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History

IB History is a Group 3 subject in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). It explores global historical events, themes, and perspectives from 750 CE to 2000 CE, with a strong focus on critical analysis of historical sources, comparative study of different regions and time periods, and independent historical investigation.

The course is available at Standard Level (SL, 150 teaching hours) and Higher Level (HL, 240 teaching hours), with first assessment in 2025.

Assessment at a Glance

Assessment	Format	SL	HL	Weighting
Paper 1	Source-based questions on prescribed subjects	1 hour	1 hour	40% (SL), 20% (HL)
Paper 2	Essay questions on world history topics	1 hour 30 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes	40% (SL), 30% (HL)
Paper 3	Essay questions on HL options (regional studies)	N/A	2 hours 30 minutes	30% (HL only)
Historical Investigation	Independent research investigation	20 hours	20 hours	20%

All Topics

The impact of Japanese nationalism and militarism on foreign policy

Japanese expansion in East Asia - Causes of expansion

Japanese expansion in East Asia - Events and Responses

German and Italian Expansion (1933-1940) - Causes of expansion

German expansion - Events and Responses

Italian expansion - Events and Responses

Civil rights movement in the United States - Nature and characteristics of discrimination

Civil rights movement in the United States - Protests and action

Civil rights movement in the United States - The role and significance of key actors/groups

Apartheid South Africa - Nature and characteristics of discrimination

Apartheid South Africa - Protests and action

Apartheid South Africa - The role and significance of key actors/groups

Rwanda - Causes of the conflict

Rwanda - Course and interventions

Rwanda - Impact

Kosovo - Causes of the conflict

Kosovo - Course and interventions

Kosovo - Impact

Paper 2 - Society and Economy (750-1400)

Paper 2 - Causes and effects of wars (750–1500)

Paper 2 - Dynasties and rulers (750–1500)

Societies in transition (1400–1700)

Early Modern states (1450–1789)

Origins, development and impact of industrialization (1750–2005)

Causes and effects of Early Modern wars (1500–1750)

Ethiopian-Adal War (1529-1543) - Causes of conflicts

Ethiopian-Adal War (1529-1543) - Practices and impact on outcome

Ethiopian-Adal War (1529-1543) - Effects

Ottoman-Mamluk War (1516-1517) - Causes of conflicts

Ottoman-Mamluk War (1516-1517) - Practices and impact on outcome

Ottoman-Mamluk War (1516-1517) - Effects

Moroccan invasion of the Songhai Empire (1591) - Causes of conflicts

Moroccan invasion of the Songhai Empire (1591) - Practices and impact on outcome

Moroccan invasion of the Songhai Empire (1591) - Effects

Acadian Civil War (1640-1645) - Causes of conflicts

Acadian Civil War (1640-1645) - Practices and impact on outcome

Acadian Civil War (1640-1645) - Effects

Beaver Wars (mid-17th century) - Causes of conflicts

Beaver Wars (mid-17th century) - Practices and impact on outcome

Beaver Wars (mid-17th century) - Effects

Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Incan Empires - Causes of conflicts

Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Incan Empires - Practices and impact on outcome

Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Incan Empires - Effects

Pueblo Revolt (1680) - Causes of conflicts

Pueblo Revolt (1680) - Practices and impact on outcome

Pueblo Revolt (1680) - Effects

Mughal conquests - Causes of conflicts

Mughal conquests - Practices and impact on outcome

Mughal conquests - Effects

Burmese-Siamese War (1547-1549) - Causes of conflicts

Burmese-Siamese War (1547-1549) - Practices and impact on outcome

Burmese-Siamese War (1547-1549) - Effects

Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) - Causes of conflicts

Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) - Practices and impact on outcome

Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) - Effects

Qing conquest of Ming China - Causes of conflicts

Qing conquest of Ming China - Practices and impact on outcome

Qing conquest of Ming China - Effects

Dutch War of Independence (1568-1648) - Causes of conflicts

Dutch War of Independence (1568-1648) - Practices and impact on outcome

Dutch War of Independence (1568-1648) - Effects

Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) - Causes of conflicts

Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) - Practices and impact on outcome

Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) - Effects

Russo-Swedish War (1554-1557) - Causes of conflicts

Russo-Swedish War (1554-1557) - Practices and impact on outcome

Russo-Swedish War (1554-1557) - Effects

Great Northern War (1700-1721) - Causes of conflicts

Great Northern War (1700-1721) - Practices and impact on outcome

Great Northern War (1700-1721) - Effects

English Civil War (1642-1651) - Causes of conflicts

English Civil War (1642-1651) - Practices and impact on outcome

English Civil War (1642-1651) - Effects

Paper 2 - Independence Movements

India

Ben Bella and Algeria

Nkrumah and Ghana

Kenyatta and Kenya

Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam

Emergence and development of democratic states (1848–2000)

Germany

India

USA

South Africa

Authoritarian states (20th century)

Case study: Fidel Castro

Case study: Vladimir Lenin

Case study: Joseph Stalin

Case study: Mao Zedong

Case study: Benito Mussolini

Case study: Adolf Hitler

Causes and effects of 20th-century wars

Interstate Wars

Civil Wars

Guerrilla Wars

The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries (20th century)

