A LEVEL

HISTORY

So how did Stalin control people’s minds?

Ideas are more powerful than guns.We would not let our enemies have guns,

why should we let them have ideas.~Stalin

This unit delves into the fascinatinghistory of Russia and the USSR, fromthe accession of Alexander II during theCrimean War in 1855; to the fall of NikitaKhrushchev in the aftermath of theCuban Missile Crisis in 1964. Thecourse charts the fall of the tsars, therise of Communism, Stalin’s brutalcontrol and Khrushchev's attempts to“thaw” Cold War tensions with the West.You will investigate how Russia lurchedfrom one form of totalitarianform of control to another andthe impact this had on theRussian people. You will also

Core ContentRussia: From Tsars to Dictators

Britain: Wars and Welfare

engage in the controversial issues anddebates surrounding the history of oneof the most bloody revolutions theworld has ever seen.

In this unit you will look at the impact oftwo world wars on British society andpolitics. You will explore the nature ofBritish society at the end of the Victorianperiod and explore the extent to which

this was refined

and altered in the crucible of warfare.The period allows for the developmentof an understanding of therelationships between ideas,individuals and wider forces.You will explore Britain’s changing rolein world politics; the growth ofinternational alliances; and the ways inwhich politics changed in Britain. Youwill also cover fascinating issues suchas women’s suffrage and the creationof the Welfare State. This unit tells thestory of the birth of modern Britain and

explains the country we live in today.

Core Content

You will look at a range of factors whichaffected the processes of change andconsolidation in politics, the economyand Soviet society, and which ledeventually to the end of the USSR. Aterrifying testament to the excesses ofCommunism and an important study intotalitarianism.

USSR: Triumph & Collapse

Personal Study

The personal study is a chance for youto take charge of your own learning. It isa 3,500 word essay which you research,write and refine yourself. This is a fan-tastic preparation for future study, espe-cially if you are thinking of going on tofurther training or higher education. Thepersonal study shows that you have the

skills and attributes to be self disci-plined and self

motivated.The person-al study isalso achance foryou to

haveso

me control over what you want to studyand start investigating a genuine histor-ical question. This is a chance for youto engage with a fascinating historicaltopic and deepen your understanding ofit.The personal study is a piece of workyou will be able to look back on as afantastic achievement at the end of yourA Levels.

Future ProofThe study of history en-courages people to thinkcritically, to refuse to ac-

cept things as they appear onthe surface. It produces individu-als who are aware of the com-plexity of issues that confront

society. History graduateshave a greater sense, notonly of the world theylive in, but how it got

there. Ultimately,this can onlymake for bettercitizens.

According to Which Magazine,“Historians are regarded ashaving had an education whichtrains their minds to assemblefacts and opinions. History isan excellent preparation formany jobs.”

More importantly, in the wordsof Georges Santayana,“History is always writtenwrong. So it always needs tobe re-written.”

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