A Level
History @
America
1920s and 1930s
Italy
19th Century
Britain
19th Century
China
20th Century
Our aim: To give you a broad historical understanding
covering a range of periods and cultures.
What do we study?
Edexcel GCE History 9HI01
www.edexcel.com
Unit
Topic
AS
Method
1 6HI01 D 1 & 2
China 1900-1976
Historical Themes
in Breadth
Written exam
1 hr 20
Overall
GCE
50% 25%
2 6HI02 B
British History
Depth Studies
Written exam
1 hr 20
50%
25%
Britain 1830-85:
Representation
and Reform
Length
A LEVEL
3 6HI03 C
Depth Studies
and Associated
Controversies
The United
States, 1917-54:
Boom, Bust and
Recovery.
Written exam
2 hours
60%
30%
4 6HI04
Historical Enquiry
The Making of
Modern Italy c.
1800- c. 1900
Coursework
4000
words
maximum
40%
20%
Unit 1 – Historical Themes in Breadth – China 1900-1976 (EK)
•This unit concentrates on the
development of Communism in
China from 1900-1976.
1900-49: the overthrow of the old
regime, revolution, civil war and the
victory of Communism 1900-49.
1949-76: the development of the
People’s Republic of China under Mao
and its impact on people’s lives
between the Communist victory in
1949 and Mao’s death in 1976.
•We will look at the importance of ideas
and beliefs in the policies developed in
China and how and why these ideas
are a cause of change and conflict.
This unit will hopefully encourage
pupils to debate the rights of citizens.
Written Exam
June
1 hour and 20 minute
exam consisting of two
essay questions.
What do AS History Exams look
like?
China 2010
Britain 2010
Unit 2 – British History Depth Studies –Britain 1830-85:
Representation and Reform (MH)
Written Exam
An element of British history is
compulsory. We have chosen a topic
June
that has a profound impact on modern
Britain. We will study the way in which
people in 19th century Britain campaigned
to gain their political rights through
protest and organised pressure groups
and the impact that this had on their
everyday lives.
We will also look at how this lead to the
modern political parties that we have
today in Britain.
1 hour and 20 minute
exam consisting of two
source based questions.
Unit 3 – Depth Studies and Associated Controversies – The United
States, 1917-54: Boom, Bust and Recovery. MH
This unit encourages students to
look at issues that have provoked
disagreement
and
controversy
amongst historians.
The topic explores the roaring
economy of America after the First
World War, its demise in the
Depression of the 1930s and the
impact these changes had on the
government and people, e.g. the
development of organised crime
(gangsters)
and
the
Red
(communist) Scare. There will also
be an opportunity to look at key
social
tensions
such
as
immigration, racism and the Ku Klux
Klan.
Written Exam
June
2 hour exam consisting of
one source based and
one essay question.
Unit 4 – Historical Enquiry – The Making of Modern Italy c. 1800- c. 1900 EK
In this unit we will look at the
process by which Italy became a
united country. We will explore the
long and short term causes and
consequences of change and
compare the significance of
different factors e.g. the role of
individuals such as Garibaldi,
Mazzini or Napoleon III and the
intervention of foreign countries
such as France or Austria.
Students will be taught a basic
overview of events and then
produce an independent enquiry
supervised by Mrs Kingswood. This
will require pupils to devise their
own argument and collect research,
including contemporary evidence to
support it.
COURSEWORK
consisting of one
source based and one
essay question.
Maximum 4000 words.
What are lessons like?