Rivalry, mistrust and accord - Grand Alliance breakdown (1943-1949)

Rivalry, mistrust and accord - US-USSR relations (1947-1979)

Rivalry, mistrust and accord - Sino-Soviet relations (1947-1979)

Rivalry, mistrust and accord - Sino-US relations (1947-1979)

Rivalry, mistrust and accord - End of Cold War (1980-1991)

Leaders - Truman (US, 1945-1953)

Leaders - Stalin (USSR, 1945-1953)

Leaders - Khrushchev (USSR, 1953-1964)

Leaders - Mao (China, 1949-1976)

Leaders - Nixon (US, 1969-1974)

Leaders - Brezhnev (USSR, 1964-1982)

Leaders - Reagan (US, 1981-1989)

Leaders - Gorbachev (USSR, 1985-1991)

Nations - United States

Nations - Soviet Union

Nations - China

Nations - Cuba

Nations - East Germany

Nations - West Germany

Cold War Crises - Berlin Blockade (1948-1949)

Cold War Crises - Berlin Wall (1958-1961)

Cold War Crises - Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

Cold War Crises - Hungarian Uprising (1956)

Cold War Crises - Prague Spring (1968)

Cold War Crises - Korean War (1950-1953)

Cold War Crises - Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Cold War Crises - Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

Cold War Crises - Angola Civil War (1975)

Cold War Crises - Suez Crisis (1956)

Cold War Crises - Chinese Offshore Island Crises (1954/1958)

Cold War Crises - US intervention in Chile (1973)

Section 1: Monarchies in England and France (1066–1223)

Section 2: Muslims and Jews in Medieval Europe (1095–1492)

Section 3: Late Medieval Political Crises (1300–1487)

Section 4: The Renaissance (c1400–1600)

Section 5: The Age of Exploration and Its Impact (1400–1550)

Section 6: Aspects of the Reformation (c1500–1563)

Section 7: Absolutism and Enlightenment (1650–1800)

Section 8: The French Revolution and Napoleon I (1774–1815)

Section 9: France (1815–1914)

Section 10: Society, Politics & Economy in Britain and Ireland (1815–1914)

Section 11: Italy (1815–1871) and Germany (1815–1890)

Section 12: Imperial Russia, Revolution and the Establishment of the Soviet Union (1855–1924)

Section 13: Europe and the First World War (1871–1918)

Section 14: Inter-war Domestic Developments in European states (1918–1939)

Section 15: Diplomacy in Europe (1919–1945)

Section 16: The Soviet Union and Post-Soviet Russia (1924–2000)

Section 17: Post-War Western and Northern Europe (1945–2000)

Section 18: Post-War Central and Eastern Europe (1945–2000)

Section 1: Indigenous societies and cultures in the Americas (c750–1500)

Section 2: European explorations and conquests in the Americas (c1492–c1600)

Section 3: Colonial government in the New World (1500–1800)

Section 4: Religion in the New World (1500–1800)

Section 5: Slavery and the New World (1500–1800)

Section 6: Independence Movements (1763–1830)

Section 7: Nation-building and Challenges (1780–1870)

Section 8: US Civil War (1840–1877)

Section 9: The Development of Modern Nations (1865–1929)

Section 10: Emergence of the Americas in global affairs (1880–1929)

Section 11: The Mexican Revolution (1884–1940)

Section 12: The Great Depression and the Americas (mid 1920s–1939)

Section 13: The Second World War and the Americas (1933–1945)

Section 14: Political Developments in Latin America (1945–1980)

Section 15: Political developments in the United States (1945–1980) and Canada (1945–1982)

Section 16: The Cold War and the Americas (1945–1981)

Section 17: Civil rights and social movements in the Americas post-1945

Section 18: The Americas (1980–2005)

Paper 3 - History of Africa and the Middle East

Section 1: Trade & Exchange: The Silk Road in the Medieval World

Section 2: Japan in the Age of the Samurai (1180–1333)

Section 3: Exploration, trade and interaction in East Asia & South-East Asia (1405–1700)

Section 4: The Rise & Fall of the Mughal Empire (1526–1712)

Section 5: Colonialism and Nationalism in South-East Asia

Section 6: India, Afghanistan and Burma (1750–1919)

Section 7: Challenges to Traditional East Asian Societies (1700–1868)

Section 8: British Colonialism & Emerging National Identities in Oceania (1788–1919)

Section 9: Early Modernization & Imperial Decline in East Asia (1860–1912)

Section 10: Nationalism & Independence in India (1919–1964)

Section 11: Japan (1912–1990)

Section 12: China and Korea (1910–1950)

Section 13: Impact of the Second World War on South-East Asia

Section 14: The People’s Republic of China (1949–2005)

Section 15: Cold War Conflicts in Asia

Section 16: Developments and Challenges in South Asia after 1947

Section 17: Oceania after the Second World War (1945–2005)

Section 18: Asia (excluding China, Japan and India) (1980–2005)

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Course Aims & Skills

Develop an understanding of, and continuing interest in, the past

Encourage students to engage with multiple perspectives and to appreciate the complex nature of historical concepts, issues, events and developments

Promote international-mindedness through the study of history from more than one region of the world

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History

Assessment at a Glance

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