MODERN HISTORY SYLLABUS FOR REVISION PURPOSES

Active Revision (Don’t just read)
Preferred Learning Styles
Test yourself (See what you know): Syllabus / Past Paper Questions
Make sure of the general (Know the ‘big picture’)
Build on the specific (examples to support – quotes – historians)
Plan of Attack (Order of questions/ timing)

Use the dot points of the Syllabus to prompt your revision:
Start with the points you think you remember the least about.
Brainstorm as many factual details as you can remember.
Jot down questions that may come to mind as you try to remember information.
Go back to your notes, texts, etc and make some more notes, particularly making information that you had not remembered stand out.
Work through the revision questions that are part of the World War 1 and Russia Resource Booklets, the Trotsky text and are on MyOLMC for the Cold War.
Have a look at Past HSC Questions for the various units on MyOLMC or go to the Board of Studies Website to investigate past papers.
Get a feel for what the questions look like.
Have a go at planning and/or writing some examples.
Get your friends to Peer Mark.

World War 1
In investigating for the source-based study, students shall develop knowledge and skills to respond to different types of sources and relevant historiographical issues related to World War I.

Students learn about:

1 War on the Western Front the reasons for the stalemate on the Western Front the nature of trench warfare and life in the trenches dealing with experiences of Allied and German soldiers overview of strategies and tactics to break the stalemate including key battles: Verdun, the Somme, Passchendaele changing attitudes of Allied and German soldiers to the war over time

2 The home fronts in Britain and Germany total war and its social and economic impact on civilians in Britain and Germany recruitment, conscription, censorship and propaganda in Britain and Germany the variety of attitudes to the war and how they changed over time in Britain and Germany the impact of the war on women’s lives and experiences in Britain

3 Turning points impacts of the entry of the USA and of the Russian withdrawal
Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive and the Allied response

4 Allied Victory events leading to the Armistice, 1918 reasons for the Allied victory and German collapse the roles and differing goals of Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson in creating the Treaty of Versailles

Russia & The Soviet Union 1917 – 1941
Option G: Russia and the Soviet Union 1917–1941

Principal focus: Students investigate the key features and issues of the history of Russia and the Soviet Union 1917–1941.

Key features and issues: communism in theory and practice
Bolshevik consolidation of power changes in society leadership conflict and differing visions for the USSR purpose and impact of collectivisation and industrialisation nature and impact of Stalinism aims and impact of Soviet foreign policy

Students learn about:

1 Bolshevik consolidation of power
Lenin and the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 main features of Communist (Bolshevik) ideology at the time of the revolution social and political reforms of the Bolshevik government significance of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk the Civil War and aims, nature and impact of War Communism the New Economic Policy (NEP)

2 Stalin’s rise to power power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin and its immediate aftermath reasons for the triumph of Stalin as leader of the USSR

3 The Soviet State under Stalin
Stalin’s role in the Soviet state introduction of collectivisation and industrialisation (Five Year Plans)
Stalinism as totalitarianism impact of purges, show trials and ‘the Terror’ on the Communist Party and Soviet society impact of Stalinism on society, culture and the economy

4 Soviet foreign policy changing nature of Soviet foreign policy: aims and strategies 1917–1941 impact of changing ideology on Soviet foreign policy 1917–1941

Personality Study: Leon