History - Leaving Certificate Syllabus (PDF format 498KB)

1 LEAVINGCERTIFICATEHISTORY Syllabus (ORDINARY ANDHIGHERLEVELS) Leaving Certificate History Syllabus nature of History ..2 The nature of the Syllabus ..2 Aims and objectives ..3 Aims ..3 Objectives ..3 Syllabus framework and requirements ..5 Syllabus framework diagram ..6 Differentiation ..7I: Working with evidence ..8II: Topics for study ..11 Assessment ..14 The report on the research terminal examination Modern Ireland ..17 Early Modern Europe and the wider world ..25 Later Modern Modern Europe and the wider Leaving Certificate History Syllabus 2 The nature of historyHuman experience the concern of historyHistory deals with the experience of human life in thepast. The study of History involves an investigation of thesurviving evidence relating to such experience. It brings thestudent of History into contact with human experiences,which are often very different from his/her own. Thus, thestudent gains insight into other ways of life, other ways ofthinking, other solutions to recurrent human study of human experience in the past, itsparticularity and its variety, is indispensable to a student sdeveloping understanding of the human condition andhuman motivation.

2 In encountering, through the study ofevidence, the past experiences of his/her own community,the student gains valuable insights into the roots of his/herown identity and inherited and change the essence of historySince change is an essential aspect of the humancondition, it is a matter of fundamental concern to thestudent of History . Time and change, indeed, may bedescribed as the essence of History . While otherdisciplines investigate aspects of human life, humaninstitutions and cultural traditions, only History isprimarily engaged with measuring and explaining themanner in which all of these have undergone theexperience of change. Since the rates of historical changevary enormously (slow-moving for long-lastingstructures and traditions, faster for wars andrevolutions), it is the task of the historian to offer anexplanation of the dynamic involved in each student of History will learn of the centrality ofchange to all human experience and of the complexmanner in which different modes of change understanding the revision of historyThe study and writing of History is no more static thanlife itself.

3 New evidence and new insights can lead torevision of the historical record and to a deepening of our historical understanding . This gives History a uniquepotential to develop the student's skills of criticalthinking. Living within a changing world, the student ofhistory will learn that his/her own judgementsconcerning the nature of historical events should besubjected to the most searching analysis and nature of the syllabusThe principle underlying the Syllabus is that the study ofhistory should be regarded as an exploration of whathistorians believe to have happened, based on an enquiryinto the available following are some of the main features of the Syllabus :In-depth study: The Syllabus involves a detailed study of a number ofhistorical topics and it provides the opportunity to studyaspects of these topics in greater depth. This approachallows for greater appreciation of the complexities inherentin the challenge of interpreting the past and the making ofreasoned judgements based on an evaluation of on skills: The in-depth approach facilitates an emphasis ondeveloping the skills of History ; in particular, skills inworking with evidence and research with evidence: The study of one of the topics will involve thestructured use of historical documents.

4 This will allowthe student to develop expertise in the evaluation ofevidence and the capacity to make reasoned study: Involvement in research is an integral part of thesyllabus. While offering an insight into the manner inwhich historians operate, the skills developed throughsuch study have a wide Leaving Certificate History Syllabus 3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVESAimsKnowledge and understanding1. To develop knowledge and understanding of humanactivity in the To promote understanding of the present through thedevelopment of a historical perspective on issues ofcontemporary To develop knowledge and understanding of Irish,European and world To develop students' understanding of To provide students with a perspective of change in aworld of of history1. To develop an awareness of different interpretations ofparticular historical To develop a range of research skills essential for thestudy of To develop an appreciation of the nature and variety ofhistorical for life and citizenship1.

5 To develop the ability to think To develop positive values associated with the study To develop in students an appreciation of the society inwhich they live and of other societies, past and To develop in students an informed and criticalawareness of their historical and understanding1. Students should acquire knowledge and developunderstanding of the specific listed elements of the topics studied how the actions and experiences of previousgenerations have helped influence the world oftheir successors how elements of the Irish History topics studied fitinto a broader international context. Depending onthe topic in question, that context may involveconsideration of such aspects as-the British dimension- the European dimension- the global dimension- the Irish diaspora human activity in the past, from a variety ofperspectives. In studying human activity in thepast, attention should be given to the experiences ofwomen.

