GCSE History
Title of qualification
GCSE History
Exam Board
Edexcel
What will I learn?
The course has three key papers:
Paper 1 – Medicine through Time c.1250-Present
In this unit you will study the History of medicine over 750 years and the changes that took place. These changes are to do with ideas about causes, treatments and cures, who treated the sick, the factors that bring about change and the rate of change. It also considers whether change is the same as progress.
The course is split into 4 time periods:
- Medieval medicine
- Renaissance medicine
- 18th and 19th Century Medicine
- Modern Medicine
Additionally, there is also a special study on the treatment of the ill, wounded and injured in the trenches of the First World War.
Paper 2 – Early Elizabethan England 1558 – 1588 & The American West 1836 - 1895
Early Elizabeth England:
In this unit you will learn about the challenges facing the young queen and the problems caused by foreign threat, religion, finances and rivals for the throne. You will also consider Elizabethan society and the Age of Exploration as well as the deteriorating relationship with Spain that culminated in the Spanish Armada.
The American West:
In this unit you look at the making of the modern United States of America – looking at the push west to settle and the reasons for this which included the gold rush and the problems and conflicts this push westwards caused. This included conflict with the Plains Indians and the experiences of the Donnor Party and the Mormons. It also looks at the development of cowboys and cattle ranching, the railroads and the problems of law and order.
Paper 3 – Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1939
In this unit you will look at the difficulties Germany faced at the end of the First World War and the problems the new government had and why the recovery in the mid-1920s did not last. It looks at the reasons for Hitler’s rise to power and growing popularity and how, once in power, the Nazis ensured a dictatorship with little open opposition. The course also looks at how life changed for those living in Nazi Germany, particularly women, the young, workers and minorities who did not ‘fit’ Nazi ideals.
How is this course taught?
In Year 10:
In Year 11:
How will this course be assessed?
100% examination – 3 exam papers in total.
What skills do I need?
- Literacy – the ability to read and write fluently.
- Source skills, particularly assessing skills for their use or for what can be inferred from them.
- The ability to think critically and reach a justified viewpoint or conclusion.
- Oracy – the ability to discuss different opinions and values.
- Presentational skills (spoken and written).
- A commitment to work at home as well as in the classroom.
What is next for me after this course?
History is a very well regarded GCSE that all colleges and sixth forms will welcome. The A level is also well received at virtually all universities and colleges of higher education. History teaches skills that are transferable to a wide range of jobs: journalism, publishing, law, police, government, politics, charity work and many more.
Are there any restrictions with this course?
The course is open to all students. Please note the course has a heavy literacy content with extensive reading around the topic.
resources
You can find guidance on how to answer GCSE questions here.
Medicine 1250 - present
Videos:
- 16th and 17th Century Medicine — Medicine Through Time
- 18th Century Medicine — Medicine Through Time
- 19th Century Medicine — Medicine Through Time
- Chadwick and Snow — Medicine Through Time
- Fleming, Florey and Chain — Medicine Through Time
- Lister and Simpson — Medicine Through Time
- Medieval Medicine — Medicine Through Time
- Modern Medicine — Medicine Through Time
- Pasteur and Koch — Medicine Through Time
- Vesalius, Paré and Harvey — Medicine Through Time
Revision resources:
- Medicine Revision Place Mat
- Revision for Medicine
- Medicine Exam Questions
- Medicine — WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
- Revision Clocks — Historical Environment
- Historical Environment
- Medicine Through Time - Revision Guide
- Trenches
Early Elizabethan England
Videos:
- Problems of Elizabeth’s Legitimacy
- The Religious Settlement
- Threats to the Religious Settlement
- Elizabeth’s Money Problems
- Government and Society
- Challenges From Abroad
Revision resources:
- Exam Questions
- GCSE Paper 2 — Elizabethan England
- Early Elizabethan England 1558-1588
- Who’s Who in Elizabethan Times
Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918 - 1939
Revision resources:
- Core Revision For Germany 1919-1939
- Key Dates and People for Germany 1919-1939
- Germany Answers — WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like)
- Paper 3 Questions 1-3a
This covers:
The Weimar Republic 1918-1929
Hitler's Rise to Power 1919-1933
Nazi Control and Dictatorship 1933-1939
Life in Nazi Germany 1933-1939
American West 1835 - 1895
Week 1
- Importance of Buffalo 2 and Tipi
- Importance of Buffalo and Buffalo Hunts
- Importance of Horse
- Lesson 1 - Geography of the Plains and Lifestyles
- Lesson 2 & 3 - Plains Indians
- The Formation of the USA in Maps - States
- Worksheet on Religious Beliefs
Week 2
- Lesson 4 & 5 - Government Policy 1830s-1850s 1
- Worksheet for Pupil Books for Government Policy 1830s-1850s, Foundation Version
- Gap Fill for US Government Policy
Week 3
- Lesson 6 - The Problems of Heading West
- The Challenges and Problems of Heading West
- Essentials for the Oregon Trail
Week 4
Week 5
- Lesson 8 - Farming the Plains and Fort Loramie 1851
- Problems of Farming the Plains part 1
- Problems of Farming the Plains part 2
Week 6
- Lesson 9 - The Civil War and Homestead Act
- Homestead Act Task - Card Sort
- Homestead Act - Card Sort Answers
- Lesson 10 - Railroads
- Workbooklet for Railroads
Week 7
- Lesson 11 - The Story of the Cattle Trade part 1
- Lesson 12 - The Story of the Cattle Trade part 2
- Cattle Trails and Cow Towns Map
- How did the Cattle Industry Develop 1 - information sheet
- How did the Cattle Industry Develop part 2
Week 8
Week 9
- Lesson 14 - End of the Open Range Farming Unit 3 V1
- Lesson 15 - Further Expansion onto the Plains
- Exodusters and Oklahoma Landrush
- Law and Order in the American West Homework
Week 10
Week 11
- The Destruction of the Indian Way of Life
- Narrative Account Question - Destruction
- Wounded Knee Massacre and Ghost Dance
Week 12
Home Learning: