History

In the History Department we aim to foster a lively and, we hope, life-long interest in the study of the past through a range of predominantly modern topics.

Fourth Form

In the Fourth Form pupils will be able to study key events that helped shape the 20th century world. In the first term the First World War and Apartheid in South Africa are studied; in the second we undertake two special investigations into the Holocaust and the Vietnam War; in the final term we study the key aspects of Hitler’s Nazi Germany during the 1930s and conclude the year by looking at key events of World War Two. The last two topics are specifically aimed to prepare pupils for the first topic of the GCSE course, which starts after World War Two, and requires background knowledge of the key issues up to 1945.

Our aim in this first year is to develop the skills of essay writing and source analysis that are required by the GCSE course. IT-based tasks and debates aim to ensure that History is as accessible as possible to the broadest range of pupils.

GCSE

At GCSE Level we follow the AQA Modern World History specification, which offers a wide range of excellent topics. This course offers the advantages of being both broad and challenging for the brighter pupils and yet manageable and stimulating for the less academic.

Our GCSE course at Cranleigh covers the following:

• International Relations in the TwentiethCentury (1939-1970): Hitler’s foreign policy and the origins of WW2, the origins of the ColdWar and the major crises of the Cold War between 1955-70, including the Cuban MissileCrisis.

• Stalinist Russia (1924-41): the struggle for power with Trotsky, the purges, the cult of personality and the Five Year Plans.

• The Roaring 20s in the USA (1919-29): the rise of mass production, the Ku Klux Klan, flappers, Prohibition and the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

• The Middle East (1956-79) : the Suez War, the Six Day War, the rise of terrorism, the role of the PLO, the Occupied Territories, Lebanon Wars, the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and the Camp David Agreement. The coursework element (25% of the total GCSE) focuses on the experiences of the British people during the First and Second World Wars. Topics such as the role of women, censorship, propaganda, rationing, evacuation and air raids are some of the areas that are covered. 

Sixth Form

"The justification of  all historical study must ultimately be that it enhances our self-consciousness, enables us to see ourselves in perspective, and helps us towards that greater freedom which comes from self-knowledge." - Keith Thomas

This A Level course follows the OCR specification and aims to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained at GCSE, but, rather than revisit material that you have studied already, we aim to broaden your historical knowledge and introduce fresh material that will widen your historical perspectives.

AS

The two modules that make up the AS qualification from 2008 are:

"The Origins of the American Civil War 1820 - 1861"

"British Imperialism 1856 - 1914"

The Origins of the American Civil War (1820-1861) is a document-based paper and examines the reasons for the outbreak of the American Civil War, considering both the general differences between the Northern and Southern states, with a particular focus on slavery; the specific developments arising from Western expansion which led to increasing tension between North and South in the build up to the war; and the inability of the two sides to reach a compromise. (We also briefly cover the war itself, although this is not examined.) This is an excellent chance to study a fascinating era in American history.

British Imperial and Foreign Policy (1856-1914) is an essay-based paper that examines the development of British imperial policy at a time when the British Empire was at its height. This topic explores the principles behind British policy, the key events that determined her colonial behaviour, such as the Scramble for Africa and the Boer War, and the reasons why Britain went to war in 1914. It will give you a thorough understanding of an absorbing period in our country's development and a better appreciation of our relationship with foreign powers in the build-up to the Great War.

A2

In the second year, at A2 Level, we offer some choice between modern and early modern topics. The two modules that complete the A2 qualification are:

"Russian Dictatorships 1855-1964": Either Peter the Great or America between the Wars

You will study a course on Russian Dictatorships, a synoptic essay paper which looks at various themes across a hundred-year period of Russian history, focusing on the nature of Russian government and its impact on the Russian people and society.

The final unit of study, which emphasizes independent research, comprises a piece of independent research based on an investigation of Peter the Great or America between the Wars, and a project on a topic of your own choosing.

'America between the Wars' is concerned with interpreting the domestic and foreign pressures that affected the USA during the inter-war years. Prohibition, the economic boom and subsequent collapse, Hoover's response and FDR's New Deal as well as foreign policy throughout the period are the major topics covered. Within that there is a special focus on interpreting Franklin Roosevelt (his aims and achievements) and understanding the historical debate surrounding this momentous period of American history.

The Early Modern option examines Peter the Great's policies and impact on Russia and focuses on the debate surrounding his more revolutionary measures. Particular attention is paid to Peter's unusual character and the reactions to his rule. It is a great chance to immerse yourself in an Early Modern topic about an extraordinary individual who really left his mark on Russia.

Your coursework, which will be an extended essay of around 2000 words, will be based around an historical investigation of your own choosing in consultation with your teacher.

Some who choose this subject continue to pursue it at university but many others use it as a spring-board to apply for degree courses in subjects which require analytical reading and thinking, an ability to master an argument and to articulate a point of view clearly and with cogency. In short, History is a valid discipline in itself but also an excellent training for many others.