ActiveHistory revision materials for the Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Modern World History Examination.
 

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The Cambridge IGCSE Modern World History Examination consists of two papers.

Paper 1 (two hours) - Structured Questions > 9th May 2025

In Paper 1, you are required to answer THREE questions.

Each of the three questions you answer in this paper will be broken into three parts:

(a) Describe (4 marks) > four developed points

(b) Explain (6 marks) > two detailed explanations

(c) Assess (10 marks) > three interpretations, plus a conclusion

You have 40 minutes to answer each of these three questions (i.e. two hours in total).

Section A: Core Content (answer TWO questions from this section)

You will answer two questions from a range of topics in the 20th century.

	What Caused World War One? ActiveHistory scheme of work: What Caused World War One?	• Did the Alliance System and global diplomacy make war more likely or less likely? • How far did colonial problems create tensions between the Great Powers? • Why were problems in the Balkans so difficult for the Great Powers to solve? • How did the assassination of Franz Ferdinand lead to war?
	Was the Treaty of Versailles fair? ActiveHistory scheme of work: Was the Treaty of Versailles fair?	• What were the motives and aims of the Big Three at Versailles? • Why did the victors not get everything they wanted? • What was the impact of the Treaty on Germany up to the end of 1923? • Could the Treaty be justified at the time?
	To what extent was the League of Nations a success? ActiveHistory schemes of work: The League in the 1920s | The Great Depression | The Manchurian and Abyssinian Crises	• How far did weaknesses in the League's organisation and membership make failure inevitable? • How successful were the League's attempts at peacekeeping in the 1920s? • How important was the League's humanitarian work? • How far did the Depression make the work of the League more difficult in the 1930s?
	How far was Hitler's foreign policy to blame for the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939? ActiveHistory schemes of work Hitler's Foreign Policy | Germany in the Spanish Civil War | Appeasement | Origins of World War Two: Conclusions	• What were the long-term consequences of the Treaty of Versailles? • What were the consequences of the failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s? • Was the policy of appeasement justified? • How important was the Nazi-Soviet Pact? • Why did Britain and France declare war on Germany in September 1939?
	Who was to blame for the Cold War? ActiveHistory scheme of work Origins of the Cold War | The Berlin Blockade	• Why did the US-Soviet alliance begin to break down in 1945? • How had the USSR gained control of Eastern Europe by 1948? • How did the United States react to Soviet expansionism? • What were the consequences of the Berlin Blockade? • Who was more to blame for starting the Cold War: the United States or the USSR?
	How effectively did the United States contain the spread of communism? ActiveHistory schemes of work The Korean War | The Cuban Missile Crisis | The Vietnam War	This key question will be explored through case studies of the following: • The United States and events in Korea, 1950-53 • The United States and events in Cuba, 1959-62 • American involvement in Vietnam, 1955-75
	How secure was the USSR's control over Eastern Europe, 1948-c.1989? ActiveHistory schemes of work How secure was the USSR's control over Eastern Europe, 1948-c.1989?	• Why was there opposition to Soviet control in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, and how did the USSR react to this opposition? • How similar were events in Hungary in 1956 and in Czechoslovakia in 1968? • Why was the Berlin Wall built in 1961? • What was the significance of Solidarity in Poland for the decline of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe? • How far was Gorbachev personally responsible for the collapse of Soviet control over Eastern Europe?

Section B: Depth Study (answer ONE question from this section)

You will choose one question from a choice of two from the Depth Study you have covered in class. For example, if you have studied Germany 1918-1945, it is likely that one question will focus on "The Weimar Republic and the Rise of Hitler" whilst the other will be on "The Nazi Regime".

	Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start? ActiveHistory schemes of work Weimar Germany	• How did Germany emerge from defeat at the end of the First World War? • What was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the Republic? • To what extent did the Republic recover after 1923? • What were the achievements of the Weimar period?
	Why was Hitler able to dominate Germany by 1934? ActiveHistory schemes of work Weimar Germany	• What did the Nazi Party stand for in the 1920s? • Why did the Nazis have little success before 1930? • Why was Hitler able to become Chancellor by 1933? • How did Hitler consolidate his power in 1933-34?
	How effectively did the Nazis control Germany, 1933-45? ActiveHistory schemes of work Nazi Germany	• How much opposition was there to the Nazi regime? • How effectively did the Nazis deal with their political opponents? • How did the Nazis use culture and the mass media to control the people? • Why did the Nazis persecute many groups in German society? • Was Nazi Germany a totalitarian state?
	What was it like to live in Nazi Germany? ActiveHistory schemes of work Nazi Germany	• How did young people react to the Nazi regime? • How successful were Nazi policies towards women and the family? • Did most people in Germany benefit from Nazi rule? • How did the coming of war change life in Nazi Germany?

Interactive Paper 1 revision resources from ActiveHistory

Interactive Paper 1 question practice > Describe [4] [practice questions] | Explain [6] [practice questions] | Assess [10] [practice questions]

"Play Your Dates Right" game to test your chronogical understanding.

"Who Am I?" challenge to test your knowledge of key individuals in the course.

Paper 2 (1hr45m) - Sourcework > 16th May 2025

Students answer five questions based around a topic from the 19th Century option, or the 20th Century option, depending on what they have studied in class.

For examination in Summer 2025, the prescribed topics are as follows:

How successful was the League? 1920s | 1930s ActiveHistory complete scheme of work, teacher support materials and FREE revision quizzes

You will answer FIVE compulsory sourcework questions.
When appropriate, you will use your background knowledge to evaluate and elaborate upon the sources.

The following resources will help you revise and develop your sourcework skills ready for the exam.

Interactive Cartoon Analysis Tool | Sourcework Question Markschemes | Source Overlay Template | Sourcework Skills Overview | Origin of Sources: Evaluation Worksheet | Purpose of Sources: Evaluation Worksheet | Nature of Sources: Evaluation Worksheet | 2 Key Cartoonists: Low and Partridge

Additional resources

ActiveHistory IGCSE History Revision Podcast A range of episodes on some of the most popular IGCSE History topics		ActiveHistory Video Archive A database of useful videos freely available on YouTube