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Open forum
Discussion
Debate
Role play
Lecture style
Group work
Source Analysis
Presentation
ICT interactive games
Research
Card Sorting
Essay planning
Timed essay practice
China Reading List
Option D: A World Divided: Communism and Democracy in the 20th Century
Topic D1: China, C1900-49
``Fenby J — Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the China He Lost (Free Press, 2005)
``Lynch M — China: From Empire to People's Republic, 1900-49 (Hodder Murray, 1996)
``Mitter R — A Bitter Revolution: China's Struggle with the Modern World (Oxford University
Press, 2005)
10
``Roberts J A G — A History of China, Second Edition (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006)
``Schoppa R K — The Columbia Guide to Modern Chinese History (Columbia UP, 2000)
Short P — Mao a Life (Hodder and Staughton1999,paperback John Murray, 2004)
``Spence J D —The Search for Modern China, Second Edition (W W Norton and Co Ltd,
1999)
``Stewart G — China 1900-1976 (Heinemann, 2006)
Topic D2: China under Mao, 1949-76
``Chang J and Halliday — J–Mao : The Unknown Story (Jonathan Cape, 2005) (incredible
biased against Mao)
``Lynch M — The People’s Republic of China Since 1949 (Hodder Murray, 2008)
``Roberts J A G — A History of China, Second Edition (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006)
``Schoppa R K — The Columbia Guide to Modern Chinese History (Columbia UP 2000)
Schram S R — The Political Thought of Mao Tse-Tung (Penguin, 1969) (1960s view…pro
Mao)
Short P — Mao a Life (John Murray, 2004) (quite balanced view)
``Spence J D — The Search for Modern China Second Edition (Norton, (2000)
``Stewart G — China 1900-1976 (Heinemann, 2006)
``Zhisui Li — The Private life of Chairman Mao (Chatto and Windus, 1994)
Others for interest:
Memoirs:
Jung Chang – Wild Swans, Harper Collins 1991 (A Woman’s perspective)
Gao Yuan – Born Red: A chronicle of the Cultural Revolution
Cheng Nien – Life and Death in Shanghai, Grove Press 1986
Zhang Xianliang – Grass Soup, Secker and Warburg 1994. (Life in a Gluag)
Zhisui Li — The Private life of Chairman Mao (Chatto and Windus, 1994 (His doctor’s view)
Adeline Yenmah – A Thousand Pieces of Gold (the Past through Proverbs – very
interesting)
Gavin Menzies – 1421, the year that China Discovered the World. (Historically debatable!)
I suggest getting
a couple
Of these books
over the
Holidays and
having a Read.
The books that
are underlined
are the texts I
will provide you
with.
I look forward to
seeing you in
September!
Unit 2 – British History Depth Studies –Britain 1830-85:
Representation and Reform (MH)
Recommended reading List
A range of resources to give you some background on the topic.
• George Eliot
• Charles Dickens
•
•
•
•
•
Felix Holt
Hard times
A Tale of Two Cities.
Elizabeth Gaskell North and South
Cranford
Biographies of Robert Peel and Lord Liverpool
E.P.Thompson The Making Of the English Working
Class ( 3 books in one - look at
protest )
E.P.Thompson The Making Of the English Working
Class ( 3 books in one - look at
protest )
E Hobsbawm
The Age of Empire.
A FEAST OF ENTERTAINMENT! (From Mr Hobby)
China vs Europe
Marco…….Polo! Highlight extract.
Marco Polo (c. 1254 – January 8, 1324) was a
merchant from the Venetian Republic who wrote
Il Milione, which introduced Europeans to China.
He learned about trading whilst his father and
uncle voyaged through Asia and met Kublai
Khan.The three of them embarked on an epic
journey to Asia, returning after 24 years.
What impression do you get of Ancient
China from Marco Polo’s account?
What does it suggest about how
developed China was by the 14th
Century?
From The Travels of Marco Polo (1271 – 1288)
Cambaluc (Beijing)
Concerning The Palace Of The Great Khan
You must know that for three months of the year, December, January, and February, the Great Khan resides in the capital city of Cathay (China),
which is called Cambaluc (Beijing), and which is at the north-eastern extremity of the country. In that city stands his great palace, and now I will
tell you what it is like.
It is enclosed all round by a great wall forming a square, each side of which is a mile in length. It is also very thick, and a good ten paces in
height, whitewashed and loop-holed all round. At each angle of the wall there is a very fine and rich palace in which the war-harness of the
Emperor is kept, such as bows and arrows, saddles and bridles, and bowstrings, and everything necessary for an army. Also midway between
every two of these corner palaces there is another of the like' so that in the whole enclosure you find eight vast palaces where the Great Lord's
harness of war are stored. Only one kind of article is assigned to each palace; thus, one is stored with bows, a second with saddles, a third with
bridles, and so on.
