BAA [ Conflict in the Twentieth Century 12 ] Framework
District Name: Rocky Mountain
District Number: 6
Developed by: Glen Sage and Werner Kopp
Date Developed: 1998 (Revised February 2005)
School Name: David Thompson Secondary School
Principal’s Name: Darren Danyluk
Board/Authority Approval Date: 1998
Board/Authority Signature:
Course Name: Conflict in the Twentieth Century 12
Grade Level of Course: 12
Number of Course Credits: 4
Number of Hours of Instruction: approximately 100
Prerequisite(s): Social Studies 11, Civics 11, or First Nations 12
Special Training, Facilities or Equipment Required: none
Course Synopsis:
This is a history of the twentieth century course with content modelled after History 12, but
delivered in a way that is similar to Civics 11. The course will examine the following topics:
The World of 1919
The Interwar Period
World War II
The Cold War
The World After the Cold War and into the 21st century
Canada’s Role in the 20th Century
Rationale:
History enables students to examine the forces that have shaped the world we live in. By studying
history, we not only gain an awareness and understanding of the past, but also become aware of
our own place in history. We learn that our actions have an impact on our present and future. At a
time of rapid change in the world, such a global view is extremely important.
Social Studies 11 touches briefly on some of these topics offered in this course, but strictly from
the perspective of Canada’s role. History 12 is a fast-paced course that goes into great detail on
some of these topics; however, many students that are interested in the subject shy away from
History 12 because of the difficulty level. It is a demanding course. Conflict in the 20th Century
12 is a research and project-oriented course that will enable students to learn more about a subject
that interests them, but does not have the high pressure and academic focus that comes with
History 12.
Many students enjoy studying the history unit in Social Studies 11 on ‘War and Peace’. Students
want to learn more about the world in which they, their parents and grandparents grew up.
However, the only course that provides a deeper examination of this topic is History 12 and as
stated above, History 12 is a very challenging, provincial examinable course. Conflict in the 20th
Century will challenge students in a different way by emphasizing research and presentation skills,
while increasing students’ awareness of the events of the 20th century.
Furthermore, media reports often portray today’s youth as quite ‘ignorant’ of Canada’s recent
history, and in particular, Canada’s role in World War I and II. Conflict in the 20th Century 12
will deal extensively with these topics and will try to ‘bridge the gap’ between youth and Canada’s
veterans.
Organizational Structure:
Unit/Topic
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Title
The World of 1919
Time
20%
approx. 20 hours
15%
approx. 15 hours
20%
approx. 20 hours
20%
approx. 20 hours
25%
approx. 25 hours
The Interwar Period
World War II
The Cold War
The World After the Cold War and into the 21st century
Total Hours
Approximately 100 hours
Unit/Topic/Module Descriptions:
Integrated learning objectives throughout the course: It is expected students will:
-analyse historical evidence to:
-assess reliability
-distinguish between primary and secondary sources
-identify bias and point of view
-corroborate evidence
-demonstrate historical empathy
-demonstrate the ability to conduct research using print, non-print and electronic sources
-develop and present logical arguments in both oral and written form
-display an interest in history by participating in class discussion
-display an awareness of diversity of opinion
-apply knowledge of history to current issues
-demonstrate an awareness of career opportunities related to the study of history
Unit 1: It is expected students will:
-evaluate the significance of nationalism and imperialism in the world of 1919
-explain how the pre-WW I alliance systems contributed to the outbreak of war
-explain the role of the major powers and dominant personalities in the outbreak of war
-explain why there are different interpretations of the responsibility for the outbreak of war
-describe and assess the significance of selected battles in WW I
-assess Canada’s role in WW I
-describe and evaluate the effectiveness of military technology and strategy during WW I
-describe the effects of WW I on the ‘homefront’
-assess the impact of WW I on the role of women in society
-summarize President Wilson’s Fourteen Points
-identify and assess the justification of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
Unit 2: It is expected students will:
-summarize the causes and effects of the 1917 Russian Revolutions
-explain the factors that contributed to the rise of dictators during the interwar period
-evaluate the methods used by Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini to maintain power in their nations
-summarize the basic features of communism, fascism and democracy
-compare the nature of democratic and totalitarian states and their impact on society
-explain the effects of mass production in the United States
-describe the factors that led to the Great Depression
-describe the effects of the Great Depression
-evaluate the effectiveness of solutions to the Great Depression
-describe the nature of American society and its foreign policy during the 1920s and 1930s
Unit 3: It is expected students will:
-explain and assess the methods by which nations sought security between the wars
-outline the purpose and structure of the League of Nations and evaluate its effectiveness
-outline and explain the events leading to the outbreak of WW II
-describe and assess the significance of selected battles in WW II
-assess Canada’s role in WW II
-describe and evaluate the effectiveness of military technology and strategy during WW II
-evaluate the economic impact of WW II
-describe the effects of WW II on the ‘homefront’
-evaluate the historical significance of the Holocaust
-describe and evaluate the treatment of the Allies towards the defeated nations
-outline the purpose and structure of the United Nations Organization
Unit 4: It is expected students will:
-describe the development of events that led to the Cold War
-compare and contrast American and Soviet policy toward each other, their allies and the
rest of the world
-identify the dominant personalities and explain their roles in the development of the Cold
War
-describe major events that could have escalated to world conflict between the superpowers
-outline the development of the nuclear arms race and assess disarmament negotiations
-evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations in advancing international cooperation
-identify Canada’s role in peacekeeping
-outline American and Soviet domestic trends since 1945
-demonstrate and understanding of the struggle for human rights in selected countries
throughout the world
Unit 5: It is expected students will:
-analyse factors contributing to the ending of the Cold War
-identify reasons for the decline of communism in the former USSR and Eastern Europe
-define the phrase “New World Order” and describe the role of the United States in this era
-compare the foreign policies of President Clinton and President George W. Bush
-identify and describe the role of international organizations in the post-Cold War era
-examine the nature of conflict in the post-Cold War era, including terrorism and regional
conflicts
Instructional Component:
We do not propose any unique strategies that are not already being incorporated in existing social
studies course, although we will emphasize strategies which develop problem solving, decision
making, research and presentation skills.
Assessment Component:
Methods of student evaluation will include
-assignments, quizzes and unit exams
-research projects
-written and oral reports and/or essays
Also see “Integrated learning objectives throughout the course” listed above in the
“Unit/Topic/Module Descriptions” section.
Learning Resources:
Since this course has been offered to students at DTSS since September 1998, numerous resources
already exist in the school. Access to one of the computer labs in often required, as is the
approved text,
DeMarco, Neil. The World This Century: Working With Evidence. London: Collins
Educational,1994.
Additional Information:
This course has been offered at David Thompson Secondary School since 1998, usually in the
second semester of each year. It is a popular grade 12 course with a wide variety of students
enrolled. Many grade 11 students take it after Social Studies 11. An added benefit for them is the
ability to get a grade 12 credit while in grade 11. An unexpected delight in enrolment is grade 12
students that have already taken History 12 in the first semester. They are seeking an in-depth
examination of topics they were interested in during History 12, but did not have the time to study
in detail because of the high-paced nature of History 12. For counsellors, Conflict in the 20th
Century 12 has been a course that has enabled them to easily schedule students with timetable
difficulties or students that have come to DTSS after the start of the school year. It provides
students an interesting, non-academic grade 12 course that any grade 12 student (and several grade
11 students) can take and be successful in.