A Level History
Induction Tasks
Hello! And thanks for choosing to apply for History A Level!
During your first year you will focus on two key topics:
- A British period study and enquiry – The Early Stuarts and the Origins of the Civil War 1603-1660. This will take us from the reign of James I of England to the execution of Charles I and Interregnum. It will be a 1 hour 30 minutes examined topic.
AND…
- A non-British period study – Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919-1963. This topics takes us from the establishment of the Weimar Republic in 1919 to the Nazi Dictatorship 1933-1945 and its impact after Germany was defeated. It will also be an examined unit that will be 1 hour.
To get you into the swing of things I’ve put together two useful and really important summer tasks which you will need to bring completed to your first lesson in September. It’s ESSENTIAL that you complete these tasks otherwise you’ll start the year behind everyone else which won’t give the best impression of your commitment to the course which will demand much more than GCSE.
When you begin the course in September you will be given names of core text books and extensive reading lists. However, to prepare yourself prior to the commencement of your course I would recommend watching The Stuart, BBC presented by Dr Clare Jackson. For Democracy and Dictatorships Third Reich: The Rise and Fall, History Channel. Ian Kershaw is also an important historian on Nazi Germany and his work would be worth dipping into.
Task 1
The Early Stuarts and the English Civil War 1603-1660.
Read the summer reading extracts to get a flavour of life in Stuart England. Then use them and further research to produce a set of notes (hand written or electronic) on the following topics:
- James I of England VI of Scotland’s early childhood and background
- James I’s beliefs in ‘Divine Rights’
- Role of Parliament under James I
- Charles I his background and personality
- Charles I’s quarrels with Parliament
This must be brought with you on the first lesson in September, ready to share.
Expected Time Commitment: You should expect to spend about 2 hours on this task as a minimum.
Task 2
Read the summer reading on the German Republic and answer the following questions:
- What effect did the First World War have on Germany?
- Was there really a revolution in Germany in 1918?
- What was the Treaty of Versailles, where was it created and by who? What terms were on there?
- Why did the Germans hate the Treaty of Versailles so much and how did they react to it?
- What were the achievements of the Weimar Republic?
Expected Time Commitment: You should expect to spend about 2 hours on this task as a minimum.
Good luck!