I have uploaded a lot of new materials for my studies of the Origins of World War Two in the 1930s, meaning that I have now created several dedicated sections of the website to keep the topic manageable: The Great Depression Manchuria / Abyssinia Hitler’s Foreign Policy Appeasement Appeasement: Depth Study

Sourcework Questions and Model Answers 1. Study Sources A and B. How far do these two sources agree? Explain your answer using the sources.2. Study Sources B and C. How far does Source C make Chamberlain’s attitude in Source B surprising?

Five Key Sources: Was Hitler a Gambler, or a Planner? To investigate further this key question, students examine five central sources: Mein Kampf, The Four Year Plan, the Hossbach Memorandum, Code Green, and Goering’s testimony at the Nuremberg War Trials.

Roleplay: The Manchurian Crisis | Rolecards This roleplay exercise is a great way to get students thinking about the possible courses of action open to the League. Students are given an essential briefing about the Manchurian Dispute, and are then organised into five groups representing different countries. Each country is given a role card outlining what course…

Conclusions: How similar were the Manchurian and Abyssinian Crises? | Teacher Model Answers Students are provided with a writing frame which helps them compare and contrast the causes, course and consequences of the two crises.

Visual Essay-Writing Exercise: The Manchurian and Abyssinian Crises | Manchuria Cartoons | Abyssinia Cartoons Break the class into two groups. One will focus on the first crisis, one on the second. They should then construct an essay about the causes, course and consequences of their allocated crisis using the cartoons about Manchuria or Abyssinia as appropriate.

This new simulation is designed to help students form an opinion as to whether Hitler was a gambler or a planner in foreign affairs, and how far his foreign policy objectives could be justified. It comes complete with work pack, media clips, and a ‘save game’ feature. Part of the International Relations in the 1930s…

Online Presentation: What were the essential causes of World War One? This short presentation is designed to provide students with an essential overview of the main causes of the war in a single lesson. I don’t teach this in any more detail at this stage as the causes of the war are a key part…

A new fling the teacher quiz to follow on from the brand-new interactive simulation on ActiveHistory.

New IGCSE History Hub on ActiveHistory! I’ve finally got round to putting together a new landing page for IGCSE History students and teachers on ActiveHistory. It contains direct links to scores of schemes of work for the most popular IGCSE options and much else besides. Let me know if you have any suggestions for improvements!

Did the actions of the PLO advance or undermine the Palestinian cause, 1970-1976? | Teacher notes Students are put into two groups – Arabs and Israelis – to debate whether the actions of the PLO in the period 1970-1976 (Black September, Munich Olympics, Arafat of the UN, Operation Entebbe) advanced or undermined the Palestinian cause….

The Arab-Israeli War of 1948 What territorial changes took place as a result of the 1948 war? Students are given an overview of the main events, and two ‘before and after’ maps to draw some initial conclusions from. Part of the new IGCSE Paper 1 Scheme of Work on the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Civil War in Palestine, 1947-1948 The UN General Assembly (and the Jewish leadership in Palestine) voted to accept the UNSCOP partition plan in November 1947. The Arabs though rejected it. The outcome of this conflict was the first wave of Palestinian refugees, which remains one of the central problems in the region today. Students investigate…

UNSCOP and the United Nations Partition Plan 1947 roleplay part 2: Task for the “Arabs” and “Jews” “UNSCOP reported back in September 1947 proposing that Palestine should be divided into two separate states, with economic unity. In this exercise, you will draw up your own partition plan, and compare it to that decided upon by…

UNSCOP and the United Nations Partition Plan 1947 roleplay part 1: How should Palestine be divided between Arabs and Jews? | Accompanying Maps In February 1947, UNSCOP (the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine) was set up to work out a solution for the future of Palestine. As the violence escalated, the committee considered 6 possible solutions….

Why did Britain give up its Mandate in Palestine? End of topic factual test: 20 questions on the British mandate in Palestine | Teacher Version A factual test drawing toge the key events so far studied, in the form of a ‘fill the gaps’ timeline. Part of the new IGCSE Paper 1 Scheme of Work on the…