The great wall has five gates on its southern face, the middle one being the great gate which is never opened on any occasion except when the
Great Khan himself goes forth or enters. Close on either side of this great gate is a smaller one by which all other people pass; and then towards
each angle is another great gate, also open to people in general; so that on that side there are five gates in all.
Inside this wall there is a second wall. Inside this wall, there are eight palaces like those of the outer wall, and stored like them with the Lord's
harness of war. This wall also has five gates on the southern face, and one gate on each of the other faces. In the middle of the second
enclosure is the Lord's Great Palace.
This is the greatest palace that ever was. Towards the north it is in contact with the outer wall, whilst towards the south there is a vacant space
which the barons and the soldiers are constantly traversing. The palace itself has no upper story, but is all on the ground floor, except the
basement is raised a bit above the surrounding soil. The roof is very lofty, and the walls of the palace are all covered with gold and silver. They
are also adorned with representations of dragons (sculptured and gilt), beasts and birds, knights and gods, and other subjects. And on the
ceiling, too, you see nothing but gold and silver and painting. (On each of the four sides there is a great marble staircase leading to the top of the
marble wall, and forming the approach to the palace.)
The hall of the palace is so large that it could easily dine 6,000 people; and it is quite a marvel to see how many rooms there are besides. The
building is altogether so vast, so rich, and so beautiful, that no man on earth could design anything superior to it. The outside of the roof is all
colored with vermilion and yellow and green and blue and other colors, which are fixed with a varnish so fine and exquisite that they shine like
crystal, and lend a luster to the palace so it can be seen from a great distance. This roof is made too with such strength and solidity that it is fit to
last forever.
On the interior side of the palace are large buildings with halls and chambers, where the emperor's private property is placed, such as his
treasures of gold, silver, gems, pearls, and gold plate, and in which reside the ladies and secondary wives. These rooms are only for him, and no
one else has access to them.
Between the two walls of the enclosure which I have described, there are fine parks and beautiful trees bearing a variety of fruits. There are
beasts, such as white stags and fallow deer, gazelles and roebucks, and fine squirrels of various sorts, and all manner of other beautiful
creatures, that the whole place is full of them. (The parks are covered with abundant grass; and since the roads through them are all paved and
raised above the surface, they never become muddy.)
To the northwest there extends a fine lake, containing fish of different kinds which the emperor ordered put in there, so that whenever he desires
any he can have them. A river enters this lake and flows from it, but there is a grating of iron or brass put up so that the fish cannot escape.
On the north side of the palace, there is a hill which has been made (from the earth dug out of the lake). It is a good hundred paces in height and
a mile in compass. This hill is entirely covered with trees that never lose their leaves, but remain ever green. And I assure you that wherever a
beautiful tree may exist, and the emperor gets news of it, he sends for it and has it transported with all its roots and the earth attached to them,
and planted on that hill of his. No matter how big the tree may be, he gets it carried by his elephants; and in this way he has got together the
most beautiful collection of trees in the whole world. He has also ordered the whole hill to be covered with green stones. Thus not only are the
trees all green, but the hill itself is all green likewise; and there is nothing to be seen on it that is not green; and hence it is rightly called
the Green Mount.
On top of the hill there is another fine big palace which is all green inside and out. Thus, the hill, the trees, and the palace form together a
charming spectacle. It is marvelous to see them. Everybody who sees them is delighted. The Great Khan built this beautiful prospect for the
comfort and solace and enjoyment of his heart.
China vs Europe
3. What was going on in Europe at the
time?
How do they compare?
Why are there differences?
China vs Europe
Summer Homework
1.
RESEARCH
A) Draw a brief timeline of Chinese History from 2200BC – c. 1900AD.
Label Dynasties and key events.
(Use photocopied readings Lynch P 1-6 and Stewart P 3 -10 – see EK)
Label China above the line only. Leave space below for question (B).
Remember a timeline is like a graph, space years evenly to aid analysis.
B)
Find a timeline of key events in European History (Good ole Google??)
Label European events below the line.
2. ANALYSIS
How do they compare?
Any surprises?
Try to account for differences.
When does China start to ‘lag behind’ Europe? Any idea why?
Please bring to our first lesson! Any issues email ek@chippingcampden.gloucs.sch.uk