External Assessment
Paper 2 – World History Topics
Paper 3 – Regional Option
Changes
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Dates: 1900-2000
5 Topics not 6
Topics 2 & 4
6 Questions per Topic
Material for detailed study
Region boundaries
Markbands
World History Topics
 Topic 1: Causes practices and effects of
wars
 Topic 2: Democratic States - challenges &
responses
 Topic 3: Origins & development of
authoritarian & single party states
World History Topics
 Topic 4: Nationalist and independence
movements in Africa and Asia and post
1945 central and eastern European states
 Topic 5:The Cold War
Topic 1
Themes
 Different types and nature of warfare: civil; guerrilla;
limited; total (no revolutionary)
 Origins and causes of wars: long and short term;
immediate; economic; ideological; political; and
religious.
 Nature of 20th Century wars: technological; home
front; resistance.
 Effects and results : peace settlements; collective
security; impact of war on politics, territory and
economics.
Topic 1
Material for Detailed Study
 First World War
 Second World War
 Africa: Algerian War (1954 -62); Nigerian civil war
(1967 -70).
 Americas: Falklands/Malvinas War (1982);
Nicaraguan Revolution (1976 -9).
 Asia and Oceania: Indo-Pakistan wars (1947 -9, 1965,
1971); Chinese civil war (1927 -37, 1946 -9).
 Europe and Middle East: Spanish civil war (1936 -39);
Iran-Iraq War (1980 -88); Gulf War (1991).
Topic 2
Themes
 Nature and structure of democratic (multiparty) states:
constitutions; electoral systems; role of political
parties; role of pressure groups.
 Economic and social policies: employment; gender;
health; education; social welfare.
 Political, social and economic challenges: political
extremism; ethnicity; religion; gender; civil rights;
inequitable distribution of wealth.
Topic 2
Material for Detailed Study
 Africa – South Africa 1991 -2000, Nigeria 1961 66
 Americas – Argentina ( 1983 – 95), Canada 1968 84, United States 1953 -73
 Asia and Oceania – India 1947 -64, Japan 1945 52, Australia 1965 -75
 Europe and Middle East – France 1958 -69, GB
and Northern Ireland 1967 -90, Weimar Germany
1919 -33
Topic 3
Themes
 Origins and nature of single party states: rise of;
emergence of leaders; totalitarianism (this has moved)
 Establishment of single party states : methods;
ideology; nature and extent of opposition.
 Domestic policy and impact: structure and
organisation of government; political, economic,
social and religious policies; education, art,
propaganda; status of women, treatment of religious
groups and minorities (no foreign policy)
Topic 3
Material for Detailed Study
 Africa: Kenyatta; Nyrere.
 Americas: Peron; Castro.
 Asia and Oceania: Mao; Sukarno.
 Europe and Middle East: Hitler; Stalin;
Nasser
Topic 4
Themes
 Origins and rise of nationalist/independence movements in
Africa and Asia: anti-colonialism; nationalism; impact of
wars; other factors.
 Methods : armed struggle; non-violent methods; role of
leaders; politics.
 Challenges to Soviet control: origins; role of leaders;
methods.
 Formation of new governments: colonial legacy; conflict
with neighbours; political experience; economics, social
issues, ethnic movements.
Topic 4
Material for Detailed Study - Africa & Asia
 Africa : Algeria; Angola; Belgian
Congo/Zaire; Ghana; Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.
 Asia: India and Pakistan; Indonesia
 Leaders: Ben Bella; Ho Chi Minh; Jinnah;
Gandhi; Mugabe; Nkrumah.
Topic 4
Material for Detailed Study - Europe
 Movements – Czechoslovakia, Hungary,
Poland, Yugoslavia (dissolution and
successor states)
 Leaders – Walesa, Havel
Topic 5
Themes
 Origins of the Cold War: ideology; mutual fear;
wartime allies to post-war enemies.
 Nature of the Cold War : ideology; superpowers and
spheres of influence; alliances and diplomacy.
 Development and impact : global spread; containment
etc.; role of UN and non-aligned; arms race; leaders;
social impact.
 End of Cold War: break up of Soviet Union;
breakdown of Soviet control over E. Europe.
Topic 5
Material for Detailed Study
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Wartime conferences - Yalta and Potsdam
US polices and developments in Europe
Soviet Policies in Europe
Sino-Soviet relations
US-Chinese relations
Germany, Congo, Afghanistan, Korea, Cuba, Vietnam,
Middle East
 Castro, Gorbachev, Kennedy, Mao Reagan, Stalin,
Truman
Regions
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Europe and the Middle East
the Americas
Africa
Asia and Oceania
Note: Nasser is now part of Europe
Regions – Paper 2
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Markbands
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Very detailed
Broken down into narrow range
13 -15 and 16 -20
...will replace 11-13, 14 -16 and 17 -20
Will this lead to slightly more generous awarding
of marks?
 Historiography - Markband 10-12 through 16-20
and clarified
 Paper 2 and Paper 3 markbands are different
Topic Structure
 Major Themes
 Open Questions
 Examples for detailed studies
 Specific Questions
Paper 2 Structure
 1.5 Hours
 6 Questions on each Topic
 2 open questions
 3 specific questions
 1 question on social, economic or gender issues
 1 question will require examples from two
different regions
 1 Question will require comparison or be based on
a quotation
Paper 2 Structure
 Candidates answer 2 questions, each
selected from a different topic
 Time parameters are 1900-2000
 Worth 25% (HL) 45% (SL)
Paper 2 Tips
 Students need to know their dates so that
they can support their arguments with good,
accurate knowledge
 Historiography needs to be used with
discretion – a little goes a long way
 “Historiography is not a substitute for the
candidate’s own knowledge” (P. 11 of
Subject Report)
Paper 2 Tips
 Paper 2 is a global twentieth century paper
 Encourage students to think outside of Europe
 The First World War, for instance, took place on
many fronts...not just the Western
 World War Two began in 1937
 The origins of the Cold War could mention Asia as
Question 21 will usually cover the period from
1945 -49
Paper 2 Tips
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Definition total/limted war
Authoritarian vs Dictator vs Totalitarian
Civil war vs revolution
10 year rule