in all its glory, from the everyday lifestyles of the people, to military tactics and how the Romans have shaped the modern world.
- Genghis Khan: The largest empire that ever stretched across the eart and its brutal and mysterious emperor - The Great Khan! We investigate the early life and challenges of Genghis Khan, his rise to power, religion in the empire and military campaigns undertaken by Khan and his descendants.
- Scotland’s Story – The Scottish Wars of Independence, from the time of Alexander III, through to the work of Wallace and Bruce. We ananlyse the famous Scottish battles of Stirling Bridge, Falkirk and Bannockburn.
- Modern Studies: An introduction to modern issues, with a particular focus on the environment. We focus on the production of chewing gum, consumer society and how companies develop their products.
S2
- The Native Americans: We investigate the First People’s of North America, the tribes and their location, customs and beliefs. We also investigate the conflict between Native Americans and White Settlers, leading to battles such as Little Bighorn and the Massacre at Wounded Knee.
- The Civil Rights Movement: This topic investigates the legacy of slavery in the US and focuses on events and people who helped to pave the way for black Americans to achieve greater equality in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s.
- History of Medicine: An analysis of historical diseases, medieval medical practices, Islamic medicine, improvements in surfery and a case study of the work of Burke and Hare.
- The Titanic: The world's most famous ship and a famous disaster. We investigate what life on board the ship would have been like, the class system, the role and responsibility of the captain and consequences of the tragedy
- Modern Studies: An introduction to politics and political science. An analysis of the current forms of governance in our country.
S3 and 4
The Atlantic Slave Trade, 1770 – 1807:
A study of the nature of the British Atlantic slave trade in the late eighteenth century, changing attitudes towards it in Britain and the pressures that led to its abolition, illustrating the themes of rights, exploitation and culture.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zqyfr82
The Era of the Great War, 1900 – 1928
A study of the experiences of Scots in the Great War and its impact on life in Scotland. This topic considers the impact of technology on the soldiers on the Western Front. It also considers the way in which the war changed life for people at home as the war began to impact on every aspect of life both during and after the war.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z8phvcw
Hitler and Nazi Germany, 1919 – 1939
A study of attempts to establish democracy in Weimar Germany, the reasons for its collapse and the nature of the Nazi State.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/znk9q6f
S5/6 Intermediate 1 and 2
- Appeasement and the Road to War - British and Nazi foreign policy between the wars.
- Cradle to the Grave – Tackling social welfare in Britain from 1850 – 1951.
- Free at Last? – Race Relations in the USA 1918 – 1968 - the growing demand for racial equality in the USA .
S5 (Higher)
Britain, 1851 – 1951 (Paper One)
Development of the United Kingdom into a modern democracy and the development of the role of the state in the welfare of its citizens. Themes: authority, ideology and rights.
- An evaluation of the reasons why Britain became more democratic, 1851-1928
- An assessment of how democratic Britain became, 1867–1928
- An evaluation of the reasons why some women were given the vote in 1918
- An evaluation of the reasons why the Liberals introduced social welfare reforms, 1906–14
- An assessment of the effectiveness of the Liberal social welfare reforms
- An assessment of the effectiveness of the Labour reforms, 1945–51
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zr49q6f
The Wars of Independence, 1249 – 1328 (Paper Two)
Political change and military conflict arising from the Wars of Independence. Themes: authority, conflict and identity.
- Alexander III and the succession problem, 1286–92
- John Balliol and Edward I, 1292–96
- William Wallace and Scottish resistance
- The rise and triumph of Robert Bruce
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zpnnb9q
Advanced Higher
- Soviet Russia - the transformation of Russia from a backward autocracy to a modem communist super power, including the revolutions of 1917; the civil war; Stalin's rise to power and his economic policies and purges; the spread of Soviet power after the 2nd World War.