History – Strathaven Academy

The purpose of History is to provide learners with insights into their own lives and the society in which they live. By examining the past, they discover their heritage as members of a community, a country and the wider world. History provides learners with both a perspective on, and an understanding of, the forces which have shaped their own society and societies in other countries.

As part of the Broad General Education students will complete three units:

• Scotland and the Wall Street Crash Unit
Students will learn about the impact the Wall Street had not only on America, but also on Germany and Scotland.

• Scotland in World War Two Unit
Students will learn about World War Two in Scotland. They will look at the role of Hitler and the Nazis before looking at World War Two on the home front. Pupils will be involved in researching chosen areas of World War Two to help extend their learning.

•Local History Unit
Students will learn about the Strathaven area through various time periods. Pupils will also learn new skills and techniques that historians use to help them understand local areas. As part of this unit, pupils will research an aspect of local history to help develop their understanding and apply these new skills and techniques.

As part of the Broad General Education, students will complete two units:

• Slavery
Students will study the Transatlantic slave trade. They will study the demand for slaves by British merchants, the British justifications for slavery, the capture of slaves in Africa, their journey across the Middle Passage, the selling of slaves in various types of ways once they reached America and the Caribbean, the life and treatment of slaves on plantations and, finally, the abolition of the slave trade.

• Civil Rights
Having developed an understanding of the slave trade, students will learn about the inequalities that existed during the following one hundred years. They will develop an understanding of the reasons why the Civil Rights movement developed in the 1950s and 1960s. We will explore the violent and non-violent protests that took place, as well as the impact of influential leaders like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Students will be able to analyse the impact of these people and events to see the gradual advances that Black Americans made in regards to their civil rights.

Throughout both of these units, students will continue to develop their source-handling skills, as well as their knowledge and understanding, which will help in their preparation for National Qualifications in S4.

As part of the Broad General Education, students will complete three units:

• Unit 1: Scotland and the era of the Great War 1914-19
From this unit, pupils will gain an understanding of the cause of World War One. Pupils will also gain an understanding of the conditions endured by soldiers in the trenches and the impact of new technology on warfare. Pupils then move on to study the final months of the war, the Treaty of Versailles and its effects on Germany.

• Unit 3: Immigrants and Exiles: Scotland, 1830s–1951
From this unit, pupils will gain an understanding of the different immigrant groups that came to Scotland and the impact they made on the country. Pupils will also gain an understanding of why Scots emigrated during this period and the importance and impact of the British Empire on Scotland.

National 4

Students looking to secure certification at National 4 level will complete three units and an Added Value Unit instead of an assignment and will not have to sit the final exam.

National 5

Aims of the course

Course Details

• Unit 1: Scottish Contexts
Pupils will study one of a number of specified contexts on Scottish History. At Strathaven Academy, our chosen area of study will be Migration and Empire, 1830–1939: a study of the main immigrant groups and the impact they made on Scottish society. Pupils will also study the main reasons why many Scots felt the need to emigrate to parts of the British Empire and the impact they had on other countries.

• Unit 2: British Contexts
Pupils will study one of a number of specified contexts on British History. At Strathaven Academy, our chosen area of study will be The Making of Modern Britain, 1880-1951. During this course, pupils will study the problems of the poor at the turn of the 19th century and policies the Liberal Government put in place to improve everyday life for the poor. Pupils will also look at the impact World War Two had on Britain and the social changes the war brought, not only during the war years but also in the post war era.

• Unit 3: European and World Contexts
Pupils will study one of a number of specified contexts on European and World History. At Strathaven Academy, our chosen area of study will be Hitler and Nazi Germany, 1919-1939. During this course, pupils will study the creation and disposal of the Weimar Republic. Pupils will then study the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, and their social and economic control of Germany.

Assessment
The course assessment has two components
• Component 1: Question Paper
Marks – 80
Duration – 2 hours 20 minutes
• Component 2: Assignment
Marks – 20
Duration – 1 hour

Higher

Aims of the course

The Higher History course is designed to allows pupils to develop:

• knowledge and understanding of the past, which will prepare pupils for active participation in a modern democracy.
• the skills of critical thinking, by requiring pupils to evaluate the major events of the 20th century in Scotland, Britain and Europe.
• communication skills, such as analysis of sources, essay-writing, and the ability to draw reasoned conclusions from evidence.

Course details

In Higher History, we complete essays on British, European and World units. At Strathaven Academy, we study Britain 1851-1951 and Germany 1815-1939. We also study historical sources on a Scottish topic. At Strathaven Academy, our pupils study in detail the Treaty of Union 1689-1740.

Assessment
The course assessment has three components:
• Component 1: British and European and World (Essay-based paper)
Marks – 44
Duration – 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Component 2: Scottish Paper (Source-based paper)
Marks – 36
Duration – 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Component 3: Assignment
Marks – 30
Duration – 1 hour and 30 minutes

Advanced Higher

Aims of the course

The aims of the Advanced Higher History course are to acquire knowledge and understanding of historical themes and to develop skills of analysis of issues, developments and events, drawing conclusions and evaluating sources. These aims will be achieved through the study of a chosen context.

Candidates will study the Soviet Union: 1917-1953. Pupils will look at Russian politics from the abdication of the Tsar in 1917, the creation of a Communist Government led by Lenin, and Stalin.

The course assessment has two components:
• Component 1: Question Paper 1
Marks – 90
Duration – 3 hours
• Component 2: Dissertation
Marks – 40