I. Course description and aims

The DP history course is a world history course based on a comparative and multi-perspective approach to history. It involves the study of a variety of types of history, including political, economic, social and cultural, and provides a balance of structure and flexibility.

The course emphasizes the importance of encouraging students to think historically and to develop historical skills as well as gaining factual knowledge. It puts a premium on developing the skills of critical thinking, and on developing an understanding of multiple interpretations of history. In this way, the course involves a challenging and demanding critical exploration of the past. Teachers explicitly teach thinking and research skills such as comprehension, text analysis, transfer, and use of primary sources.

There are six key concepts that have particular prominence throughout the DP history course: change, continuity, causation, consequence, significance and perspectives.

The aims of the DP history course are to enable students to:

• develop an understanding of, and continuing interest in, the past
• encourage students to engage with multiple perspectives and to appreciate the complex nature of historical concepts, issues, events and developments
• promote international-mindedness through the study of history from more than one region of the world
• develop an understanding of history as a discipline and to develop historical consciousness including a sense of chronology and context, and an understanding of different historical perspectives
• develop key historical skills, including engaging effectively with sources
• increase students’ understanding of themselves and of contemporary society by encouraging reflection on the past.

II. Curriculum model overview

HL content

1. History of the Americas

SL content

Each route will consider case studies from each region: (Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe)

Route 1:

1. The move to global war
   • Japanese Expansion in East Asia (1931-1941)
   • German and Italian expansion (1933-1940)
2. 20th century authoritarian states
   • Africa and the Middle East: Tanzania—Nyerere; Egypt—Nasser; Iraq—Saddam Hussein; Kenya—
     Kenyatta; Uganda—Amin
   • The Americas: Argentina—Perón; Cuba—Castro; Chile—Pinochet; Haiti—Duvalier; Nicaragua—
     Somoza
   • Asia and Oceania: China—Mao; Indonesia—Sukarno; Pakistan—Zia ul Haq; Cambodia—Pol Pot
   • Europe: Germany—Hitler; USSR—Lenin and Stalin; Italy—Mussolini; Spain—Franco; Poland—
     Pilsudski
3. Causes and effects of 20th century wars
   • Africa and the Middle East: Algerian War (1954–1962); Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970); Iran–Iraq War
     (1980–1988); North Yemen Civil War (1962–1970); First Gulf War (1990–1991)
   • The Americas: Chaco War (1932–1935); Falklands/Malvinas War (1982); Mexican Revolution (1910–
     1920); Contra War (1981–1990)
   • Asia and Oceania: Chinese Civil War (1927–1937 and/or 1946–1949); Vietnam (1946–1954 and/or
     1964–1975); Indo-Pakistan Wars (1947–1949 and/or 1965 and/or 1971)
   • Europe: Spanish Civil War (1936–1939); the Balkan Wars (1990s); Russian Civil War (1917–1922);
     Irish War of Independence (1919–1921)
   • Cross-regional wars: First World War (1914–1918); Second World War (1939–1945); Russo-Japanese
     War (1904–1905)

Route 2:

1. Rights and protest
   • Civil rights movement in the United States (1954-1965)
   • Apartheid South Africa (1948-1964)
2. Independence movements (1800-2000
   • Africa and the Middle East: Ben Bella and Algeria; Nkrumah and Ghana; Kenyatta and Kenya;
     Mugabe and Rhodesia/Zimbabwe
   • The Americas: José Martí and Cuba; San Martín and the former Viceroyalty of the River Plate; Bolivar
     and Gran Columbia; Dessalines and Haiti
   • Asia and Oceania: Nehru, Gandhi and India; Jinnah and Pakistan; Somare and Papua New Guinea;
     Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam
   • Europe: Kolokotronis and Greece; Kossuth and the establishment of dual monarchy in Hungary
     (1867); Collins, de Valera and Ireland
3. Evolution and development of democratic states 1848-2000)
   • Africa and the Middle East: South Africa, Israel, Lebanon, Ghana
   • The Americas: Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Chile
   • Asia and Oceania: India, Japan, Malaysia, Australia
   • Europe: Spain, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland

III. Assessment model

There are four assessment objectives for the DP history course. Having followed the course at higher level (HL), students will be expected to meet the following objectives.

Assessment objective 1: Knowledge and understanding

• Demonstrate detailed, relevant and accurate historical knowledge.
• Demonstrate understanding of historical concepts and context.
• Demonstrate understanding of historical sources.

Assessment objective 2: Application and analysis

• Formulate clear and coherent arguments.
• Use relevant historical knowledge to effectively support analysis.
• Analyse and interpret a variety of sources.

Assessment objective 3: Synthesis and evaluation

• Integrate evidence and analysis to produce a coherent response.
• Evaluate different perspectives on historical issues and events, and integrate this evaluation effectively into a response.
• Evaluate sources as historical evidence, recognizing their value and limitations.
• Synthesize information from a selection of relevant sources.

Assessment objective 4: Use and application of appropriate skills

• Structure and develop focused essays that respond effectively to the demands of a question.
• Reflect on the methods used by, and challenges facing, the historian.
• Formulate an appropriate, focused question to guide a historical inquiry.
• Demonstrate evidence of research skills, organization, reference and selection of appropriate sources.

Internal Assessment

Historical investigation (20%)
A historical investigation into a topic of the student’s choice.

External Assessment

Paper 1 (20%)
Source-based paper based on topic 1 for each route.

Paper 2 (25%)
Essay paper based on the topics 2 and 3 from each route.

Paper 3 (35%)
Essay paper based on HL content.