6 The main forms of activity to be studiedmay be categorised as follows:- administrative- cultural- economic- political- religious- scientific- social. Leaving Certificate History Syllabus 2. Students should develop an understanding of, and anability to apply such concepts as are fundamental tothe study and writing of History procedural concepts-source and evidence- fact and opinion- bias and objectivity interpretative concepts- change and continuity- cause and consequence- comparison and contrast substantive concepts- power and authority- conflict and reconciliation- democracy and human rights- culture and civilisation- economy and society- identity and community- space and of historyStudents should develop a range of skills associated withthe study and writing of Recognition of the nature of historical knowledgeStudents should learn to recognise that historical knowledge is tentative andincomplete and, accordingly.

7 Subject to revisionand/or reinterpretation recognise that historical writing must be based onreliable evidence and that the available evidencemay be open to more than one valid Research skillsStudents should learn to define an appropriate topic for research study locate historical data from a variety of primaryand/or secondary sources select and record relevant data evaluate data collate data present findings in a well-structured, logical Skills in working with evidenceStudents should develop the ability to recognise different types of historical sourcematerials extract information from source materials toanswer historical questions evaluate the usefulness of particular sources andtheir limitations detect bias identify for life and citizenshipThrough their study of History , students should acquire aunique combination of skill and understanding , whichwill contribute to their personal growth as individuals andhelp to prepare them for life and work in Students should develop the ability to think critically by making judgements based on anevaluation of Students should develop positive values associated withthe study of History .

8 They should learn to be thorough in the collecting of information andaccurate in its recording be aware of bias and strive to be objective be able to look at a contentious or controversialissue from more than one point of Students should learn to evaluate their historical inheritance through thestudy of History from a variety of Leaving Certificate History Syllabus 5 Syllabus frameworkThe Syllabus framework comprises two inter-linkingparts as follows:I: Working with evidenceII: Topics for studyI: Working with evidencea) Introduction: History and the historianb) A documents-based studyc) A research study. Students will be given a preliminary introduction tothe nature of History and the work of the will form the basis for future work on thetopics, on the documents-based study and on theresearch study. Students will undertake a documents-based study ofone of the Syllabus topics as the primary means ofdeveloping their skills in working with evidence.

9 Students will undertake a research study of asignificant historical subject as a means of developingfurther their skills in working with evidence and asthe primary means of developing their research : Topics for studyThe topics are arranged in two discrete fields of study:Early Modern, 1492-1815; Later Modern, 1815-1993. Students will study topics from one of the fields each field of study, there are six topics from Irishhistory and six from the History of Europe and the widerworld. Students will study two topics from Irish History andtwo from the History of Europe and the wider worldfrom the selected field of topics will be prescribed for documents-basedstudy: one from the Early Modern field of study andone from the Later Modern field of study. Students will engage in a documents-based study ofthe prescribed topic from their selected field of Syllabus framework is presented diagrammatically onthe following FRAMEWORK AND REQUIREMENTS Leaving Certificate History Syllabus 6A.

10 Introduction: History and the historianB. Documents-based StudyC. Research StudySYLLABUS FRAMEWORKS yllabus framework diagramEarly Modern field of study1492-1815 This field of study comprises 12topics. Six topics relate to Irish historyand six to the History of Europeand the wider world. One topic will be prescribed bythe examining authority for thedocuments-based study. When that topic is from Irishhistory, choose one other topicfrom Irish History plus two topicsfrom the History of Europe andthe wider world. When that topic is from thehistory of Europe and the widerworld, choose one other topicfrom the History of Europe andthe wider world and two topicsfrom Irish History . Students study 4 topics in Modern field of study1815-1993 This field of study comprises 12topics. Six topics relate to Irish historyand six to the History of Europeand the wider world. One topic will be prescribed bythe examining authority for thedocuments-based study.