World History Topics
1. Society and economy (750-1400)
Society and economy:
Changes in social structures and systems
Impact of population change; impact of famines and disease
Role of women in society: economic and non-economic roles
Nature and development of trade; changes in economic systems; taxation
Changes in travel and transportation
Cultural and intellectual developments:
Role and significance of key individuals
Factors affecting the transmission of ideas and cultures
Significance and impact of artistic and cultural developments; developments in architecture
Developments in science and technology
Religion and society:
Religious institutions: religious institutions and the economy; influence of religious institutions on society
Religious leaders: role of religious leaders in government and administration; disputes between rulers and religious leaders
Treatment of religious minorities; religious persecution
Spread of religion
2. Causes and effects of medieval wars (750-1500)
Types and causes of conflicts:
Dynastic, territorial and religious disputes
Economic causes, competition for resources
Ideological and political causes
Religious causes
Long-term, short-term and immediate causes
Course/practices:
Role and significance of leaders
Raising armies: knighthood, military service and mercenaries; taxation
Logistics, tactics and organization of warfare
Women and war
Effects:
Conquest, boundary and dynastic changes
Treaties and truces
Political repercussions
Economic, social, religious and cultural changes
Demographic changes and population movements
3. Dynasties and rulers (750-1500)
Dynasties and rulers:
Individual rulers: nature of power and rule; aims and achievements
Methods used to legitimize, consolidate and maintain rule
Expansion of dynasties/kingdoms: reasons for expansion; methods used to expand power; invasion and settlement
Law, governing institutions and administration:
Models and methods of government and administration
Sources of religious and secular law
Administration and interpretation of law
Role and duties of officials; role of nobility and the elite
Challenges:
Successes and failures of dynasties and rulers
Internal and external challenges to power; the success with which these challenges were overcome
Rebellion and/or political opposition; rivalries and issues of succession
4. Societies in transition (1400-1700)
Social and economic change:
Changing social structures and systems; role of women in society
Population expansion and movements
Treatment of minorities
Economic change: development of, and changing patterns of, trade; role and impact of merchants and travellers
Cultural and intellectual change:
Artistic, cultural and intellectual movements
Cross-cultural exchange
Scientific and technological developments; social and cultural impact of those developments
Role and significance of key intellectual/scientific figures
Religious change:
Religion and the state: interactions and relationships; religion as a support or a challenge to the state
Religious expansion and conversion
Religious division, conflict, discrimination and persecution
5. Early Modern states (1450-1789)
Nature of power and rule:
Established and new states; states in ascendancy and states in decline
Methods and models of government; reasons for changes in political structures/political organization; domestic policies; treatment of subjects
Individual rulers: ideology; nature of rule; ambition and achievements; legitimacy; successes and failures
Expansion:
Expansion of established states; political and economic reasons for expansion
Political organization in established states: structures of government and political structure; models and methods of government; relationship between religion and the state
Establishment and expansion of colonial empires; political and economic reasons for expansion and acquisition of territory
Political organization in colonial states: structures of government and political structure in the colonial world; models and methods of government; relationship between religion and the state
Conflicts and challenges:
Methods of maintaining power; treatment of opposition
Support and opposition; challenges to power and how successfully those challenges were overcome
Challenges to colonial rule: resistance, rebellions and their impact; the colonial race—competition and conflict
Rivalries and tensions; issues of succession
6. Causes and effects of Early Modern wars (1500-1750)
Causes of conflicts:
Ideological and political causes
Economic causes; competition for resources
Religious causes
Short- and long-term causes
Practices and impact on outcome:
Role and significance of leaders
Raising armies: military service and mercenaries; taxation
Organization of warfare; strategies: land and/or sea
Significance of technological developments
Influence and/or involvement of foreign powers
Effects:
The successes and/or failures of peacemaking
Economic, political and territorial impact
Social and religious impact
Demographic changes and population movements
7. Origins, development and impact of industrialization (1750-2005)
The origins of industrialization:
