IGCSE History: ActiveHistory

An ActiveHistory subscription provides everything you need to construct and deliver a two-year IGCSE History course from start to finish. All of the materials have been designed by a full-time teacher who has been delivering the IGCSE History syllabus since 2005.

These consist not just of lesson plans, worksheets and teacher notes, but also multimedia lectures and interactive games and historical simulations ideal for remote learning and self-study.

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IGCSE HISTORY TOPICS COVERED ON ACTIVEHISTORY

This expandable menu provides links to worksheets, teacher notes, and interactive simulations for the IGCSE History topics currently covered by ActiveHistory. New resources are being added regularly and can be tracked using the ActiveHistory Blog and the ActiveHistory Facebook Page.

 


IGCSE History Curriculum Maps

The following curriculum maps reflect what I currently teach to my own IGCSE History students. They are designed to ensure that the IB History syllabus which then follows does not overlap with any of these topics. In this way, new students at IB are not disadvantaged by having no prior knowledge, and my existing students do not have to cover the same topics yet again.

 

 


Paper 2: Additional Resources

Interactive Cartoon Analysis

Sourcework Question Markschemes

Source Overlay Template

Sourcework Skills Overview

Interactive Cartoon Analysis Tool

Origin of Sources: Evaluation Worksheet

Purpose of Sources: Evaluation Worksheet

Nature of Sources: Evaluation Worksheet

2 Key Cartoonists: Low and Partridge

 


Paper 1: Model Answers

A. Online Interactive Testing

Model answers are an invaluable way of helping students develop both their knowledge and their examination skills.

The following examples are best shared with students after they have attempted them in test conditions.

The following tools give students practice at answering Paper 1 questions, and provide them afterwards with model answers.

Describe [4] [practice online questions] |

Explain [6] [practice online questions] |

Assess [10] [practice online questions]

B. Printable Model Answers

The following examples are best shared with students after they have attempted them in test conditions.

It is a also a good idea to have some structured activities to accompany their reading of these model answers. For example:

"Describe" questions (a): Underline any evidence of clear contextual knowledge (especially any which you did not know already).
"Explain" questions (b): circle off any clear 'reasons' identified which is helping these answers stay focused on the "why" rather than drifting into "how".
"Assess" questions (c): is this answer too long to feasibly be written in 20 minutes? If so, which bits can we afford to leave out?
Missing points: Are there any ideas or evidence used YOUR answer which these 'model' answers have missed out? Share them with the class to help them deepen their knowledge and understanding.

The Origins of World War One
a. Describe the Alliance System which existed among European powers before 1914.
b. Why did the Anglo-French entente survive?
c. "The crises of 1905, 1908 and 1911 made war inevitable" - to what extent do you agree with this statement?
Peace Treaties after World War One
a. What did Wilson hope to achieve from the peace settlement of 1919-20?
b. Why did Clemenceau and Lloyd George disagree over how to treat Germany?
c. "The Treaty of Versailles was a fair settlement". How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer.
Peace Treaties after World War One
a. What is a diktat?
b. Explain why some people thought that the Treaty of Versailles was fair.
c. To what extent did the aims of the Big Three differ?
Peace Treaties after World War One
a. Describe how the peace treaties affected France.
b. Explain why the Versailles treaty was harsh on Germany.
c. To what extent did the aims of the Big Three differ?
Weimar Germany, 1918-34
a. What were the main features of the Weimar Constitution?
b. Why did the Weimar Republic face difficulties in 1923?
c. How successful was the Republic between 1924-1928?
Weimar Germany, 1918-34
a. What changes in German society did the Nazi Party want in 1920?
b. Why did the Nazi Party remain unsuccessful between 1924 and 1929?
c. How important was Hitler to the success of the Nazis between 1929 and 1932?
Weimar Germany, 1918-34
a. Describe the effects of the hyperinflation of 1923 on the German people
b. Why was 1923 a year of crisis for the Weimar Republic?
c. c. To what extent did the Weimar Republic recover between 1924-28?
International Relations: 1920s
a. What were the aims of the League of Nations?
b. Why did the USA's refusal to join create problems for the League?
c. How successful was the League at dealing with the problems it faced in the 1920s?
International Relations: 1920s
a. Describe the activities of the Agencies of the League of Nations.
b. Why did some major powers not join the League?
c. How successful was the League at dealing with border disputes in the 1920s?
International Relations: 1920s/30s
a. Describe the successes of the League of Nations in peacekeeping in the 1920s
b. Why did the League fail to secure world disarmament before World War Two?
b. Explain why the League was quite successful in the 1920s

International Relations: 1930s
a. Describe the Abyssinian Crisis.
b. Why was the conquest of Manchuria by Japan not prevented by the League of Nations?
b. Why was remilitarisation of the Rhineland a risk for Hitler?

Hitler's Foreign Policy
a. In what ways did Hitler build up his armed forces before 1936?
b. Why did Britain and France allow Germany to remilitarise the Rhineland in 1936?
c. Evaluate the view that 'Hitler was a gambler rather than a planner' in foreign affairs.
Hitler's Foreign Policy
a. Describe the events leading to Anschluss.
b. Why did Hitler want to take over Czechoslovakia?
c. How far was the policy of appeasement justified?

 


Revision Resources

There are plenty of printable factual tests and online quizzes that can be found on each dedicated topic page. Here are some additional resources that will also be useful.

Revision quizzes covering the entire course:
Play Your Dates Right Quiz (tests chronological understanding)
Who Am I? Challenge (tests knowledge of key individuals)

Other revision ideas from Tarr's Toolbox:
"Leaderboard Challenge" for "Fling the Teacher"
Arcade Game Generator: Create several revision quizzes with one set of questions 
"Tell us something we don't know!": A quiz to develop deeper understanding
Dice and Card Game Strategies for Revising Key Terms
Only Connect!
Share test questions in advance
Tic Tac Know
Spot the Mistakes
Guess Who / Guess What
Snooker and Battleships
Challenge Grid
Jenga
Who / Where / What Am I?

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