The causes and enablers of industrialization; the availability of human and natural resources; political stability; infrastructure
Role and significance of technological developments
Role and significance of individuals
The impact and significance of key developments:
Developments in transportation
Developments in energy and power
Industrial infrastructure; iron and steel
Mass production
Developments in communications
The social and political impact of industrialization:
Urbanization and the growth of cities and factories
Labour conditions; organization of labour
Political representation; opposition to industrialization
Impact on standards of living; disease and life expectancy; leisure; literacy and media
8. Independence movements (1800-2000)
Origins and rise of independence movements, up to the point of independence:
Development of movements: role and relative importance of nationalism and political ideology
Development of movements: role and relative importance of religion, race, social and economic factors
Wars as a cause and/or catalyst for independence movements
Other internal and external factors fostering growth of independence movements
Methods used and reasons for success:
Methods of achieving independence (including violent and non-violent methods)
Role and importance of leaders of independence movements
The role and relative importance of other factors in the success of independence movements
Challenges faced in the first 10 years, and responses to the challenges:
Challenges: political problems; ethnic, racial and separatist movements
Social, cultural and economic challenges
Responses to those challenges, and the effectiveness of those responses
9. Evolution and development of democratic states (1848-2000)
Emergence of democratic states:
Conditions that encouraged the demand for democratic reform: aftermath of war and/or political upheaval; political, social and economic factors; external influences
The role and significance of leaders
Development of political parties, constitutions and electoral systems; the significance/impact of those developments
The development of democratic states:
Factors influencing the evolution of democratic states: immigration; ideology; economic forces; foreign influences
Responses to, and impact of, domestic crises
Struggle for equality: suffrage movements; civil protests
Impact of democracy on society:
Social and economic policies and reforms: education; social welfare; policies towards women and minorities; the distribution of wealth
The extent to which citizens benefit from those policies
Cultural impact; freedom of expression in the arts and media
10. Authoritarian states (20th century)
Emergence of authoritarian states:
Conditions in which authoritarian states emerged: economic factors; social division; impact of war; weakness of political system
Methods used to establish authoritarian states: persuasion and coercion; the role of leaders; ideology; the use of force; propaganda
Consolidation and maintenance of power:
Use of legal methods; use of force; charismatic leadership; dissemination of propaganda
Nature, extent and treatment of opposition
The impact of the success and/or failure of foreign policy on the maintenance of power
Aims and results of policies:
Aims and impact of domestic economic, political, cultural and social policies
The impact of policies on women and minorities
Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved
11. Causes and effects of 20th-century wars
Causes of war:
Economic, ideological, political, territorial and other causes
Short- and long-term causes
Practices of war and their impact on the outcome:
Types of war: civil wars; wars between states; guerrilla wars
Technological developments; theatres of war—air, land and sea
The extent of the mobilization of human and economic resources
The influence and/or involvement of foreign powers
Effects of war:
The successes and failures of peacemaking
Territorial changes
Political repercussions
Economic, social and demographic impact; changes in the role and status of women
12. The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century)
Rivalry, mistrust and accord:
The breakdown of the grand alliance and the emergence of superpower rivalry in Europe and Asia (1943–1949): role of ideology; fear and aggression; economic interests; a comparison of the roles of the US and the USSR
The US, USSR and China—superpower relations (1947–1979): containment; peaceful co-existence; Sino-Soviet and Sino-US relations; detente
Confrontation and reconciliation; reasons for the end of the Cold War (1980–1991): ideological challenges and dissent; economic problems; arms race
Leaders and nations:
The impact of two leaders, each chosen from a different region, on the course and development of the Cold War
The impact of Cold War tensions on two countries (excluding the USSR and the US)
Cold War crises:
Cold War crises case studies: detailed study of any two Cold War crises from different regions: examination and comparison of the causes, impact and significance of the two crises
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